TNAG-2764-FCO40-3981-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1993 — Page 43

布政司署

教育統籌科

香港中環交易廣場第二座38樓

By Fax and post

Pa Scholarships

34

EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,

38/F., Exchange Square 11.

8 Connaught Place, Hong Kong.

本署檔號 Our Ref.: L/M to EMB CR 26/2041/66

來函檔號 Your Ref.:

HKB 285/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

23 March 1993

пи

Ricketts,

are currently

сидит

anging the

case

for a 1994 15 phase--

Mr Peter Ricketts

13 APR 1993

REGISTRY

Hong Kong Department

London SW1A 2AH

Foreign and Commonwealth offe

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

Modes we

United Kingdom

Dear Pets.

1

out. I attach a copy.

a minute to CRD (23 Mar)

No rapin as you.

yet.

Mi

ho Mere Ahreedy fee in

they're not

Review of the Joint Funding Scheme (JFS) for Hong Kong Students in the United Kingdom

2913

fax. Pogress report p!

When in May 1990 the Hong Kong Government increased its contribution to the Joint Funding Scheme (JFS) to meet the enhanced contribution from the United Kingdom Government, the Administration was directed to conduct a review of the scheme in 1992-93.

That review has recently been completed. Proposals on the future of the JFS were considered and approved by the Executive Council on 23 February 1993. The Council concluded that -

2.

(a)

(b)

(c)

the Joint Funding Scheme should be phased out by 1996-97 starting from 1994-95;

the phasing out should ensure that Hong Kong students studying in the UK in the 1993-94 academic year, including those who are currently benefiting from the scheme, would continue to be eligible to apply for the awards until the completion of their existing diploma or first degree courses; and

HMG should be asked to consider whether, as its contribution to the JFS gradually reduced, the savings realised might be diverted to funding improvements in the UK/HK Scholarship Scheme.

By way of background, the Executive Council took the view that the JFS had fulfilled an important role in providing high quality educational opportunities for the students covered by the Scheme. It was highly regarded by those who had benefited from it. At the same time, in view of the changing political status of Hong Kong and the rapid expansion of our tertiary education, the Council acknowledged that it would become increasingly difficult to justify allocating funds from the Hong Kong Government's education budget to sending students overseas.

/3