The vice-chancellor of Chinese University, Professor Dennis Lo, says the institution is ready to handle any funding cut.

Education minister Christine Choi said earlier that the University Grants Committee will adjust funding for the city's eight public universities over the next three years, due to a significant government deficit.

“We know there are challenges in public finance. We only heard about the government adjusting funding of universities through media reports. We don’t have any confirmed information yet. But as part of society, we will go through tough times together,” Lo said at a media gathering on Thursday.

The CUHK president also laid out the university's next five-year plan, saying the main focus will be on enhancing the student experience, boosting innovation and research, attracting talent, improving alumni engagement and promoting internationalisation.

The plan includes offering more special professor roles to attract overseas academics to join the university, as well as possibly establishing a graduate college, Lo said.

CUHK also announced that its new Zhizhen School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences will open from the next academic year, with renowned mathematics professor Yau Shing-tung serving as the founding director.

The school will offer an eight-year bachelor and PhD degree programme.

CUHK said it hopes to have 40 students with special mathematics talent in the inaugural year, with at least 10 of them being locals.

Students as young as those in secondary two can apply, without the need to take any university admission exam.