Centre for Modern Chinese Studies:
Record 1987 – 1990
I. INTRODUCTION
Founded in 1982 as the Centre for Chinese Studies by St. Antony's College and Wolfson College, the Centre merged with the Contemporary Chinese Centre of Queen Elizabeth House to form the Centre for Modern Chinese Studies in 1987.
The objectives of the Centre are to promote research and teaching in the social sciences of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the overseas Chinese communities in the modern era, and to foster academic links with scholars in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other parts of the world.
At its inception, the Centre benefited from the advice of an Academic Board of distinguished scholars, consisting of: Dr. Keith Griffin, President, Magdalen College, Oxford; Professor Rayson Huang, Vice-Chancellor, Hong Kong University; Professor Ma Lin, Vice-Chancellor, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Professor Roderick MacFarquhar, Harvard University and Professor Stuart Schram, School of Oriental and African Studies.
The establishment and operation of the Centre during 1982 - 1986 was made possible by generous initial support from:
Dr. T.K. Ann; Mr. D.H. Chen; Mr. S.H. Ho; Dr. J.S. Lee (Bei Shan Tang Foundation Ltd.); Sir Q.W. Lee (Wideland Foundation); Sir Run Run Shaw; Mr. Patrick Wu (Wu Yee Sun Charitable Foundation Ltd. and Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation Ltd.).
The Centre also initiated proposals for the establishment of a world class Institute for Modern Chinese Studies at the University. For this purpose it submitted to the General Board of the University in 1988 a proposal for the setting up of such an institute. Upon approval, the Centre launched an appeal for funds to establish an institute. The Ford Foundation made a generous donation of £180,000 for building up the institutional and administrative infrastructure of the Centre in relation to various Ford-funded research and training projects directed by the Centre. The Anglo-Hong Kong Trust also kindly responded with a grant of £10,000. A further £7,000 was received from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation to furnish new offices. In March 1990, the University secured a benefaction from Sir Run Run Shaw for £10 million to establish an Institute for Chinese Studies.
In February 1990 as a result of the Ford grant the Centre was able to centralise its various activities in new premises at Belsyre Court, opposite St. Antony's College. The premises include a new but small documentation room which benefited from a generous donation by Mr. John Gittings (a
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