NOTE ON HONG KONG UNIVERSITY
225
10th October, 1947.
Before the war consideration was given to the steps which should
be taken to assist Hong Kong University more nearly to fulfil the
primary object of its foundation, namely the provision of a University
of British inspiration for students from China. It was considered
that failure to attract students from the mainland was chiefly caused
by the paucity of the University's income and, on the recommendation
of the Governor, the Vice-Chancellor visited this country in 1939
to urge upon H.M.G. the value of the University as an instrument of
British policy and the desirability of providing it with financial
assistance. Both the Colonial Office and the Foreign Office supported
this view in letters to the Treasury but that department was spared
the necessity of coming to any decision by the outbreak of war. On
the liberation of Hong Kong this question of policy again became
urgent since the University had suffered considerably during the
Occupation both in loss of buildings and equipment and by depletion
of staff and at the same time there was (and is) an increasing demand
for its services to meet the needs of students who have been deprived
of facilities for higher education for so long. Mr. Sloss, the Vice-
Chancellor, felt strongly however that no long term commitments should
be entered into until a decision had been reached as to whether the
University was to fulfil the wider conception of its foundation or
cater for the needs of the Colony only. The late Secretary of State
therefore appointed a strong Committee in December, 1945, to advise
on this matter. A copy of their Report dated July, 1946, is attached.
This Report recommended that the University should be re-established
on the broader basis and that it should be accepted as an Imperial
responsibility, but that, failing adequate financial support from
H.M.G. it should be liquidated since it was maintained that the damage
to British prestige entailed by an impoverished and under-equipped
institution would be greater than the effect of a decision not to re-
establish it. The Committee's proposals which were discussed
A
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