The University of Hong Kong

University Identity

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Policies & Guidelines

Use of the University's Name and Visual Identity

The following guidelines seek to clarify the use of the name of the University of Hong Kong for members of the University and the public. They have been drawn up to ensure that the use of the University's name is accurate and appropriate, and that such use signifies institutional accountability.

The use of the University's name is not confined to its constituent academic and administrative units and collaborative partners. Individual members of the University may give opinions or make endorsements solely in their personal capacity. The existence of any financial consideration must be disclosed to the University and revealed in any agreed endorsement. The University expects its staff to maintain the highest professional conduct when they associate themselves with its name in making professional or public statements, whether in a professional or expert capacity.

It is understandable that the University's name will be used extensively and under different circumstances. Hence, this set of general principles and guidelines may not comprehensively cover all cases. If in doubt, members of the University and the public are requested to seek advice from the Registrar.

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Definitions

The following are the definitions of University's name and activities:

The University's name includes the English name'The University of Hong Kong' and the Chinese name '香港大學'’, the English acronym 'HKU' and the Chinese acronym '港大', all other names, abbreviations, logos (whether registered as a trademark or not), and any other form of visual identity that connote an association with the University; and

The University's activities include its educational work, research and developmental work, community services, administrative and promotional work in pursuit of its knowledge generation and educational goals, consultancies with or without commercial advantages.

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Application

The principles and guidelines shall apply to:

'University members', including all staff and students;

University's sub-divisions of studies and learning, administrative and service departments, companies, registered staff organisations, sponsored or registered student groups;

University support groups such as Court and Council lay members, alumni bodies;

Government and other statutory bodies;

Public members, either individually or collectively, who through participation and engagement in University activities have become involved in the use of the University's name; and

Print, television, video, motion picture, all forms of electronic media.

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General Principles

The following criteria, inter alia, should be considered when approval is to be given by the Vice-Chancellor or his designated authority for the use of the University’s name:

Any use of the University's name must be made to ensure that the association does not adversely affect the University’s reputation or other interests.

Any direct or implied association with the University due to using its name must be based on a relationship properly approved by the University between itself and the other party concerned.

The use of the University's name to describe or promote activities should be made only if it is assured that intellectual and ethical standards approved by the University are maintained; and that in actual application, there should be rigorous demand on factual accuracy to prevent distortion or misinformation.

Economic values which may be generated through the appropriate association with the University's name should be fairly attributed to the University in accordance with the relevant schedules and procedures managed by the Finance and Enterprises Office and Versitech Limited.

The format or media in which the University's name (or any form of visual identity) appears must be aesthetically pleasing in order to avoid public offence or distaste.

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Guidelines

The authority to approve the use of the University's name ultimately belongs to the Vice-Chancellor or his delegated authority. [Exception: Materials already designated in any visual identity manual or products/services under copyright/intellectual property assignments to the University may be given blanket or category approval.]

The use of the name of individual Faculties, Departments, sub-divisions of studies and learning, administrative and service departments shall be approved in advance by the Vice-Chancellor or his delegated authority. [Express approval must be obtained from the Vice-Chancellor or his delegated authority in relation to fund-raising, advertising and promotional efforts, sale and distributions of services/products for financial consideration, and financial transactions.]

For events other than the normal University activities, staff and students, individually or collectively, may only use the name of the University (including the name of individual Faculties, Departments, sub-divisions of studies and learning, administrative and service departments) with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor or his delegated authority except where blanket or category approval has already been given.

In using or authorising the use of the University's name (including the name of individual Faculties, Departments, sub-divisions of studies and learning, administrative and service departments) to identify themselves or to associate with activities conducted in collaboration with outside parties (such as in contract research, public statements, joint authorships), staff and students should, wherever necessary, assure that the use of such name(s) does not imply the University's endorsement of or responsibility for the particular activity, product, or publication involved.

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Advertising that displays, lists, or suggests the University

as a user or endorser of any product or service; or

as the source of research information on which a commercial product, service, programme, or publication is based or derived; or

has evaluated or analyzed a commercial product, service, programme, or publication is generally not encouraged. Approval may be granted exceptionally if the University is satisfied that its reputation and interests are sufficiently safeguarded. [There should be an exclusion clause on the use of University's name in the normal research consultancy agreement in order to preempt commercial exploitation of the University's name consequent upon the release of the research findings and reports. A standard clause is at Annex I.]

In advance of using the University''s name (including the name of individual Faculties, Departments, sub-division of studies and learning, administrative and service departments) in whatever format or media, express approval should be obtained from the Vice-Chancellor or his delegated authority.

Annex I
Exclusion clause on the use of the University's name in research consultancy agreement

"The Sponsor shall not publish anything in a way that would damage the reputation and/or interests of the Researcher [here defined as"The University of Hong Kong including/or its Faculties, Departments, sub-divisions of studies and learning, and administrative and service departments"]. If the Sponsor wishes to publish the research findings, it must obtain the approval of the Researcher in advance of the publication. (Publication for this purpose includes learned papers, articles, reports, advertisements, whether published in journals, newspapers, magazines, on television, on the web or any other type of media). To obtain approval, the Sponsor shall submit to the Researcher a copy of the publication it wishes to publish, together with information on the media proposed to be used for the publication, and other related details as requested by the Researcher for assessing the implications of the publication on the reputation and/or interests of the Researcher."

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Updated in June 2005
(An extract from the Policies and Guidelines on the Use of University's Name and
Visual Identity approved by the Council on April 29, 2003)