1. Background

The HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE) acknowledges the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in higher education and embraces its role in fostering innovation, critical engagement and leadership in AI adoption.

In line with The University of Hong Kong’s official policies, this document establishes the institutional policy for Gen AI use within HKU SPACE, ensuring responsible, ethical, secure, and risk-managed practices across teaching, learning, research, administration, and public-facing services.

This policy upholds academic integrity, protects data privacy, manages institutional and reputational risk, and fosters a culture of accountability, innovation, and institutional trust.

2. Purpose and Scope

This policy applies to all HKU SPACE staff, students, and external users engaging with Gen AI tools and platforms in the context of academic, research, administrative, and public-facing activities (collectively, “Users”, and each a “User”). It provides an institutional framework for the use of GenAI at HKU SPACE and is intended for internal governance and does not by itself create any contract or legal duty of care on the part of HKU SPACE, except where such duties are imposed by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

For the avoidance of doubt, while this Policy is a public document, each Annex specifies the relevant user group(s) to which it applies (i.e. staff, students, and/or public users), and the provisions of each Annex apply only to the specified user group(s).

It is grounded in The University of Hong Kong’s Policy on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Teaching and Learning (“HKU GenAI Policy”) (see Annex 8) and is supported by the HKU SPACE Academic Policy Statement on Gen AI (see Annex 7). For research activities, this Policy shall also be read together with Annex 9: Guidelines on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Research. Additional requirements applicable to research activities are set out in Annex 9.

Implementation scope:

For teaching and learning activities, this policy operates within the framework of HKU’s GenAI Policy (Annex 8). HKU SPACE-specific requirements for research, administration, and public-facing AI augment this framework.

Operational procedures relating to AI hallucination risk mitigation, monitoring, severity classification, and remediation are detailed separately in the “Operational Guideline on AI Hallucination Risk Mitigation and Monitoring.”

3. General Principles

Access and Equity:
GenAI tools provided by HKU SPACE shall be accessible to Users, including HKU SPACE staff and students, and where tools are public-facing, external users accessing HKU SPACE services, with accommodations for special educational needs and avoidance of undue financial burden, per HKU GenAI Policy Annex 8. For the purposes of this policy, “Users” has the meaning given in Section 2 above.

Data Privacy and Confidentiality:
Users must not input personal data, confidential information, or sensitive/restricted data (including, without limitation, “personal data” as defined in the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) of Hong Kong) into Gen AI tools unless the platform is formally approved by HKU SPACE and compliant with university data protection and information security standards. Approval for use of restricted data categories must follow institutional data governance procedures and, where applicable, clearance from the Data Protection Officer or relevant authority, in accordance with applicable policies and applicable data protection laws. Users should also maintain discretion by avoiding input of personal information into GenAI tools, in line with HKU GenAI Policy (Annex 8).

Academic Integrity:
Use of Gen AI must be transparent and appropriately acknowledged in academic or professional work, following institutional guidelines. Unacknowledged use of Gen AI will be regarded as plagiarism.

Unacknowledged use, use contrary to course/assessment instructions, or use that breaches this policy or institutional guidelines constitutes a breach of academic integrity and may lead to disciplinary action. For the purposes of this policy, “inappropriate use” of GenAI includes any use that contravenes course or assessment instructions, this policy, HKU’s Policy on Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Teaching and Learning (Annex 8), or applicable University regulations and laws, particularly in relation to academic integrity and plagiarism.

Critical Evaluation:
All AI-generated content must be treated as unverified draft material and reviewed, fact-checked, and verified against reliable sources before use or dissemination. Users remain responsible for ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of AI outputs.

Compliance and Security:
Users must comply with all applicable laws, contractual terms, and university policies when using Gen AI tools. Institutional credentials must be protected. Any suspected misuse, unauthorized access, security incidents, or material misinformation must be reported to the designated IT office immediately. HKU SPACE can only ensure stringent data security and privacy protocols within its own GenAI supported and sanctioned tools, and does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or availability of any GenAI outputs. Users should be aware that using non‑HKU SPACE supported AI tools may expose them to inferior security and privacy safeguards and are expected to exercise their own professional judgment and to conduct independent verification before relying on any GenAI output. HKU SPACE’s responsibilities under this policy are obligations of reasonable endeavours and do not constitute a guarantee that all errors or misinformation in GenAI outputs will be prevented or remedied.

Permitted Uses:
Gen AI tools are to be used only for approved academic, research, or work-related activities in accordance with institutional guidelines.

Human Oversight:
Human oversight is required for significant, high-impact, or externally visible AI outputs. For real-time public-facing AI systems, oversight is implemented through pre-deployment controls, scoped content design, monitoring mechanisms, and rapid remediation processes rather than pre-output approval. For the HKU SPACE Chatbot deployed on HKU SPACE website, the scope and limitations of such oversight, and related disclaimers, are further set out in the revised Annex 3 attached (HKU SPACE Chatbot Terms and Conditions).

Intellectual Property:
Users must respect intellectual property rights and institutional policies when using Gen AI tools.

Reporting Obligations:
Any suspected misuse, unauthorized access, security incidents, or potential AI hallucinations must be promptly reported for investigation and corrective action.

4. Gen AI in Teaching and Learning

HKU SPACE fully adopts and implements the six core principles of HKU GenAI Policy:
・Access (equitable access, academic integrity, tool availability)
・Security (data security, compliance)
・Literacy (AI as an academic competency)
・Pedagogy (course redesign, teacher support)
・Assessment (authentic evaluation methods)
・Integrity (plagiarism policies, citation standards)
Supplementary guidance is provided in HKU SPACE’s Academic Policy Statement on Gen AI (Annex 7).

5. Approval and Risk Classification of Gen AI Tools

A centrally maintained live list of approved AI tools (including permitted use cases and risk considerations) will be accessible to all users and updated periodically.

All Gen AI tools require formal approval and risk assessment covering privacy, data protection, licensing, intellectual property, security, contractual compliance, and institutional risk before use at HKU SPACE.

Use of unapproved or high-risk Gen AI tools is prohibited unless explicit institutional approval and safeguards are in place. HKU SPACE will take reasonable steps to evaluate and manage the privacy, security and institutional risks associated with GenAI tools proposed for adoption, in line with the University of Hong Kong’s GenAI governance framework, but cannot guarantee the performance or security of any third-party tools.

6. Summary Table: Terms, Conditions, and Privacy Policies by User Group

7. Commitment to Ethical and Responsible AI Use

HKU SPACE-branded chatbots and public-facing AI systems must:
・Include appropriate real-time disclaimers on output accuracy;
・Operate within approved data governance and information security frameworks;
・Be subject to proportionate, risk-based monitoring and periodic review under institutional procedures;
・Implement corrective measures where material misinformation or hallucination is identified where reasonably practicable and in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions (including Annex 3).

HKU SPACE is committed to educational excellence and innovation through the ethical and responsible use of Gen AI. This includes equitable access, fairness, rigorous data safeguards, and continuous improvement of governance controls. All community members must maintain transparency, vigilance, and integrity in all Gen AI-related activities. Consistent with HKU GenAI Policy Annex 8, these commitments describe institutional objectives and good practice standards; they do not constitute a guarantee that all limitations, risks, biases or inaccuracies of GenAI tools will be eliminated.

8. Accountability and Institutional Risk

Each user group (staff, students, public users) is accountable for their use of Gen AI within their respective roles and responsibilities.

Staff and students are responsible for verifying the accuracy of AI outputs used in academic, research, or official contexts.

For HKU SPACE-branded public-facing AI systems, the School will, to the extent reasonably practicable, maintain oversight for governance, monitoring, and remediation of material misinformation in line with applicable laws, University policies and the relevant terms and conditions (including Annex 3). While HKU SPACE applies proportionate, risk‑based monitoring and review, it is not practicable to monitor all content generated by GenAI tools or to ensure that every instance of misinformation or hallucination is identified or corrected.

Misuse or non-compliance may result in disciplinary action, access revocation, or legal proceedings, according to user group and severity.

9. Responsible Office and Effective Date

The AI Transformation Team will develop KPIs for AI adoption efficacy and risk mitigation.

Responsible Office: Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services Unit (ITSU)

Operational Owner: AI Transformation Team (AITT) and Information Technology Services Unit (ITSU)

The AI Transformation Team
HKU SPACE
May 2026

(Annexes 1–9 may be updated from time to time, and the latest version of each Annex shall prevail in the event of any inconsistency with this policy.)

Annex 1: Terms and Conditions for HKU SPACE AI Chat Use (Staff and Students only)

Annex 2: HKU SPACE AI Chat Privacy Policy (Staff and Students only)

Annex 3: HKU SPACE Chatbot Terms and Conditions (Public users)

Annex 4: HKU SPACE Privacy Policy (Public users)

Annex 5: Copilot – Terms of Use (Staff only)

Annex 6: Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot (Staff only)

Annex 7: Academic Policy Statement in Relation to Generative AI in Teaching and Learning (Staff and Students only)

Annex 8: HKU GenAI Policy on Teaching and Learning (Staff and Students only)

Annex 9: Guidelines on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Research (Staff and Students only)