CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2419
OF 0118OOZ DECEMBER 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HICO 28811 нко
(50
060455
MDHOAN 8918
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO HONG KONG
1. THE BRITISH COUNCIL HAVE CONSULTED US ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES
FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO HONG KONG. THE COUNCIL ARE LOOKING AT WAYS OF STRENGTHENING ACADEMIC AND HIGHER EDUCATIONAL LINKS BETWEEN THE UK AND HONG KONG, WHICH THEY REGARD AS A HIGH PRIORITY.
2.
APART FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANDING THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING OPERATION, THE COUNCIL HAVE PUT FORWARD THREE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS:
(I) A MAJOR BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEW HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS THE ENDOWMENT OF A RESEARCH CENTRE IN A HIGH TECHNOLOGY FIELD OF COMMERCIAL SIGNIFICANCE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE BUILDINGS AND STAFF SALARIES (AT NORMAL RATES) WOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, THE PROPOSED ENDOWMENT WOULD COVER THE COST OF EQUIPMENT, ADDITIONAL FACILITIES IN THE BUILDINGS, THE PROVISION OF RESEARCH FUNDS AND THE TOPPING UP OF SALARIES TO ATTRACT THE HIGHEST QUALITY CANDIDATES. FUNDING WOULD NEED TO BE PROVIDED INITIALLY FOR A FIVE YEAR DEVELOPMENT PERIOD, WITH SOME CONTINUING RECURRENT SUPPORT THEREAFTER DEPENDING ON SUCCESS IN ATTRACTING PRIVATE SECTOR DONORS. THE COUNCIL
ANTICIPATE THAT DEVELOPMENT COSTS COULD RANGE FROM POUNDS 3
MILLION TO POUNDS 10 MILLION COVER 2 YEARS) DEPENDING ON THE
CHOICE OF RESEARCH AREA. RECURRENT COSTS WOULD BE POUNDS 500,000 PER ANNUM FOR FIVE YEARS AND POUNDS 100,000 PER ANNUM THEREAFTER
(II) THE CREATION OF AN EDUCATIONAL TRUST FUND TO PROVIDE
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR POST-GRADUATE RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING IN THE UK. AWARDS WOULD BE DEPENDENT UPON AN
UNDERTAKING TO RETURN TO WORK IN HONG KONG. THE TRUST FUND
WOULD BE ESTABLISHED WITH THE AIM OF RAISING CAPITAL FUNDS
FROM ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG AND BRITAIN. THE BRITISH COUNCIL WOULD CONTRIBUTE POUNDS 250,000 FROM PROJECT REVENUE EARNED IN HONG KONG AND WOULD UNDERTAKE TO MANAGE THE SCHEME. IN ADDITION, LAUNCH FUNDS OF POUNDS 1 MILLION PER YEAR WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR FIVE YEARS WHILE CAPITAL WAS ACCUMULATED.
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