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 31

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3

100

appropriate cider to

Gawersity

"Vchools'

To restoration g

or bits

replacement

series of professional

31

first oase be for three years, the minimum time for which it is thought that men could be recruited. Long term appointments are left for the consideration of the appropriate University body when it is reconstituted, n

2.

Le vel. A

We approve

an it has been taken by the Provisional Powers Committee f

* With the arrangements it has made and with the Cxisting staff and sket under recruitment, it will be possibly for a minimum of hì,her education to be offered da the last monthsof 1946, to met the insistant demands of the officials and public of the Colony. We are convinced that no further action can be taken until a decision is reached on our main recommendation concerning the future of the University. While there is uncertainty whether the University is to be restored or not, it is not possible to make additional arrangements for higher education in the Colony either in the sense of further restoration of the "niversity or in the sense of preparing substitutes for the University such as professional schoola. we would give as an example of the present dilemma the impossibility of recruiting senior staff either for the university on for alternative to the University. denie Poats, both teaching, and administrative, in the University

war bnese are nɔw vagont. It is impossible to recruit for these posts on long-term appointments until candidates can be informed of the kind of institution to which they would he appointed and the nature and quality of the work they would be asked to do. In the present acute shortage of academically qualified persons for higher education posts in the United Kingdom or overseas, it is obviously impossible, even if it were desirable to find senior staff for short-term apróintment in Hong Kong. Any further development however of higher education in Hong Kong, beyond the emergency arrangements already made, depends on the appointment of senior staff.

We are therefore unable to suggest any further action that can be taken, until a decision is reached on the main recogendation for the revival of the University, which we invitede, h wish to stress the urgency of the need for that decision in the interests of the Colony itself.