CO129-591-1 Hong Kong University Advisory Committee- recommendations 10-1-1944 - 5-12-1944 — Page 69

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extent as would permit the first mentioned function of the University being fulfilled.

9. We were then faced with the question whether Hong Kong University should in the future be regarded as an instrument of British policy towards China and the Far East as conceived by the founders of the University, or as an institution catering. for local needs.

10. Our examination of this question and of the probable educational development in Malaya led us to enquire whother we should envisage a University in Hong Kong and another in Malaya, or a single and more ambitious British University for the Far East. We were inclined. to view favourably the possibility of one University endowed in a manner worthy of its purpose, although we were rather evenly divided as to whether such a University should be located in Hong Kong or Malaya, but decided that we were not competent at this stage to make any firm recommendation regarding the future status of the British

We recommend University or Universities in the Far East.

that this matter, which will largely depend upon the policy of His Majesty's Government, in these territories, should be reserved for the consideration of a Commission of Enquiry which we suggest might be appointed in the United Kingdom to visit Hong Kong and Malaya and to advise upon the full development of the higher educational systems there in the light of the post-war situation. At the same time we feel that there may be certain obligations to the founders of Hong Kong University and to those who, by donations and other forms of assistance, rendered possible both the foundation and the continuance of the University, and that the nature of such obligations, if any, should be examined and kept in view when the matter is considered after the war

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11. Leanwhile, we recommend that Hong Kong University should, as soon as practicable, be revived to serve the immediate needs of Hong Kong during the reconstruction period, the first priority being given to the Medical and Engineering faculties, while the Arts faculty should be reconstituted primarily for the benefit of students for the teaching profession.

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12. While emphasising the needs of the Colony we do not overlook eertain functions which Hong Kong University was designed to fulfil, especially as regards China, and we recommend therefore that the pre-var policy of awarding scholarships at Hong Kong University to Chinese students in China should be revived and extended as circumstances permit. In this connection our attention was invited to a scheme recently introduced by the Chinese Ministry of Education to provide for the control of Chinese students wishing to pursue their studies abroad. We were advised, however, that the scheme would not, necessarily, require variation of the policy of extending assistance to such Chinese students to study at Hong Kong

13. As a short term policy for the reconstruction period, we recommend that all institutions providing higher educational

should be facilities at the time of the invasion by the enemy, restored as far and as early as possible upon the reoccupation of Hong Kong and/or lalaya, and that special attention be given to the provision of facilities for the tralalng of teachers and medical students and for vocational training.

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