XN000022-1983-04-25 — Page 2

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1983

SECOND POLYTECHNIC NAMED

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THE SECOND POLYTECHNIC WILL BE KNOWN AS THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG.

THE NAME WAS CHOSEN FROM NEARLY 300 SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOLLOWING A CALL FOR SUGGESTIONS IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY (MONDAY) AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO REPORT ON PROGRESS IN THE PLANNING OF THE NEW POLYTECHNIC.

THE CONFERENCE WAS HOSTED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE INSTITUTION, SIR S.Y. CHUNG, AND THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR KENNETH TOPLEY.

MR TOPLEY SAID ACTION WAS BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT ON SEVERAL MATTERS ON WHICH THE PLANNING COMMITTEE HAD ADVISED.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE LEGISLATION FOR THE NEW POLYTECHNIC SHOULD BE MODELLED LARGELY ON THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC ORDINANCE, SUBJECT TO A NUMBER OF MINOR MODIFICATIONS.

+THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PROPOSED ARE THE INCLUSION OF SPECIFIC POWERS TO MAKE DEGREE AWARDS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LARGER COUNCIL ALLOWING FOR MEMBERS TO BE DRAWN FROM THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN HONG KONG,+ MR TOPLEY SAID.

+STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE LEGISLATION IS ENACTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, HE ADDED.

REGARDING ACCOMMODATION FOR THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG, MR TOPLEY SAID THE PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED 12.2-HECTARE SITE AT TAT CHEE AVENUE WOULD BE HANDED OVER BY THE GOVERNMENT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

SIR S.Y. CHUNG SAID THE COMMITTEE HAD ORGANISED AN ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION FOR THE PREPARATION OF A MASTER PLAN FOR THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAMPUS AND THE FINAL JUDGING WAS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF JUNE.

THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FIRST COURSES SHOULD START IN OCTOBER 1984.

+THE COMMITTEE FEELS THAT AN EARLY START IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE TARGET OF 8 000 FULL-TIME AND EQUIVALENT PART-TIME STUDENTS BEFORE THE END OF THE DECADE AT A REALISTIC ANNUAL RATE OF GROWTH, HE EXPLAINED.

+THE DEMAND FOR TECHNICALLY TRAINED AND EDUCATED MANPOWER, FROM BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, IS STILL EXCEEDING THE SUPPLY AND THERE IS A PRESSING NEED TO PROVIDE THE COURSES WITH ALL POSSIBLE SPEED.

+THE INITIAL COURSES WILL BE IN FIELDS WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE LARGE SPECIALIST AREAS OF MAJOR PHYSICAL SERVICES. THE COMMITTEE PROPOSES A NUMBER OF 700 FULL-TIME AND EQUIVALENT PART-TIME STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST YEAR IN 1984, + SIR S.Y. ADDED.

/+IF THE