Event Summary
Between 21 December 2025 and 18 January 2026, six Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) college student unions ceased operations after the university refused recognition without police registration under the Societies Ordinance. Shaw College Student Union was suspended on 21 December 2025, Wu Yee Sun College on 23 December 2025, New Asia College on 28 December 2025, United College dissolved 9 January 2026 after the 5 January 2026 notification of non-recognition, Lee Woo Sing College was suspended on 16 January 2026 (including council, assembly, day scholars and hall associations), and Chung Chi College was suspended on 17 January 2025: the same day as the college’s 75th anniversary celebration.
All unions cited the university requirement for police registration as creating “unprecedented risks” and an inability to maintain autonomous operations after colleges refused recognition. Chung Chi stated, over the past two years, that the university requested refraining from using student union name until completing independent registration, with union office and mass mail access revoked. Lee Woo Sing noted that the college twice postponed registration procedures in June and September 2025 before ultimately refusing recognition. United College received notification during the 5 January 2026 meeting with university and college administration. Combined with the CW Chu College suspension in January 2024, seven of CUHK’s nine college student unions have ceased operations, leaving only SH Ho College and Morningside College unions operational: both registered under Societies Ordinance. CUHK Student Union (CUSU) representing all university students dissolved in October 2021 after the university severed ties. The registration requirement was first notified to CUSU in February 2021 and extended to college-level unions in 2023. The wave of suspensions followed shortly after CUHK students launched petition regarding Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire demanding accountability, with four college unions suspending after petition.