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EDUCATION
The college's main library has a unique integrated computer system covering all the major library services. This system became fully operational in October. The total number of books increased to 159 446 during the year. There is also a branch library which houses a collection of rare research materials on contemporary China.
The Centre for Education Development provides support to staff in the areas of educational technology, educational software production, and audio-visual services.
Staff research and consultancy, and academic exchanges with institutions in China, multiplied during the year. Close links were maintained with the community, in particular through the various course advisory committees, and with local and overseas institutions. The Division of Continuing Education interacts with the community in another way by providing a broad range of courses to people in employment. Financially self-supporting, the division offered 1 100 courses during the year for a total enrolment of 34 500. The part-time courses, some leading to professional qualifications, are mostly held in the evening using the campus and off-campus centres.
Technical Education
With the completion of Tuen Mun and Sha Tin Technical Institutes in August 1986, the number of technical institutes in Hong Kong rose to seven. These provide courses at the craft and technician levels with full-time, block-release, part-time day-release and part-time evening attendance. A large number of short courses are also offered and these are mainly designed to update the knowledge and skills of persons in employment.
The main disciplines covered by the institutes include: clothing, commercial studies, computing studies, construction, design, electrical engineering, general studies, hotel- keeping and tourism studies, industrial technology, marine engineering and fabrication, mechanical engineering, motor vehicle engineering, printing and textiles. Most technician level courses have been validated by the United Kingdom Business and Technician Education Council and students attending these courses are able to register for the council's awards.
The demand for places on most courses remained high. Enrolments for the 1986-7 academic year totalled 8 200 full-time, 13 000 part-time day and 27 800 part-time evening students. In September, the number of full-time teaching staff in the technical institutes was 640, with some 560 supporting staff.
Each technical institute has on average 55 computer work-stations comprising terminals linked to medium-scale computers and microcomputers. This enables the study of com- puter appreciation and application to be included in most courses.
The annual employment survey of full-time course graduates again showed that they had little difficulty in finding employment in their respective disciplines after completion of their studies.
To meet the increasing demand for courses, a new technical institute is under construc- tion at Chai Wan and is scheduled for completion in mid-1987. Plans were in hand to provide additional accommodation at the Kwai Chung and Kwun Tong Technical Institutes and to redevelop the annex of the Morrison Hill Technical Institute.
Industrial Training
The Vocational Training Council's nine-storey Kowloon Bay Training Centre Complex houses six training centres for the electronics, hotel, machine shop and metal working, plastics, precision tooling, and printing industries. The 10-storey Kwai Chung Training Centre Complex also has six training centres for the automobile, electrical, electronics, gas,