TNAG-0054-FCO40-90-Proposal-for-a-Polytechnic-in-Hong-Kong-1968 — Page 22

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CONFIDENTIAL

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Mr. Carter

The attached circular has brought to my mind once again the proposal put to us last year by Sir David Trench that Britain and Hong Kong should cooperate in setting up in Hong Kong an institute to provide technical training at a pretty high level for young people from Hong Kong and the surrounding countries in South East Asia. (I believe Sir David's idea was that it should provide places for students from all the Colombo Plan countries at least). As I recall them, the arrange- ments suggested by Sir David were that Britain should provide at least the greater part of the capital cost, and Hong Kong would undertake the recurrent expenditure; and the understanding would be that a certain proportion of the places would be reserved each year for students from the Colombo Plan countries. His idea in putting forward this project was that it would be a demonstration of Britain's willingness to assist Hong Kong, while at the same time benefiting us in our

Colombo Plan connexions as well.

2.

It does seem to me that this idea would have considerable merit in relation to the objectives stated in the attached circular. There is no doubt, I think, that a really well equipped and well run technical training institute, operating at a suitably advanced level on British methods and British equipment, could in the longer run help to accustom young engineers, technicians, etc. to using British equipment and designs, could help to spread knowledge of and respect for British tech- nological achievements, and thus have a direct bearing on trade promotion.

3. If you agree, I wonder whether this might not be an occasion for giving the idea a renewed fillip?

Copy to Mr. Mason

ANS.

(A. N. Galsworthy)

19 August, 1968

CONFIDENTIAL