XN000022-1992-02-25 — Page 5

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1992

POSTS PARTLY

REFLECTS PLANNED

"THE REDUCTION IN ESTABLISHMENT BY 700 THE DISESTABLISHMENT OF REDUNDANT POSTS, INCLUDING THE REDUCTION OF SPECIAL BRANCH. BUT THE KEY POINT IS THAT THE STRENGTH

THE NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN ACTUALLY IN SERVICE

OF THE POLICE

WILL INCREASE.

"SUBSTANTIAL SUMS HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR NEW EQUIPMENT TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY: $480 MILLION IN 1991-92 AND MORE THAN $380 MILLION IN 1992-93,' MR MACLEOD ADDED.

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COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND PRIVATE SECTOR BOOSTS ADVANCED

ECONOMY: CS

AN APPROPRIATE FACILITATE

AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED INTERFACE BETWEEN THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE COMMUNITY, TO THE TRANSMISSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND, MORE SPECIFICALLY, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

OF

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE BIOTECHNOLOGY (HKIB), SIR DAVID SAID AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IN HONG KONG DID NOT ONLY DEPEND UPON THE ABILITY ΤΟ PUSH BACK THE FRONTIERS OF KNOWLEDGE AND SUSTAIN AN ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.

IN RECENT YEARS, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN INCREASING RESEARCH FUNDING AT THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, WITH A VIEW TO ENHANCING THEIR ACADEMIC RESEARCH CAPABILITY.

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HE POINTED OUT THAT THE INCREASED FUNDING FROM THE BLOCK GRANT TO THE INSTITUTIONS AND FROM THE RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL IS A MEANS OF MAINTAINING THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE OF THE INSTITUTIONS' RESEARCH AND TEACHING,

IT ALSO ATTRACTED AND MAINTAINED HIGH-CALIBRE STAFF, AND TRAINED MORE OF THE ACADEMIC AND OTHER HIGHLY SKILLED MANPOWER NEEDED IN FUTURE.

SIR DAVID SAID THE INITIATIVES TAKEN BY THE HKIB SERVED AS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE WAY IN WHICH COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN PROMOTE THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AS AN ADVANCED ECONOMY.

"BIOTECHNOLOGY IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING NEW TECHNOLOGIES

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.

BEING DEVELOPED TODAY,'

HE

SAID IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO REVOLUTIONISE PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES IN MANY INDUSTRIES INCLUDING AGRICULTURE, FOOD PROCESSING, MEDICINE AND CHEMICALS.

"IT HAS ALSO BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE MAJOR AREAS IN WHICH CO-OPERATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION, INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE COULD GENERATE NEW AND PROFITABLE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR HONG KONG, SIR DAVID SAID.

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/THE HKIB