XN000022-1995-05-10 — Page 53

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Four-year-course university system

Following is a question by the Hon Henry Tang and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Michael Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

It is learnt that all seven universities have reached a consensus to put forward a proposal for the adoption of a four-year-course system from 1998 to replace the existing three-year-course system. Will the Government inform this Council whether it has information to indicate the estimated amount of additional resources to be required annually in implementing the new system, together with the increase in the unit cost of each undergraduate degree place to be incurred; if so, what the details are?

Reply:

Mr President,

The Administration understands that the seven institutions funded by the University Grants Committee have not reached any consensus to implement a proposal to replace the existing three-year-course system with a four-year-course system and no proposal has been made. In the absence of any such proposal, the Administration cannot provide any information on the additional resources likely to be required to implement such a system, if proposed, nor does it wish to make any judgements on what is at this stage a hypothetical question.

End/Wednesday, May 10, 1995

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