2.2
2.3
To examine how far and in what areas Britain can respond to the needs of Hong Kong tertiary level institutions during their period of rapid expansion.
To propose a strategy for development of British involvement in and partnership with higher education in Hong Kong including specific recommendations on the subject and programme areas which such collaboration is likely to be most fruitful.
in
3.
THE RATIONALE FOR A PROGRAMME
3.1
and
The team visited the six major tertiary level institutions, government departments,
industrial and educational agencies (see Appendix).
We had frank and productive discussions everywhere we went.
The changing needs in Hong Kong in respect of manpower requirements in industry and commerce, and the ability of the higher education sector to respond successfully to these needs, informed nearly all discussions, and underpins the programme of schemes proposed. Hong Kong is very conscious of the "little dragons" (Korea, Taiwan and Singapore) and the need to become more competitive in trade and industry particularly in terms of adding value to the product. We note the rapidly changing nature of Hong Kong industry now that assembly is carried out more cheaply in the People's Republic, and the increased need for trained manpower in product design and manufacture. This will require more skills training and extensive retraining as high technology replaces low technology.
The developoment of relevant technology industries will demand of the higher education institutions an ability to provide a research contract and consultancy service on a much larger scale and to a far more sophisticated level in terms of quality and quantity than is now available, perhaps by the establishment of "one-stop" subsidiary companies affiliated to or owned by the tertiary level institutions. Some institutions have already made a start in this. In all these areas the United Kingdom has the experience and expertise to advise.
We noted also the huge manpower needs in the universities and polytechnics themselves, particularly in view of the planned increase in the age participation rate. This is already changing the nature of the student population from an elitest group to one drawn from a wider spectrum of society, many of whom have poor facilities for home study. The current expansion in higher education in Hong Kong is greater than that in the UK under Robbins, and an extra 3,000 academic staff are required over the next few years. As the polytechnics gear up to 65% degree-level work, most of the sub-degree education and training falls to other institutions, including two new technical colleges. In the
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