XN000022-1986-03-12 — Page 32

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1986

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ACADEMIC CREDIBILITY WAS ALSO ESTABLISHED BY GAINING RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE BY OTHER INSTITUTIONS, PARTICULARLY THOSE OUTSIDE HONG KONG IN THE WIDER INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

MR CHEN NOTED THAT LINKS WITH INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY, AND CONTACTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE PEOPLES' REPUBLIC OF CHINA, WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED AS EARLY AS 1983 HAD SINCE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

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HE PAID AN ESPECIAL TRIBUTE TO HIS PREDECESSOR SIR S.Y. CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE SECOND POLYTECHNIC, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 1984.

MR CHEN POINTED OUT THAT THE SPEED AT WHICH THE CITY POLYTECHNIC WAS ESTABLISHED WAS TRULY REMARKABLE AND PROBABLY UNIQUE IN THE HISTORY OF ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.

IT TOOK ONLY TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS FROM THE APPOINTMENT OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE TO THE ENROLMENT OF THE NEW POLYTECHNIC'S FIRST STUDENTS, HE SAID.

MR CHEN ATTRIBUTED THE TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT TO THE SHEER DRIVING FORCE OF SIR S.Y. COUPLED WITH HIS FIRM LEADERSHIP AND COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TASK IN HAND, HIS ENTHUSIASM AND SENSITIVITY.

HE ADDED THAT IT COULD BE FAIRLY SAID THAT THE EFFORTS OF SIR S.Y. AND HIS PLANNING COMMITTEE HAD ENABLED HONG KONG TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO RECEIVE THE ADVANCED TECHNICAL EDUCATION WHICH WOULD BE VITAL TO THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.

EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, MR CHEN GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS

1984. OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC SINCE ITS FOUNDATION ON JANUARY 1. AND POINTED OUT THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PERMANENT CAMPUS IN KOWLOON TONG WOULD PROVIDE THE IMPETUS FOR A FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION TO 8 000 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STUDENTS BY 1990-91.

DURING THE FIRST ACADEMIC YEAR, EIGHT COURSES WERE OFFERED AND THEY WERE ALL PLANNED IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH EXTERNAL ADVISORS AND DESIGNED TO MEET THE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

NOTING THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THE COURSES OFFERED, MR CHEN SAID THE TREND HAD CONTINUED INTO THE CURRENT SESSION WITH AN APPLICATION-TO-PLACE RATIO OF ALMOST 13 TO 1 IN SOME COURSES.

+THE LEVEL OF COURSES WAS EXTENDED THIS YEAR TO INCLUDE A POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA, AND THE POLYTECHNIC HAS HIGH HOPES OF EXTENDING THIS FURTHER NEXT OCTOBER WHEN IT EXPECTS TO OFFER ITS FIRST DEGREE COURSES.

+ IN KEEPING WITH THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, THESE COURSES HAVE A FEATURE UNIQUE IN HONG KONG IN THAT THEY ARE BASED ON THE MODULAR STRUCTURE WHICH ENABLE BOTH THE FULL- TIME AND PART-TIME COURSES TO HAVE SIMILAR COURSES CONTENTS AND LEAD TO THE SAME AWARDS, HE SAID.

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