XN000022-1990-03-14 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1990

TIME TO UPGRADE BAPTIST COLLEGE STATUS

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THE TIME HAS COME FOR PROPER ACTION ΤΟ BE INITIATED

WITH A

VIEW TO CHANGING THE STATUS AND THE TITLE OF THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE TO THOSE OF A UNIVERSITY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE COUNCIL, THE HON LAU WAH-SUM, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

TABLING THE 1988-89 HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITORS' REPORT, MR LAU SAID THAT WITH THE RAPID PROGRESS MADE IN THE PAST YEARS, THE COLLEGE WAS ALREADY BEGINNING TO FUNCTION LIKE A UNIVERSITY.

THIS APPLIED IN STYLE, ACADEMIC CONTENT, STUDENT PROFILE, QUALITY OF TEACHING AND RESEARCH WORK, CALIBRE OF STAFF; AND ALL COURSES WERE PROPERLY ACCREDITED AT BRITISH UNIVERSITY STANDARDS.

MR LAU ADDED THAT GIVING THE BAPTIST COLLEGE THE STATUS OF A UNIVERSITY WAS IN THE INTEREST OF FULFILLING THE MISSION OF EDUCATING THE YOUTH OF HONG KONG FOR A BETTER AND BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

HE SAID 1988-89 WAS HISTORIC FOR THE COLLEGE, WITH THE SUCCESSFUL ACCREDITATION OF THREE NEW DEGREE COURSES AND THREE NEW OPTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITHIN EXISTING DEGREE COURSES.

"THE THREE NEW DEGREE COURSES ACCREDITED DURING THE YEAR WERE CHINA STUDIES, COMPUTING STUDIES, AND MUSIC."

FI

WITH THESE ACHIEVEMENTS THE COLLEGE HAS BECOME A 100 PER CENT DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTION AND ALL STUDENTS ADMITTED, SINCE SEPTEMBER 1989, ARE ENROLLED IN DEGREE OR HIGHER DEGREE PROGRAMMES A TOTAL OF NINE DEGREE COURSES WITH A CHOICE OF 29 OPTIONS, MR LAU SAID.

MR LAU SAID THAT DURING THE YEAR THE COLLEGE ADMITTED ITS FIRST GROUP OF RESEARCH STUDENTS INTO A MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMME IN THE SCIENCE FACULTY.

HAND IN HAND WITH THIS, HE SAID EXTRA EFFORTS WERE MADE TO SUPPORT THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING PROGRAMME OF RESEARCH WORK,

BY DOUBLING THE FUNDING FOR DIRECT ALLOCATION TO PROJECTS AS RESEARCH GRANTS AND ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE FUNDING FOR STRENGTHENING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RESEARCH, SUCH AS IN LIBRARY JOURNALS

COMPUTING FACILITIES.

THE

AND

THE

MR LAU ALSO SAID THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY, COLLEGE AWARDED ITS OWN BACHELOR'S DEGREE TO 203 GRADUATES FROM THE SCIENCE FACULTY AND THE SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT DURING THE YEAR.

ON THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT ASPECT, MR LAU SAID THAT THE YEAR SAW THE COMPLETION OF ALL THE NEW BUILDINGS ON THE WATERLOO ROAD CAMPUS UNDER THE FIVE-YEAR MASTER PLAN FOR CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT.

"THE COMING INTO USE OF THIS NEW ACCOMMODATION HAS BROUGHT MUCH IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROVISIONS FOR TEACHING, RESEARCH, ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES," HE SAID.

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