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 84

HONG

Carfilential

KONG UNIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

QA

84

H. R. J. A.C. No. 38

to Pr, I of the Report of the Hong Kong University

An Alternative to Advisory Committer

3. D.

13 MAY 1315

fully re- presentative of British academic stan- dards and to make it

co

The Major Recommendations of the Committer

COMMENDATION.

1. We are unanimous in recommending that the University

of Hong Kong should be reestablished as soon as possible on a

firm financial basis, with staff and facilities adequate to

make it an effective centre for Sino-British contact in the

sphere of learning.

We are of opinion that the restoration of the

University on its inadequate pre-war basis would be disastrous to British prestige in the Far East and that if it is not to be restored on a worthy standard, it should not be revived at all in spite of the immediate loss of prestige and the

political repercussions that would follow.

2. We do not regard the higher education needs of the

Colony itself as justifying the creation of a University.

The University is needed as a representation in the Far East

of British scholarship and as a centre capable of taking advantage of the unique opportunities presented for cooperation

between British and Chinese learning at the point of junction

between the two civilizations. We the refore recommend that

the capital and recurrent expenditure involved, which we

tentatively estimate at £1 million and £100,000 per annum,

should be met from Imperial sources, except for a contribution

We from the Colony on the scale of its pre-war support. express the hope that His Majesty's Government may consider inviting some of the Dominion Governments to participate in providing the necessary funds for this British centre of

learning in the Far East.

3. We consider that the University should be reconstruct-

ed as an autonomous institution and on a permanent basis,

far as buildings, endowment and other arrangements are concerned, because its unique functions and its representational character will endure even if there are changes in the

SO

political status of Hong Kong.

4.