CO129-593-2 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45. Includes 32 photographs depicting-... 10-1-1945 - 20-1-1946 — Page 10

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Professor E.R. Dodds came this afternoon as suggested to discuss the future of Hong Kong University. He thought that we should be cautious in making any plans for widening the scope of the University until it was possible to see how conditions in China would develop. He referred to the growing sense of nationalism and said that Chinese students in Chinese universities tended to despise overseas Chinese from a Western University such as Hong Kong on the grounds that they possessed a hybrid culture. This of course would have been equally true at the time of Lord Luggard's original conception and it may be that we shall have to abandon that first purpose for ›h-Hond Kong University was founded. On the other hand Professor Dodds said that Chinese still appreciate the high academic level of such universities as Oxford and Harvard and still wished to go there. He thought there might be a desire to go to Hong Kong for particular subjects especially scientific subjects in which Chinese universities were not strong. instanced the widespread desire for English and agreed

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with Mr. Gent that a fisheries research station would probably attract students.

The Professor referred to the keen interest which he had met in China in the subject of the future of Hong Kong. Where there was this growing Volume of opinion which thought that Hong Kong should revert to China he did not think that the University of Hong Kong was likely to receive much support from 76 Chinese. On the other hand the present Vice- Minis tor of Education was sympathetic to us.

Reference was made to the growing use of standard Chinese (Mandarin), as part of the conscious policy of the Chinese Government to uhify the country and the fact that Chinese spoken in Hong Kong is Cantonese.

Mr. Gent said that he saw no reason why Mandarin should not be taught in Hong Kong.

Finally reference was made to the difficultis of recruiting staff and Professor Dodds was glad to learn that one of the recommendations of the Asquith Committee is likely to be that staff for Colonial Universities should be recruited on a short term basis.

It seems doubtful whether Sir H. Pride aux- Brune expected the Professor to take this rather cautious view since he suggested in his letter at 10 that the Professor might be able to help us by suggesting ways of establishing the university on the widen lines originally envisaged for the purpose of using it as a practical contribution to Anglo-Chinese goodwill. However this may be Ithat we should still set up the independent committee which was suggested at a meeting held last December (9) in order that work may be commenced on plans for assembling staff and equipment against the liberation of the Colony.

The Professor's most positive points was the necessity for obtaining a staff of first class men and as far as possible keeping the University free from Government control. Both these purposes can best be achieved by the establishment of the committee

referred/

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