FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1986
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+SO I HAD DINNER WITH THEM THE OTHER EVENING AND I AM GOING TO HAVE A TALK TO THEM. BUT THE OBJECT OF THE EXERCISE IN JUST TO ALLOW THEM TO TELL ME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO TELL ME ABOUT AND TO DISCUSS ANY PROBLEMS OF COMMON INTEREST.+
ASKED WHETHER HE WOULD TALK TO URBAN COUNCILLORS ABOUT THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WOULD DO A LOT OF LISTENING, AND IF THEY'VE GOT VIEWS TO EXPRESS ON THAT I SHALL BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR THEM.+
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, SIR EDWARD SAID HE HAD NO COMMENT TO MAKE ON THE +CHINA AIRLINES INCIDENT.+
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LOCAL VALIDATION BODY TO BE ESTABLISHED
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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) THE FORMATION OF A PLANNING COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC AWARDS TO CONSIDER IN DETAIL HOW FULL LOCAL VALIDATION OF DEGREES AWARDED BY NON-UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG MIGHT BEST BE ARRANGED AND MANAGED.
IT IS ALSO ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC AWARDS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT AT PRESENT DEGREE COURSE PROPOSALS FROM THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC (HKP) ARE FORWARDED TO THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE (UPGC) WHICH DETERMINES WHETHER THE UNITED KINGDOM COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS (CNAA) SHOULD BE ASKED TO ASSESS THE PROPOSALS,
+ IF THE ASSESSMENT IS FAVOURABLE AND IF THE UPGC DECIDES TO SUPPORT A PARTICULAR DEGREE COURSE PROPOSAL, THE GOVERNMENT WILL SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR ADVICE.
+DEGREE COURSE PROPOSALS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL HAVE TO BE RE-VALIDATED AFTER SIX YEARS, HE SAID.
BESIDES THE TWO EXISTING UNIVERSITIES AND THE HKP, THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG AND THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE ARE EXPECTED TO OFFER DEGREE COURSES IN THE 1986-87 ACADEMIC YEAR.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF DEGREE COURSE PROPOSALS FROM NON-UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS REQUIRING VALIDATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT DEMAND FOR RE-VALIDATION WOULD INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT WOULD THEREFORE BE DIFFICULT TO ASK THE CNAA, AN OVERSEAS BODY, TO DEVOTE A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF ITS RESOURCES SOLELY TO THE VALIDATION AND REVALIDATION OF DEGREE COURSES IN HONG KONG, BUT A LOCAL VALIDATION BODY ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSE CAN BE CALLED UPON, AS OF RIGHT, TO DO THE JOB.
/+THIS WOULD