XN000022-1982-09-08 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1982

UPGC VIEW ON OPEN UNIVERSITY SOUGHT

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ASKING THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF AN OPEN UNIVERSITY IN HONG KONG, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY.

THE DECISION WAS MADE ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AFTER IT RECOMMENDED THAT AN APPLICATION BY THE OPEN COLLEGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EAST ASIA, FOR THE REGISTRATION OF A STUDY CENTRE TO PROVIDE TUTORIAL CLASSES AS PART OF A DISTANCE- LEARNING PROGRAMME LEADING TO THE AWARD OF DEGREES, BE TURNED DOWN.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID, + IT IS RECOGNISED THAT THERE ARE, AND WILL FOR SOME TIME CONTINUE TO BE, INSUFFICIENT PLACES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF TERTIARY EDUCATION TO MEET REQUIREMENTS, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS CONTINUING PROGRESSIVELY TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDY AT THIS LEVEL.+

HOWEVER, IN PROVIDING EDUCATION AT THIS LEVEL, IT IS NECESSARY TO PLAN CAREFULLY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE FACILITIES AND TEACHING STAFF WILL BE SATISFACTORY AND THE COURSES WILL BE OF AN APPROPRIATE STANDARD, HE SAID.

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HE SAID. THERE ARE ALREADY PROPOSALS BEFORE THE UPGC FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG FOR AN EXTERNAL DEGREE PROGRAMME, BUT, IF THESE PROPOSALS ARE APPROVED, IT IS NOT EXPECTED THAT THEY WILL BY ANY MEANS EXHAUST LOCAL DEMAND.+

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT INVITATION TO THE UPGC WILL BE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE RELEVANCE OF OPEN UNIVERSITY TYPE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IN HONG KONG, AND THE FORMAL REQUEST TO THE COMMITTEE WILL BE MADE WHEN THE OVERSEAS PANEL OF EDUCATORS, WHO ARE CONDUCTING AN OVERALL REVIEW OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, HAVE PRESENTED THE IR FINAL REPORT LATER THIS YEAR.

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