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EDUCATION
In 1989-90, the Department of Extramural Studies offered more than 2000 courses with a total enrolment of 53 750. In addition to general courses and those leading to the award of diplomas and certificates, the department provided correspondence courses, courses on radio and television and self-learning courses packaged in the form of audio tapes, programmed texts and resource materials. Apart from running courses in China, the department collaborates with universities and institutions of higher learning in Canada and Australia in offering joint courses in a variety of subjects and at different levels. The distance education programme has expanded rapidly with the support of Radio Television Hong Kong. Cable television, which will come into operation in the near future, will be harnessed to further develop distance education.
With an increasing growth rate in the number of students and new programmes, an extensive development proposal has been planned for the university's physical plants. Projects under construction are the Leung Kau Kui Building (teaching facilities) and Chan Kwan Tung Inter-University Hall at Central Campus, Hui Yeung Shing Building (teaching facilities), and the extension to the Elisabeth Luce Moore Library at Chung Chi Campus, the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology (research facilities), Shaw College Lecture Theatre, a new telecommunication system, air-conditioning of University Gymnasium, floodlighting of University Stadium and improvement and extension to electricity and water supply distribution systems. The Third Student Hostel at Shaw College and Phase I Redevelopment of Hostel at Chung Chi Campus are at tendering stage.
Other capital projects on teaching, amenities, sports and domestic facilities include the extension to the University Central Library, phases I and II of Engineering Building Complex, redevelopment of Teaching Buildings of Chung Chi Campus phases II and III, a new Inter-University Hall (Block II), a squash centre, extension to Chien Mu Library at New Asia Campus, and a variety of engineering services and redevelopment programmes.
The library system consists of the University Library, the Medical Library, and three branch libraries in the colleges. The total collection in 1990 was 1 037 400 volumes.
The university participates in the affairs of regional and international associations of universities, and has from time to time launched co-operative projects with foreign governments and individual institutions. It is a member of the Association of Common- wealth Universities, International Association of Universities, and the Association of South-east Asian Institutions of Higher Learning. The university has also been closely associated with the Committee for International Co-operation in Higher Education in the United Kingdom.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is the third and newest publicly-funded university in Hong Kong. Incorporated by statute in April 1988, its cur- ricula and research programmes will emphasise science, engineering, technology, business and management studies, with the specific mandated goals of educating men and women to contribute to the territory's economic well-being, and of promoting economic devel- opment and entrepreneurship in the Asia-Pacific region. HKUST will open for classes in October 1991 with an enrolment of 700, gradually expanding to 7000 by 1996.
For HKUST, 1990 has been a year of intense activity as construction of the campus progresses, as teaching and administrative staff are recruited, and as academic curricula and research programmes are developed.