TNAG-2764-FCO40-3981-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1993 — Page 73

FAX TRANSMISSION

Our Reference: ECO 285/5

19 February 1993

MJ Long Esq

CRD, FCO

Fax no

71 210 6812

Page 1 of 2

Dear Michael,

燒

British

Trade Commission

Hong Kong

9th Floor, Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong

Mail Address: GPO Box No 528, Hong Kong

Telephone: 523 0176

Telex: HX 78081 (a/b 73091 UKTRA HX) Facsimile: (852) 845 2870

Cable Address: UK TRADE, Hong Kong

F

JOINT UK/HK FUNDED SCHEME

Thank you for your letter of 10 February.

I understand the

University of Buckingham has, over the past few years, made a number of approaches direct to HKG regarding their inclusion in the scheme. They are probably better informed about the

- history than they now wish to reveal.

The BTC does not hold any papers from the days when the joint funded scheme was set up. HKG, with whom we have been in touch, are having some difficulty in locating relevant papers, although they have spotted reference to a 1982 publication entitled "A Policy for Overseas Students" which may hold a clue as to why private sector institutions were excluded. But as I > understand it, the real problem may stem from the support

arrangements HKG have put in place. As you will know, publicly funded universities charge home students much less than they do overseas students; for example an Arts degree costs home students (or to be more precise, their local education authority) about £1800 per annum whereas overseas students are charged in the region of £6,000 per annum for exactly the same course. Under the joint funding scheme, HKG would refund the difference in this case of £4, 200 to the Hong Kong student.

Buckingham University, and other independent universities operating on private resources, make no distinction in the fees they charge home and overseas students; in practice they would, assuming their fees are more or less the same as those charged by the public sector universities, charge both home and overseas students £6,000 per annum for an Arts course. There is therefore no fee differential and therefore no basis for granting a subsidy from the joint funded scheme. It may be that Buckingham University in order to recruit more Hong Kong students hopes HKG will meet from the joint funded scheme, the proportion of the fee they would have reimbursed had the

Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or misicading statements in that information caused by negligence or otherwise and no responsibility is accopied in regard to the standing of any firms, companies or

Individuals mentioned.