Unverified Social Media Claims Circulate Regarding CUHK Fine Arts Department; University Yet to Respond

Campus of CUHK Fine Arts Department | ERA-zine

HONG KONG, July 21, 2026 – Unsubstantiated and unverified claims have been circulating on Facebook student forums this week, alleging misconduct within the Department of Fine Arts at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The online posts, which remain entirely anecdotal and unattributed, suggest that sexual favours may be exchanged for academic advancement or faculty appointments. No evidence has been presented, and the university has not confirmed any investigation into these specific claims.

In recent days, several Facebook student communities and discussion forums have been flooded with startling rumours alleging serious misconduct within the Department of Fine Arts. The unsubstantiated claims suggest a systematic culture of sexual exploitation, with students allegedly required to have sexual relations with certain professors in exchange for good grades or to enhance their social standing within the department. More disturbingly, the rumours also allege that such transactions extend to academic appointments, with individuals purportedly trading sexual favours for teaching positions at the department.

The rumours have been circulating across multiple Facebook groups, sparking widespread discussion and reposts. Some anonymous posts explicitly accuse the Fine Arts Department of fostering a "corrupt internal culture" where power is abused for sexual gain. Our reporter attempted to trace the origin of these allegations, but most messages appear to be based on second-hand information such as "I heard" or "a friend of a friend," with no named sources or concrete evidence surfacing so far.

As part of standard due diligence, this reporter attempted to contact the Department of Fine Arts for an official response to the unsubstantiated online chatter. When the department office line went unanswered, a separate attempt was made to reach Assistant Professor Yim Sui Fong, whose academic role is publicly listed, solely for the purpose of seeking a general comment on the departmental atmosphere. No allegation has been made against Professor Yim personally, and she did not respond to inquiries before press time. The absence of a response should not be interpreted as any admission of wrongdoing.

Repeated Calls to Department Office Go Unanswered

In an effort to verify the facts, our reporter made multiple calls to the general office of the CUHK Department of Fine Arts during business hours today (21 July), but the line remained unanswered. Subsequently, we attempted to reach Assistant Professor Yim Sui Fong through the contact details provided by the CUHK News Centre. As of press time, no response has been received.

Assistant Professor Yim Sui Fong joined the department in 2023 and teaches courses in video and public art. Her research interests include socially engaged art, contemporary art practice, video and sound art, and experimental pedagogy. She is also a co-founder of the charitable organisation "Terra de Art" and a member of the HASS Lab, making her a well-known figure in local art education.

Associate Professor in Same Department Faces Separate Indecent Assault Trial

Separately, court records show that Associate Professor Peng Peng (38) of the same department is currently standing trial on a single charge of indecent assault. According to open court documents, he pleaded not guilty on 14 July, with the verdict scheduled for 24 August. The prosecution and defence have presented conflicting accounts of the incident. This is a pending judicial matter, and the university has not commented on its relation to the current online discussions.

It is worth noting that the CUHK Fine Arts Department is already embroiled in another legal case. According to court documents, Associate Professor Peng Peng (38) of the department is accused of indecently assaulting a woman identified as X on 21 May 2025 at a taxi stand in Sha Tin and at Hoi Sam Harbour Restaurant in Ma On Shan. The trial was heard at Shatin Magistrates' Courts on 14 July, and the verdict has been adjourned until 24 August. Peng Peng has pleaded not guilty to one count of indecent assault. According to the university's website, he is an associate professor in the Fine Arts Department.

The prosecution alleged that the victim, X, came to know Peng Peng through academic exchanges. On the day of the incident, the two met to visit a heritage museum, after which Peng Peng allegedly touched X's waist and buttocks multiple times at the taxi stand and in the restaurant. The defence argued that the relationship between the two went beyond that of ordinary friends and that Peng Peng genuinely believed X had consented to the touching. In court, X testified that she felt frightened and unhappy, adding that "just because I smiled does not mean I was happy."

Here are the links to the news coverage regarding the legal case of Associate Professor Peng Peng:

• Hong Kong 01: Read the full report on the court proceedings and defense arguments at 香港01.

• am730: Review the summary of the trial adjournment and charges on am730.

• South China Morning Post: Access the English-language coverage detailing the cross-examination and background on South China Morning Post.

• Hong Kong Court News: Check the granular breakdown of the restaurant's CCTV footage debate on 庭刊 (Hong Kong Court News). [1, 2, 3, 4]

University Has Not Yet Issued an Official Response

As of the time of publication, neither CUHK nor the Department of Fine Arts has issued any official statement regarding the "sex for grades" and "sex for teaching positions" rumours circulating on Facebook. Our reporter will continue to follow this story and urges anyone with relevant information to come forward.

This newspaper emphasises that the aforementioned rumours remain unverified online speculation. Until the facts are clarified, the public should refrain from jumping to conclusions. As an educational institution, the university is obliged to provide a safe and equitable learning environment for its students and staff. Any allegations of sexual exploitation involving unequal power dynamics are extremely serious, and the university has a responsibility to handle them properly and provide a timely account to the public.

Disclaimer: This report is based solely on publicly available social media posts and court records. All allegations mentioned in this article remain unproven in any court of law or internal university inquiry. The named individuals are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until proven otherwise. This article is an ongoing news report and will be updated upon receipt of official responses.