CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
FM FCO
TELNO 825
OF 20110OZ APRIL 90
ECEIVER & BEGISTRY
DESK
VDEX
26 APR 1990
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
021711 MDHOAN 7357
12
TOP COPY Q DIST?
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MARSDEN, HKD
89/HKD286/1 (51)
YOUR TELNO 3994: EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO HONG KONG
1.
FOLLOWING DETAILED CONSULTATIONS IN LONDON WITH THE BRITISH COUNCIL AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES, WE HAVE NOW HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT MINISTERS ON THE VARIOUS PROPOSALS FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO HONG KONG. WE RECOMMENDED THAT PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE ENDOWMENT OF A RESEARCH CENTRE AT THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN IMMERSION ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING SCHEME FOR HONG KONG TEACHERS IN THE UK.
2.
MINISTERS HAVE AGREED THAT, SUBJECT TO SECURING IN THE 1990 PES THE NECESSARY ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE BRITISH COUNCIL, WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN IMMERSION ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING SCHEME FOR UP TO 300 TRAINEES A YEAR AT A COST OF POUNDS U.9 MILLION PA. IT IS OF COURSE ESSENTIAL THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE SAID PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS SCHEME UNTIL THE OUTCOME OF THE PES ROUND IS KNOWN, PROBABLY IN OCTOBER. ASSUMING THE
NECESSARY FUNDING IS APPROVED, MONEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE FROM
APRIL 1991.
3. HOWEVER, MINISTERS HAVE EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE IDEA OF ENDOWING A RESEARCH CENTRE AT THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS CONCERNED THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD BE VERY COSTLY AND WONDERS WHETHER IT WOULD REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR OBJECTIVE OF KEEPING PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. WE ARE TO GO DOWN THIS ROUTE AT ALL, THE SECRETARY OF STATE THINKS IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO TRY TO GO INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH INDUSTRY AND TO GET THEM TO PROVIDE MOST OF THE MONEY.
IF
4. COLLABORATION WITH BRITISH INDUSTRY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITU- TIONS IN THE UK IS OBVIOUSLY VITAL IF THIS PROJECT IS TO BE VIABLE. IT OCCURS TO US THAT ONE WAY OF TRYING TO SECURE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT MIGHT BE TO APPROACH THE ANGLO HONG KONG
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