XN000022-1985-04-18 — Page 10

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1985

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POLYTECHNIC WELL-POISED TO MOVE FORWARD *****

THE POLYTECHNIC WAS WELL-POISED TO MOVE FORWARD IN A NEW ERA OF DEVELOPMENT IN WHICH THE MAIN THRUST OF ITS WORK LIES IN THE QUALITY OF ITS ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY, THE HON S.L. CHEN SAID TODAY.

TABLING THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC ANNUAL REPORT 1983-84 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHEN SAID: THE YEAR COVERED BY THE REPORT WAS ONE OF CONSOLIDATION AND TRANSITION.

+STRONG EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON CURRICULUM REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT, ON IMPROVED TEACHING AND VALIDATION PROCESS, AND ON RESEARCH AND CONSULTANCY.+

MR CHEN POINTED OUT THAT IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 1983-84, THE TOTAL FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STUDENT POPULATION OF 11 990 REPRESENTED ONLY A VERY SMALL INCREASE OVER THAT OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

+THERE HAS BEEN A NOTABLE CHANGE, HOWEVER IN THE MIX OF ENROLMENT ON DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES OFFERED, + HE SAID.

FIVE DEGREE PROGRAMMES WERE INTRODUCED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1983.

THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE CONTINUED TRANSFER OF CERTIFICATE AND DIPLOMA LEVEL COURSE TO THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, RESULTED IN AN APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ENROLLED ON HIGHER LEVEL PROGRAMMES.

+DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW, 1.5 PER CENT WERE REGISTERED ON BACHELOR DEGREE COURSES, 20.5 PER CENT ON ASSOCIATESHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA, 47 PER CENT ON HIGHER DIPLOMA AND HIGHER CERTIFICATE, AND THE REMAINING 31 PER CENT ON DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMMES.+

WITH REGARD TO THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION OF GRADUATES MR CHEN SAID A SURVEY CONDUCTED ANNUALLY BY THE POLYTECHNIC'S STUDENT AFFAIRS UNIT AGAIN SHOWED ENCOURAGING RESULTS.

THE EXPORT-LED ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN HONG KONG WAS REFLECTED IN MORE AND BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY GRADUATES IN DISCIPLINES SUCH AS TEXTILES, CLOTHING, ENGINEERING, ACCOUNTANCY AND COMPUTING STUDIES, HE NOTED.

+OF A TOTAL OF 2 454 GRADUATES FROM FULL-TIME COURSES, 74.5 PER CENT FOUND EMPLOYMENT IN VARIOUS FIELDS, MAINLY IN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS, 17.6 PER CENT PURSUED FURTHER. STUDIES, AND ONLY 7.7 PER CENT WERE STILL UNEMPLOYED AS AT OCTOBER 25, 1984, BUT MANY WERE AT THAT TIME BEING ACTIVELY PROCESSED FOR EMPLOYMENT.

/+THE OVERALL

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