IN CONFIDENCE
TET(70)8
THE COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR OVERSEAS COUNTRIES
Hong Kong Polytechnic
Note of a discussion with H.E. The Governor
38
At his own request, H.E. the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir David Trench, visited the TETOC office on the 10th December to discuss certain aspects of the proposals for a Polytechnic with representatives of TETOC. In the unavoidable absence of the Chairman, the Governor, accompanied by Mr. W.S. Carter (FCO), was received by Mr. Marsh, Mr. Marshall, Dr. Watts and the secretary. Sir David expressed concern lest the degree of autonomy proposed for the Polytechnic by the Planning Committee should result in the institution getting out of control, financially or in other ways. He felt that the integrity of technical education in Hong Kong as a whole would be better safeguarded by the Polytechnic being a Government institution, and the staff civil servants; it was clearly the responsi- bility of Government to provide for the total needs of Hong Kong at all levels.
The secretary stated the position adopted by TETOC and the great majority of individuals or teams making recommendations for major institutions of technical education on the question of autonomy. The main arguments against direct Government control had been the rigidity of a Government's financial and procedural framework, within which a college could not meet reasonable needs for the prompt servicing of its educa- tional activities as and when they developed. There were real as well as psychological difficulties in the way of attracting good staff to a governmental institution, not least that governments rarely found it possible, because of salary relativities in its civil service, to provide salaries and conditions good enough to attract a principal or director and staff with the requisite professional qualifications combined with teaching and industrial experience. (Sir David however thought that the Hong Kong Government would be able to offer a figure mentioned by Mr. Collins for the director's salary). Dr. Watts added that it was not simply a question of salaries and conditions but of a reasonable freedom of academic activity and of constructive relationships with industrial, commercial and professional interests. Mr. Marsh and Mr. Marshall also referred to institutions with which TETOC was associated in other countries; the main point that seemed to emerge was that, in terms of meeting real needs of industry and commerce, including those in the public sector, autonomous or semi-autonomous institutions performed well and government institutions indifferently.
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
- 9 JAN 1970
WKK 9/3
/Mr. Marsh
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