At the next full-scale meeting of Trustees on 14 July 1980 in Christ's College, Cambridge, general policies were confirmed and the main activities of the Foundation defined roughly as follows:
1. To conduct a Scholarship/Fellowship scheme for Hong Kong Chinese post-graduate
students.
2. To assist in appropriate cases the development of research activities in the universities and polytechnic by a) support for individual research projects including joint projects with corresponding institutions in the People's Republic of China and countries of the Commonwealth and b) providing assistance towards the expenses of specialist visitors from overseas to undertake visits, attend seminars etc.
3. To assist in appropriate cases the special training of highly qualified staff of Hong Kong
institutions overseas by providing financial aid.
4. To take any other steps deemed desirable to promote the welfare of higher educational
establishments in Hong Kong.
It was agreed that in these matters we would confine our efforts to the promotion of science, technology and medicine in accord with our Founder's expressed wish.
These policies were confirmed in subsequent meetings and still form the basis of the Foundation's operations. Originally the Foundation's Scholarship scheme envisaged, in the case of students graduating in Hong Kong, only awards to be held overseas. It was felt, however, that it would be desirable, in addition, to use our awards to stimulate graduate work in the Hong Kong universities; a scheme for Studentships was therefore planned to start in the academic year 1981-82 for students graduating with 1st Class Honours in a scientific or technological subject to proceed to a higher degree in Hong Kong.
Apart from advertisement of its Scholarship and Fellowship awards, the Foundation has in general avoided publicity. However in March 1981 "the 1981 Association of Commonwealth Universities' Conference of Executive Heads" was held in Hong Kong. The opportunity was taken to hold a cocktail party on 26th March 1981 for the Common- wealth Vice-Chancellors and Principals at which the Chairman gave a brief account of the Foundation, its objects and activities.
In the autumn of 1980 Mrs. Margaret O'Hara M.B.E., formerly employed by the British Council in Hong Kong, joined the Foundation as secretary dealing with day to day matters in Hong Kong and with the Chairman and his secretary in Cambridge running the Foundation's affairs in the United Kingdom including the award of Studentships, Scholar- ships and Fellowships. The award of these and other grants are listed later in this report. Activities naturally grew and expanded. The Foundation appointed Mr. Nelson H. Young, formerly Secretary of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as part-time Director from January 1983 and, to cope with the United Kingdom Scholarship and Fellowship awards, Professor D.S. Payne was appointed on a part-time basis to act as Fellowship Adviser in the United Kingdom with the use of an office at Nuffield Lodge, Regent's Park, London (by courtesy of the Nuffield Foundation). Finally, the Foundation moved into its own office premises in Star House, Salisbury Road, Kowloon in the summer of 1983. The Hong Kong office works in close contact with the Chairman in Cambridge who continues at present to conduct the day to day affairs of the Foundation in the United Kingdom.
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