9
109
Extra Mural Teaching.
The smallness of the English and Chinese educated population limits the amount that can be done in the way of extra-mural teaching. Before the war little was attempted, but work done by the University staff in prisoner-of-war and internment camps not only had a temporary value in the conditions that existed, but laid the foundations for a promising development of extra-mural University teaching among the European part of the population of the Colony. Experiment is now called for in the provision of courses of a like kind in Chinese for people who have not sufficient English to profit by courses in English. It is to be remembered that there is a very considerable population of Chinese who have no English but are well read in the Chinese Classics, History and Philosophy. If the Univer- sity can interest such people in Western experience especially in economics, politics and social philosophy generally, it will do a service in the great developments which China, and in a smaller way, Hong Kong, now face. But extra-mural work, like internal work, must be of true University standard. If it is to be done to a considerable extent by the staff of University Departments the estimates we have given will have to be slightly incrcised or internal teaching and research may suffer. If extra-mural work is to be developed as an important part of the University's work there must be special staff of University quality and rank. A Director of Extra-mural teaching should have professorial status if he is to carry the weight he should both outside and within the University and he will need to be supported by an adequate administrative and clerical staff, and by staff tutors to carry the main weight of extra mural teaching.
For this purpose
at least three thousand pounds a year should be added to the budget of the University. It would be better not to attempt the work at all than to do it less than worthily, for no part of the University work would impinge more directly on the Chinese world.