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6.
Professor Woo said he had talked to the National Science Foundation in the United States about the possibility of obtaining research funds for the new University. He had been told there was an agreement between the United States and Britain regarding research grants and that any assistance for Hong Kong would have to be channelled through the United Kingdom. He may mention this to Julian Davey at the British Council.
7.
Professor Woo said he would be interested in talking to any British companies who wanted to help or collaborate with the University. Towards the end of this year he would let me have a list of the equipment needed. He would be willing to have preliminary discussions with anybody before that but was not keen to finalise arrangements until the Hong Kong Government had indicated the extent and nature of their own contribution. He was looking to the Government for the major funding for equipment and the items offered by corporations would be "icing on the cake". Offers of collaboration would be more attractive than simple gifts of equipment because the subject of the collaboration might be sufficiently interesting to influence the direction of departmental research. For instance IBM had proposed collaboration in computer techniques in Asian languages and this would require a significant academic input by people expert in the various cultures and business practices of the region. This would be a very attractive proposition.
8. Mr Macpherson said he understood the suggestion made last year that the British Government should donate some equipment to the Third University, had fallen on stoney ground. He had heard that the Overseas Development Administration thought Hong Kong was "plump enough" to buy its own equipment. He had also heard a rumour that the UK government might offer some used equipment no longer required by British universities. He thought (and Professor Woo confirmed this) that they would be setting their sights higher than second-hand equipment.
9. Interestingly, Professor Woo said that of all the expressions of interest he had received, there had been none from Japan, at least so far.
10. I am copying this letter to colleagues in the FCO because the subject of equipment for training institutes was raised with Sir Geoffrey Howe when he visited Hong Kong last month.
Your ever Rey
RE Holloway
Senior British Trade Commissioner
cc: A C Galsworthy Esq CMG, FOO
R Q Braithwaite Esq CMG, FCO GA Duggan Esq, COMED, FOO CO Hum Esq, HKD, FCO
J Davey Esq, British Council
REH/mcs
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