TNAG-2765-FCO40-3982-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1993 — Page 145

ках BY FAX

14 June 1993

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Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-

HKD 285/1

Hugh Davies Esq

Senior British Trade Commissioner Hong Kong

RE.

15 JUN 1993

Dear Huge,

CBI OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS:

1994/5

1. I hesitate to burden you with another scholarship task, but we would welcome your advice on how to keep alive Hong Kong's allocation of CBI scholarships, following a rather embarrassing lack of interest in the past by the British Chamber of Commerce. The CBI Scholarship Board, on which the FCO is represented by the Joint Directorate, is meeting in July to consider which countries should be invited to propose candidates for participation in the CBI Scholarship Scheme in 1994/5. At present their proposed offer to Hong Kong is two places.

2.

By way of background, the scholarships offered under the scheme provide practical experience for engineering graduates by placing them with companies in the UK for training periods between 4 and 12 months. (The attached note from the Joint Directorate explains the objectives of the scheme, the method of selection and funding). The British Chamber of Commerce CBI representative is tasked, in theory, with managing the scheme in Hong Kong. In 1991 five places were made available for candidates from Hong Kong for 1992/3 but no candidates were put forward for these places. This was the third year that the Chamber had failed to propose candidates in the face of the CBI's generosity. The BTC, in attempt to salvage the scheme, offered in June 1992 to help the British Chamber of Commerce to promote the scholarships. Not surprisingly, however, we were too late to prevent the CBI from cutting Hong Kong's 1993/4 allocation to two places (some members of the board wanted to cut Hong Kong's allocation altogether).

3.

We remain convinced that these scholarships are important and that their practical learning value should be taken seriously. If you agree, we would therefore be grateful if you would sound out the British Chamber of Commerce representative on whether or not the Chamber has identified any candidates for this year's allocation (1993/4) and if not, whether there is a likelihood of them finding some. We would

lt.cbi.MORRIS

JEB

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