TNAG-2765-FCO40-3982-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1993 — Page 151

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interest from the Sir S K Tang Bequest.

4. Mr Goodlad has now approved the following proposals for the future of FCO-funded Scholarships in Hong Kong:

the phasing-out of the UK/Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme in conjunction with the Hong Kong Government commencing i.. 1994/95 and to be completed by 1996/97;

continued support for the existing UK/Hong Kong Scholarships at current levels (the programme is due for review in 1994/5);

- the re-deployment (starting in 1996/7) of £0.5 million, saved from the UK/Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme to targetted FCOSAS scholarships for Hong Kong.

5.

It

The Minister is however concerned by the extent of the cut-back that this will represent and would like to find ways of augmenting the amount of funding available. At a meeting he held on 27 May, it was suggested that the £0.5 million might be split as follows. One part would be used for directly-targetted FCOSAS awards. We would try to match the remainder with funds from Hong Kong-based British firms. might be useful to think initially of splitting the £0.5 million in half, though there was no decision taken on this point. The Minister was in favour of this approach and asked the BTC to try to identify sponsors (Hong Kong firms in particular) who would be willing to participate in such co-sponsorship arrangements. However, we should not wish this to be at the expense of any existing UK/Hong Kong scholarship programmes firms may already be funding.

6.

Finding suitable co-sponsorship to the sum of £250,000 would effectively increase the funds available for scholarship sponsorship of Hong Kong Students to £750,000. We should prefer not to commit the full £0.5 million to a new scheme involving outside co-sponsorship as this would mean our say over the selection of candidates and type of course followed would be severely restricted. By reserving £250,000 for FCOSAS awards we would be able to maintain direct control over a portion of our scholarship funding.

7.

We have written to the Hong Kong Government to tell them that we propose allocating £0.5 million to a new programme of Hong Kong scholarships once the UK/Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme has ended. We have not however given them specific details of our plans as we wish to have your comments first.

8. For the implementation of the new programme of FCOSAS and co-sponsored awards we would in due course propose to ask the British Council here and in Hong Kong to take on the usual routine administration (in accordance with our existing global, scholarships administration agency agreement with them). We

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