TNAG-0795-FCO40-999-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1978 — Page 144

though they claim affinity with the liberal arts colleges in North America.

8.4

The two universities, the Polytechnic and the technical institutes, together with institutions such as the colleges of education and the schools of nursing, together provide a wide range of tertiary education courses for the able school leaver. Many of these courses have the advantage of being available on a part-time basis or in other ways being associated with job experience, and most of the full-time courses can be completed in less than the four years required to obtain a post-secondary college diploma. While the continuation of the post-secondary colleges as private institutions widens the choices available for the school leaver, to bring the colleges within the ambit of the public sector would not seem to meet a need that cannot be provided for more satisfactorily by the existing range of public-sector institutions. Moreover, places in the public-sector institutions will be expanded considerably over the next decade, as noted in Chapter 5.

8.5

It is becoming increasingly difficult for private institutions to run courses of tertiary education at a good standard while keeping costs at a level that most students can afford. In order to obtain academic staff of suitable calibre, there is constant pressure on the colleges to raise salaries to a more attractive level, and this in turn means that, even in time of low inflation, there is pressure to increase revenue by raising the tuition fees. This pressure is very much stronger on the Baptist College than it is on Shue Yan College, partly because the Baptist College maintains science and engineering departments, the capital and recurrent costs of which are a heavy burden on a private institution. Hence Shue Yan College is able to maintain its fees at a lower level than the Baptist College.

8.6

The Government does not intend to alter the status of these colleges as private institutions nor has it accepted any commitment to maintain their viability. However, the assistance that has hitherto been made available has been on an ad hoc basis, and it is desirable that the principles governing any future assistance should be made clear. Government has provided both the Baptist College and Shue Yan College with grant of land for academic purposes at nil premium. It has also provided the Baptist College with low- interest loans to help it over its financial difficulties.

The

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