CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946 — Page 152

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152

HONG KONG UNIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

Confidential

No. EKUAC 3

The Future of Hong Kong University Memorandum submitted by the Colonial Office to the Far Eastern

Committee of the War Cabinet

The University of Hong Kong (which developed out of the College of Medicine founded in 1887) was incorporated under the Local University Ordinance of 1911 and was opened in 1912. It was established "for the promotion of Learning, Arts, Science and Research, the provision of higher education, the conferring of degrees, the development and formation of the character of students of all races, nationalities and creeds, and the maintenance of good understanding with the neighbouring country of China. The conception of the University as a vehicle for the establishment of good relations between Great Britain and China was always foremost in the mind of the founder, Lord Lugard, who visualized it as a centre from which would emanate an influence "profoundly affecting a nation numbering one-fourth of the population of the world."

At the time of the Japanese occupation the re were four faculties Medicine, Engineering, Science and Arts and it waa open to students of both sexes without distinction of race, nationality or religious belief.

In 1939 the Governor of Hong Kong set up a Committee consisting of a few members of the Court of the University, to consider and report on the steps which should be taken to enable the University to achieve the purposes of its foundation. This Committee the 1939 University Development Committee agreed that the University had largely failed in one of the main objects for which it was founded, namely to provide a University education

of British inspiration for students from China. While it was recognised that language difficulties and the growth of nationalist sentiment in China were contributing factors, the most important reason for the failure of the University was held to be the inadequacy of the scale of staffing, the comparatively high cost of fees and maintenance in Hong Kong compared with Universities in China, and the paucity of equipment all of which were chiefly conditioned by the University's ino ome.

Indeed, at that time, it was in serious financial straits. The Committee stated, and on this there has been general agreement, that to carry out the original aim of the University in respect of China; a substantial increase in its income must be made available. Inasmuch as Hong Kong would be acting in this matter on behalf of the British Empire as a whole, it was suggested that the Colony had a right to look to the British Government for help in defraying the increased scale of expenditure that would be necessary a scale that would need to be much higher than would be appropriate for an institution designed merely to serve the Colony.

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The Committee's recommendations, and the Governor's views (which were in strong support of them),

in strong support of them), were reported fully to

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