CONFIDENTIAL
060455
MDHOAN 89
CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INVITING THE PRINCE OF WALES TO BECOME THE PATRON OF THE FUND, BUT NO APPROACH HAS YET BEEN MADE TO THE PALACE.
(III) A SCHEME TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN HONG KONG THIS PROJECT WOULD INVOLVE SUPPORT FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COURSES IN HONG KONG INSTITUTIONS (EG THE MBA COURSES AT THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY AND THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY), THE ORGANISATION OF PROFESSIONAL SEMINARS AND SUMMER SCHOOLS BY RELEVANT BRITISH EXPERTS AND A PROGRAMME OF SHORT TERM VISITS TO THE UK FOR COURSES, CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA CAIMED PRIMARILY AT MIDDLE AND SENIOR LEVEL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LEGISLATORS AND KEY STAFF IN PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL
ORGANISATIONS). THE COUNCIL ESTIMATE THAT THE COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY POUNDS 300,000 PER ANNUM.
3. IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH A CLEAR ORDER OF PRIORITY BETWEEN THESE THREE PROPOSALS, PARTICULARLY AS THE COST OF EACH IS MARKEDLY DIFFERENT. BUT OUR PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT IS AS
FOLLOWS:
(I) WE ASSUME THAT THE ENDOWMENT OF A RESEARCH CENTRE AT THE NEW UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WOULD PROBABLY MAKE THE GREATEST IMPACT IN HONG KONG AS A DEMONSTRATION OF BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO THE EXPANSION OF ADVANCED EDUCATION IN HONG KONG AND ITS ASPIRATIONS TO BECOME A CENTRE OF TECHNOLOGICAL EXCELLENCE IN THE REGION. THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT AND ITS TIME SCALE WOULD ALSO HELP TO UNDERLINE BRITISH CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S LONG TERM FUTURE AS A HIGH TECHNOLOGY CENTRE. BUT THIS PROJECT IS OF COURSE BY FAR THE MOST EXPENSIVE. WE WOULD THEREFORE NEED TO BE CONFIDENT THAT THE IMPACT OF SUCH A PROJECT WOULD JUSTIFY EXPENDITURE ON THIS SCALE.
(II) THE CREATION OF AN EDUCATIONAL TRUST FUND WOULD PROVIDE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG HONG KONG PROFESSIONALS AND ACADEMICS TO STUDY IN BRITAIN. SUCH A FUND COULD BECOME OPERATIONAL QUITE QUICKLY AND WOULD THEREFORE HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT. IT IS THE SCHEME WHICH, OF THE THREE, THE COUNCIL'S TOP MANAGEMENT PREFER AND WHICH IS GIVEN PRIDE OF PLACE IN A PAPER TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL'S BOARD ON 5 DECEMBER. HOWEVER, THE SCHEME WOULD TO SOME EXTENT DUPLICATE THE EXISTING UK/HONG KONG SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME WHICH ALREADY PROVIDES 25 SCHOLARSHIPS A YEAR FOR BOTH UNDERGRADUATES AND POST GRADUATES. IF THIS TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT IS TO BE EXPANDED, IT IS NOT CLEAR WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE DONE THROUGH THE THE EXISTING MECHANISM.
(III)
THE THIRD PROPOSAL FOR ASSISTANCE TO PROFESSIONALS IS THE
CHEAPEST OF THE THREE OPTIONS. ITS OBJECTIVE WOULD BE TO STEM THE OUTFLOW OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS LEAVING THE TERRITORY BY
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CONFIDENTIAL