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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
HE SAID WE ALSO NEED TO PLAN FOR OUR SUB-DEGREE PLACES NAMELY THOSE AT DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE LEVEL AND SEEK TO ACHIEVE THE OPTIMUM MIX OF DEGREE AND NON-DEGREE PLACES.
+THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION IS HIGH INDEED AND WE SHALL HAVE TO ENSURE VALUE FOR MONEY IN THE FACE OF COMPETING DEMANDS ON THE PUBLIC PURSE,+ HE ADDED.
MR SWAINE EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE SLOW PROGRESS IN SETTING UP A LOCAL ACCREDITING BODY IN PLACE OF THE U.K. COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS AND ALSO OF A LOCAL RESEARCH GRANTS COMMITTEE.
HE SAID THE PROPOSED HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC AWARDS WOULD HAVE THE JOB OF ASSESSING AND VALIDATING NEW DEGREE COURSES AT THE TWO POLYTECHNICS AND THE BAPTIST COLLEGE.
+ITS SCOPE COULD BE INCREASED TO COVER SUB-DEGREE COURSES AND INDEED THE COURSES AT INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE NOT WITHIN THE UPGC UMBRELLA.
+EARLY ESTABLISHING OF SUCH A BODY WOULD GIVE IT TIME TO DEVELOP ITS OWN PROCEDURES AND TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY REPUTATION TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION, HE SAID.
ON THE LOCAL RESEARCH GRANTS COMMITTEE, MR SWAINE SAID THE NEED FOR CO-ORDINATED DIRECTION OF THE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT OUR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AND FOR THE EXPANSION OF SUCH ACTIVITIES THROUGH STRATEGIC FUNDING WAS WELL RECOGNISED.
+NOT ONLY WILL INDUSTRY AND THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT BY THE FRUITS OF SUCH RESEARCH BUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH WILL HELP ATTRACT, RETAIN AND DEVELOP THE RIGHT CALIBRE OF STAFF.
+THIS IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE NOW THAT WE HAVE A THIRD UNIVERSITY IN VIEW BECAUSE IF WE WISH TO ENGAGE LOCAL STAFF FOR IT, WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR PRESENT TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE POST-GRADUATES OF HIGH CALIBRE, WHICH MEANS ENSURING SUFFICIENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AT THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, + HE SAID.
COMMENTING ON THE SUBJECT OF LEGAL AID. MR SWAINE SAID HE WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT IT SHOULD CEASE TO BE A GOVERNMENT- PROVIDED SERVICE, PARTICULARLY IN CRIMINAL CASES.
HE SAID QUESTION MUST INEVITABLY BE ASKED WHETHER IT WAS APPROPRIATE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WHICH PROSECUTED AN ALLEGED OFFENDER THROUGH ONE OF ITS ARMS SHOULD ADMINISTER THE SCHEME FOR HIS DEFENCE THROUGH ANOTHER OF ITS ARMS.
+MORE FUNDAMENTALLY, IN HONG KONG THE DECISION WHETHER TO GRANT LEGAL AID IN CRIMINAL CASES RESTS WITH THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT (ALTHOUGH THERE IS FINAL RECOURSE TO A JUDGE), WHEREAS IN ENGLAND THE POWER TO MAKE A LEGAL AID ORDER RESTS WITH THE COURT.
/+IN CIVIL