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The average cost of sending an officer to the 3-month course at Michigan University is around $150,000 as compared to $220,000 for the 9-month Oxford Course. It should be noted that the University of Michigan's programme is shorter but more compact in that it includes a speaker series in addition to the three core and one elective subjects.
The objective of the new programme in the University of Michigan is to expose young Administrative Officers to the latest concepts in management, public administration and international economics. The first course will begin in September this year. We have no plan to replicate this training programme in other universities at this stage. However, since July 1993, the Administration has been sending Administrative and departmental officers to the Tsinghua University in Beijing to attend a five-week course. The aims of the course are to enhance the abilities of participants in the use of Putonghua and written Chinese, and to increase their understanding of the political, social, economic and legal systems in China. So far 13 courses have been organised.
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Franchised public transport companies concessionary schemes
Following is a question by the Hon Zachary Wong Wai-yin and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport, Mr Gordon Siu, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
At present, the Government offers many concessionary schemes to franchised public transport companies to assist them in reducing their operating costs and developing their services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the specific concessionary scheme which the Government offers to each
franchised bus company;
(b)
the specific concessionary scheme which the Government offers to each franchised ferry company; and
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(c)
the criteria adopted by the Government for determining that concessionary schemes should be offered to the above franchised companies?