How US Government funds were used by HKU in preparing the Design Democracy Project to support Occupy Central

In 2012 the National Democratic Institute (NDI) was given an NED grant of US$460,000¹ for the following work in Hong Kong:

“To foster awareness regarding Hong Kong's political institutions and constitutional reform process and to develop the capacity of citizens - particularly university students - to more effectively participate in the public debate on political reform, NDI will work with civil society organizations on parliamentary monitoring, a survey, and development of an Internet portal, allowing students and citizens to explore possible reforms leading to universal suffrage”.

2012 NED Grant to the NDI,
some of which was given to HKU to prepare for Occupy Central

The funding for the Internet Portal went to the Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to develop the Design Democracy Project, which included a website, which was used by the NDI to coordinate the Occupy Central protests.

This is how the CCCPL described how they used the NDI funding in the CCPL Annual Reports from 2011 to 2014:

CCPL Annual Report: 2011 – 2013 – Design Democracy Project

According to the CCPL Annual Report for July 2011 to June 2013², the Design Democracy Project is recorded as follows:

·         CCPL has been awarded funding from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to design and implement an online Models of Universal Suffrage portal where the general public can discuss and provide feedback and ideas on which method of universal suffrage is most suitable for Hong Kong.

·         The project is currently staffed by a full-time Research Assistant, two part-time Student Research Assistants and a summer intern (See pages 28/29).

Senior Researchers and Research Assistants (See page 3)

·         Research Assistant Ada Lee works with CCPL and partners NDI on the Design Democracy

·         project.

·         Research Assistant Gardenia Kwok will take over the Design Democracy project from Ada Lee in July 2013.

Student Researchers (part-time) (See page 4)

·         Student Research Assistant Christina King works on the Design Democracy project.

·         Student Research Assistant Thomas Li works on the Design Democracy project.

CCPL 2011 - 2013 Annual Report Cover

CCPL 2011 - 2013 Annual Report
Design Democracy Project description

CCPL Annual Report: 2013 – 2014 - – Design Democracy Project

According to the CCPL Annual report for July 2013 to June 2014³, the Design Democracy Project is recorded as follows:

·         With funding assistance from the National Democratic Institute, the Design Democracy Hong Kong website was built to promote a lawful and constructive bottom-up approach to constitutional and political reform in Hong Kong.

·         It provides an online platform for anyone to learn about, design, discuss and debate different models of universal suffrage. Users can design a system of electing the Chief Executive by working through a series of critical design questions.

·         In Stage 2, which will launch in early 2014, users will have the chance to design a model of universal suffrage for LegCo – in anticipation of full democratic elections promised for LegCo in the year 2020.

·         As at 9 May 2014, 595 models have been designed and submitted by Users. The project’s Facebook page meanwhile has 1467 ‘Likes’ (See page 26).

Senior Researchers and Research Assistants (Page 4)

·         Research Assistant Gardenia Kwok (full-time current) works on the Design Democracy project.

Student Researchers (part-time) (Page 4/5)

·         Research Assistant Christina King (part-time) worked on the Design Democracy Project

·         Research Assistant Grace Choksuwanlert Rattikan (part-time current) works on the Design

·         Research Assistant Leung Man-ka (part-time current) works on the Design Democracy Project.

·         Student Research Assistant Steven Lee (part-time current) works on the Design Democracy Project.

CCPL 2013 - 2014 Annual Report cover

CCPL 2013 - 2014 Annual Report
Design Democracy Project description

HKU Audit Commission Report: How the Design Democracy Project was described

According to the HKU Audit Commission Report⁴, in May 2013, the CCPL signed an agreement with the NDI for ‘Contract research for democracy in Hong Kong’, for two grants:

·         HK$384,000 (for the period July 2013 to April 2014),

·         HK$246,000 (for the period April to December 2014).

HKU Audit Report cover

How the Design Democracy Project funding was recorded
in the universities accounting system

References

¹National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Annual Report 2012. Grants to Asia – China (Hong Kong) in 2012.

²Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) Annual Report for July 2011 to June 2013. Design Democracy Project. CCPL Annual Report for July 2011 to June 2013

²Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) Annual Report for July 2013 to June 2014.

Design Democracy Project. CCPL Annual Report for July 2013 to June 2014

⁴HKU Audit Committee. Report to the Council on a matter of public concern as to certain donations received by the University. 11 March 2015. HKU Audit Committee Report