HKUST professor pleads guilty to bribery charges over master’s admission

Liu Hongbin, a then HKUST Chair Professor and programme director, pleaded guilty in Hong Kong to one conspiracy charge involving acceptance of a HK$40,000 bribe and two charges of offering advantages to public servants. The ICAC said the alleged conduct occurred between March and May 2025 and involved assisting a student who did not meet the programme’s general admission requirements, following a request from Liu’s friend.

Liu also admitted offering red packets to two colleagues. The case was adjourned for sentencing on May 28, 2026, and he was remanded in custody; the source does not report a sentence or conviction at the time of publication.