XN000022-1979-06-03 — Page 4

SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 1979

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MORE STUDENTS GOING ABROAD TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION

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ING

THE OVERSEAS STUDENTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT EXPERIENCED A BUSY YEAR IN 1978 IN PROVIDING SERVICES AND INFORMATION FOR LOCAL STUDENTS INTENDING TO STUDY ABROAD.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) MORE THAN 35,000 STUDENTS CALLED AT THE SECTION'S OFFICE LAST YEAR.

DURING THE YEAR 3,951 APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AN INCREASE OF 100 PER CENT COMPARED WITH 1977 — WERE MADE THROUGH THE SECTION.

BY THE END OF 1978, THERE WERE 11,025 HONG KONG STUDENTS STUDYING IN THE U.K., MOSTLY TAKING ENGINEERING, NURSING, SECRETARIAL AND GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION (GCE) COURSES.

IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 4,880 STUDENTS ARE FURTHERING THEIR EDUCATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA.

THE OVERSEAS STUDENTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS SECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS TO UNIVERSITIES, POLYTECHNICS AND COLLEGES IN THE U.K. AND PROVIDING LOCAL STUDENTS WITH ADVISORY SERVICES IN PLANNING STUDIES OVERSEAS.

THERE ARE FOUR OFFICERS IN THE SECTION TWO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE U.K. AND TWO FOR AUSTRALIA, U.S.A., CANADA AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

APART FROM ASSISTING STUDENTS IN PLANNING STUDIES ABROAD AND PROVIDING OFFICIAL SPONSORSHIP FOR STUDIES IN THE U.K., THE SECTION ALSO ADMINISTERS A LARGE NUMBER OF LOCAL AND OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS.

STUDENTS ARE MORE DEMANDING AND CAREER-CONSCIOUS TODAY AND THEY NO LONGER CONFINE THE IR QUESTIONS TO APPLICATION PROCEDURES, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OR ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

DURING INTERVIEWS, ALL POSSIBLE TOPICS IN RELATION TO OVERSEAS STUDIES ARE TOUCHED UPON, SUCH AS LIFE OVERSEAS, CHOICE OF COURSES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES AFTER GRADUATION.

OFFICERS OF THE SECTION KEEP THEMSELVES UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST TRENDS AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS OVERSEAS THROUGH RESEARCH AND LIASION.

FURTHERMORE, OFFICERS OF THE SECTION ARE FREQUENTLY INVITED TO GIVE TALKS AND SEMINARS TO SCHOOLS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

THE OVERSEAS