CO129-594-1 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee report 29-3-1946 - 3-7-1946 — Page 150

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Extra Mural teaching

The smallness of the English and Chinese educated population marks a limit of what can be done in the way of extra-mural teaching. Before the war little was attempted but work done by the University staff in prisoner- of-war and internment camps not only had a temporary value in the conditions that existed, but laid the foundations for a promising development of extra-mural University teaching among the European part of the population of the Colony. Experiment is now called for in the provision of courses of a like kind in Chinese for people who have not sufficient English to profit by courses in English. It is to be remembered that there is a very considerable population of Chinese who have no English but are well read in the Chinese Classics, History and Philosophy. If the University can interest such people in Western experience especially in economics, politics and social philosophy generally, it will do a service in the great developments which China, and in a smaller way, Hong Kong now face. But extra-mural work. like internal work, must be of true University standard. I? it is to be done to a considerable extent by the staff of University Departments the estimates we have given will have to be slightly increased or internal teaching and research may suffer. If extra-mural work is to be developed as an important part of the University's work there must be a special staff, both administrative and teaching, of University quality and rank.

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