2600224 C.S. 84
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and providing a similar, though not identical, range of courses. this case, one of the problems would be how to give the new institution a status which would enable it to fulfil its role as an institution of higher education. However, if at the same time some of the upper level courses at the Technical College were developed up to the professional or lower degree level, its status would be raised to that of an institution of higher education and the status problem for the new sister institution would at the same time be overcome. This alternative solution has been considered by all those concerned and it is the unanimous view that the need for expanded facilities for higher vocational education could best be met in this way.
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If this solution were adopted, it is considered that it might be appropriate for the upgraded Technical College and the new sister institution to be called a "Polytechnic". A decision need not be taken now on the titles of the constituent colleges but they might be called Colleges of Technology and Commerce. i. flexible approach would be envisaged on the question of the courses to be offered by each constituent college of the Polytechnic. Duplication would in general
much be avoided but some overlapping might in practice be desirable: would depend on the extent to which the site of the Technical College at Hung Hom could be further developed and on the choice of site for the proposed sister college. It is considered that the Polytechnic and its constituent colleges should have a limited degree of independence, though not as much as the Universities. The institutional arrangements would require further to be carefully studied once the scheme has been accepted in principle. The provisional view is that the constituent colleges should operate under the control of a single Folytechnic Board set up by statute. The Ordinance setting it up would exclude degree- giving powers in the event that it might be decided later that a separate Council for Academic Awards needed to be set up so as to ensure the standard and recognition of the courses provided.
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It is considered that it may be appropriate for Government expenditure on the Polytechnic to be subject to roughly the same financial and administrative controls as the Universities. The best way of achieving this might be the establishment of a Polytechnic Grants Committee composed mainly of suitably qualified persons with wide experience in this field of education and perhaps some members who are members of the University Grants Committee to ensure that duplication between facilities at the Universities and the Polytechnic are avoided. It is envisaged that the Secretariat of the University Grants Committee might also serve as the link between the Polytechnic Board and Government.
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This proposed course of action would not preclude the subsequent development of higher vocational education, either laterally by means of further colleges of the Polytechnic, or upwards by means of an additional institution at a higher level, or by the upgrading of one of the consti- tuent colleges of the Polytechnic if in the course of time such further development appeared desirable.
The Financial Implications
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As mentioned in paragraph 14, it is thought that it would be appropriate to aim at the provision of sufficient facilities by about 1974 to accommodate 4,000 full time students and part-time students numbering perhaps 20,000. The cost of doing this cannot be worked out until decisions have been taken on sites and building layouts. However, excluding the cost of land, it is unlikely that provision for this number of students could be made for an initial capital expenditure of
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