CO129-610-1 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 3-1-1947 - 29-12-1947 — Page 217

NOTE ON HONG KONG UNIVERSITY

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10th October, 1947.

Before the war consideration was given to the steps which should be taken to assist Hong Kong University more nearly to fulfil the primary object of its foundation, namely the provision of a University

of British inspiration for students from China. It was considered

that failure to attract students from the mainland was chiefly caused by the paucity of the University's income and, on the recommendation

of the Governor, the Vice-Chancellor visited this country in 1939

to urge upon H.M.G. the value of the University as an instrument of British policy and the desirability of providing it with financial

assistance. Both the Colonial Office and the Foreign Office supported this view in letters to the Treasury but that department was spared the necessity of coming to any decision by the outbreak of war. On the liberation of Hong Kong this question of policy again became urgent since the University had suffered considerably during the occupation both in loss of buildings and equipment and by depletion of staff and at the same time there was (and is) an increasing demand

for its services to meet the needs of students who have been deprived

of facilities for higher education for so long. Mr. Sloss, the Vice-

Chancellor, felt strongly however that no long term commitments should

be entered into until a decision had been reached as to whether the

University was to fulfil the wider conception of its foundation or cater for the needs of the Colony only. The late Secretary of state

therefore appointed a strong Committee in December, 1945, to advise on this matter. A copy of their Report dated July, 1946, is attached.

This Report recommended that the University should be re-established

on the broader basis and that it should be accepted as an Imperial responsibility, but that, failing adequate financial support from

H.M.G. it should be liquidated since it was maintained that the damage

to British prestige entailed by an impoverished and under-equipped

institution would be greater than the effect of a decision not to re-

establish it. The Committee's proposals which were discussed

/between