WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1994
FIRST, 1'T WOULD HAVE A CATALYTIC EFFECT IN STIMULATING LIVELINESS AND EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING AND IN RESEARCH;
SECOND, IT WOULD ENHANCR THE SUPPLY OF HIGHLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED MANPOWER TO CATER FOR THE NREDS OF OUR INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED ECONOMY. THE BENEFITS THEREFORE EXTEND FAR BEYOND THAT OF THE STAFF AND THE STUDENTS; AND
THIRD, IT WOULD ENSURE THAT HONG KONG MAINTAINS A KEY POSITION IN THE VANGUARD IN THE FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION.
BUT WE ARE A PRAGMATIC ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE FULLY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE CAN ONLY BE NURTURED THROUGH SELECTIVE INVESTMENTS ON THE BASIS OF PERFORMANCE; THAT OUR INSTITUTIONS' ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS CAN ONLY ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION THROUGH COMPETITION: AND THAT FUNDING FOR THESE CENTRES MUST HAVE REGARD TO THE NEED FOR BALANCED DEVELOPMENT AMONG ALL THE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS BEING TAUGHT IN THE INSTITUTIONS, NOT MERELY ROOSTING A FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MAJORITY.
WE HAVE THEREFORE ASKED THE UPGC TO GIVE FURTHER DETAILED CONSIDERATION TO A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH WE HAVE IDENTIFIED TO BE OF CONCERN, NOT ONLY TO STAFF AND STUDENTS, BUT ALSO ΤΟ THE WIDER COMMUNITY. I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THE MORE IMPORTANT ONES HERR :
THE
FIRST, WE WOULD WISH OUR HEAVY INVESTMENT TN
INSTITUTIONS TO BK USED EFFICIENTLY AND BE RESPONSIVE TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF HONG KONG. WE WOULD THEREFORE WISH TO SEE THAT THE DIRECTIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE CENTRES ARE GEARED CLEARLY TOWARDS HONG KONG S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS;
AS
SECOND, WE WOULD WISH TO SEE THE MEANING OF EXCELLENCE FOR THESE CENTRES BE BROADENED TO COVER QUALITY IN TEACHING WELL, FOR AFTER ALL TAUGHT UNDERGRADUATES AND POSTGRADUATES FORM THE BULK OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION WHOSE PERFORMANCE IN SOCIETY WOULD DEPEND MORR DIRECTLY ON 'THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION THAN ON THE DEPTH OF RESEARCH ALONE;
SERIOUS OF NON-
OF
THIRD, GIVEN THE LIMIT IN PUBLIC RESOURCES, CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO THE DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENT FUNDING AND DIRECT PRIVATE SECTOR SPONSORSHIP THESE CENTRES IN ORDER TO MINIMISB ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SPENDING AND TO MAXIMISE THEIR EXPOSURE TO EXPRESSED MARKET NEEDS; AND
FOURTH, WE WOULD WISH TO AVOID THE UNDER-EMPLOYMENT OF HIGHLY TRAINED PEOPLE IN WHOM HONG KONG HAD INVESTED SO MUCH. WE WOULD NEED FURTHER CAREFUL THOUGHTS ON HOW MANY ADDITIONAL POSTGRADUATES ARE LIKELY TO BE ABSORBED
BY THE ANTICIPATED CENTRE-RELATED INDUSTRIES, THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS THEMSELVES, AND THE ANTICIPATED INCREASK IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG.
THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT IS NOW UNDER PUBLIC CONSIDERATION AND CONSULTATION. MEMBERS' VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS DEBATE WILL CERTAINLY BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THE UPGC DRAWS UP ITS FINAL REPORT, AND WHEN THE GOVERNMENT TAKES ITS FINAL DECISIONS.
/SOME MEMBERS