1. A conflict of interest situation arises when the personal interest of a staff member competes or conflicts with the interest of the University. Such a situation may lead to divided loyalty and can tarnish the University’s reputation or even result in corruption. A conflict of interest situation is likely to arise when a staff member’s loyalty to the University conflicts with his/her loyalty to:

1. his/her family and other relatives;
2. his/her personal friends;
3. the clubs and societies to which he/she belongs;
4. his/her professional colleagues in other organizations; or
5. any person to whom he/she owes a favour or is obliged in any way.

2. It is important that all staff members should be honest and impartial in their official dealings and in their relationship with their students and staff members. He/She must not use his/her position in the University, nor any information made available to him/her in his/her capacity as the University staff members, to benefit himself/herself or his/her family, financially or otherwise, or to favour his/her relatives and friends or any other group of people with whom he/she has personal or social ties. He/She should also avoid putting himself/herself in a position in which he/she might arouse any suspicion of dishonesty, or of using his/her official position to benefit himself/herself or favour his/her family and friends.

3. It is the responsibility of the staff members to avoid engaging in situations that may lead to or involve conflict of interests. To avoid the occurrence of a conflict of interest, a staff member should:

1. refrain from acquiring any investment or any financial or other interest which may lead to a conflict of interest with his/her official duties;
2. avoid putting himself/herself in a position of obligation to anyone who has or may have official dealings with his/her department, including his/her students, colleagues, subordinates, suppliers and contractors;
3. decline to provide assistance, advice or information to relatives, friends, students, etc. in connection with his/her work where this would give the recipient an unfair advantage over other people, and refer all legitimate requests to the proper subject officer to be dealt with in the normal manner; and
4. report to his/her supervisor any private interest that might influence, or could be seen to influence, his/her judgment in the performance of his/her duties.

4. It is not possible to exhaust all the circumstances under which conflict of interests may arise. Some guidelines and examples of situations involving conflict of interests in some typical areas can be found below:

a) Financial Activities

1. Any staff members whose official duties are related to the purchase of goods or services for the University should immediately report to the University any personal connection which he/she or any of his/her close relatives may have with the parties being considered for the supply of goods or services.
2. Under no circumstances shall a staff member of the University give or release to any unauthorized person any data or information of a confidential nature concerning the University, such as competitive bids, whether or not for personal advantage or favour, or for the advantage or favour of anyone he/she knows.
3. Staff members should also obtain prior permission of the University if they, or any of their close relatives intend to buy, sell or lease any kind of property, facilities or equipment, etc. from or to the University.

b) Official Activities

1. Staff member who is in a position to know the contents of a recruitment test should under no circumstances leak such information to any party. They should also be wary of entertainment offered through contacts arising from official business.
2. Staff members who are involved in decision of admissions to the University must declare their interest if candidates being considered are their relatives, personal friends or acquaintances, particularly if such candidates are marginal cases. Where serious conflict of interest arises, staff members concerned should abstain from taking part in the decision-making process for the relevant candidates or from influencing in any way such decisions. A case of obvious infringement is the canvassing for support of the admission of a friend’s son/daughter.
3. Another area where potential conflict of interest may arise is the engagement of the staff member’s spouse or his/her close relatives in activities which are directly or indirectly connected with the official duties of the staff member. Staff members are urged to report any such situations to the University. A typical example would be the employment of a staff member’s spouse in a restaurant which is attempting to win a catering contract with the University, the staff member being party to the selection of the caterers.

c) Relations with Staff Members

1. University staff members who are in a position to make recommendations for transfer, promotions or similar staff benefits are expected to exercise their judgment impartially and in the interest of the University. They should not canvass their colleagues for support in the event of a relative of friend is applying for a job in the University, nor should they act as referees for friends or relatives in support of applications for jobs in which they are involved in the appointment process. Should they take part in the decision to appoint someone who may be personal friend or a close relative, they must declare their interest and, if necessary, abstain from participating in that specific exercise.
2. Staff members should be particularly careful over social relationship with individual staff members, whose career prospects they may be in a position to influence. They must ensure that entertainment received from subordinates is neither too frequent nor too extravagant.

d) Future Employment

There is also situation where a staff member has official contacts with a company, individual, organization or business group with which he/she is negotiating for an appointment after completion of contract, resignation, or retirement from the University. Such contacts must be reported to the University.

Last updated on 27 May 2016