TNAG-2077-FCO40-2957-Hong-Kong-culture-1990 — Page 191

ANNI A

ENDOWMENT OF RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

BACKGROUND

i.

The new Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was founded in 1986 and is expected to take its first students in 1991.

Its Vice-Chancellor, an American-Chinese from California, is determined to form a world class institute and is drawing on

expertise and staff from the USA rather than looking to Britain as

earlier foundations have done. There is an opportunity for Britain

to make a major contribution to the new university while also demonstrating a commitment to the expansion of education in Hong Kong and to the creation of technical expertise there by the endowment of a research centre at the new university.

PROPOSAL

2. The project would consist of the equipping of appropriate facilities, the provision of research funds for an initial five year period, and the funding of links, fellowships, and visiting expertise from the UK. The relationship would be directly between

HKUST and Britain rather than via the Hong Kong Government, with the

British input managed by the British Council. An important element

would be the development of a continuing relationship with a British

centre of excellence; perhaps with one of the Inter-University

Research Centres if a suitable subject area were selected. An

appropriate area of study would be a high technology subject with

commercial applications.

3. The research institutes planned by the University are as

follows:

List A

Biotechnology

Advanced Materials

CHRAAB

List B

Manufacturing Technology

Manufacturing Management