TNAG-2923-FCO40-4198-Visits-and-proposed-visits-by-Alastair-Goodlad--Minister-of--1993 — Page 90

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Proposed Scholarship Programme

Both the staggered withdrawal of the Rate Support Grant and the threat to the current FCO SAS Scheme - and therefore also to the latter's matching funding from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club will result in a dramatic drop in students going to the UK as well as potentially serious damage to Britain's relationship with Hong Kong.

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This proposal aims to offset such damage by promoting a two-strand scheme to target priority subjects and groups, maximise the potential for matching funding and retain the financial flexibility likely to be required by the FCO.

Strand one would use £250,000 in conjunction with the proposed new Management Training Centre. In year one, this sum would contribute to the capital cost of some £5,000,000 and establish HMG's bona fides in the eyes of predominantly Chinese donors. The £250,000 would be spent on equipment and software and also act as a showcase for British companies.

The recurrent running costs of the Centre will be covered by course fees from the start, so from year two the £250,000 would be available for scholarships and bursaries to provide high-flying managers of business and industry in both Hong Kong and China with appropriate academic and industrial training in Britain.

Strand two would devote £250,000 to a high status scholarship scheme based on academic excellence of the highest order. Matching funding would be sought on the basis of the programme's high profile.

The key to its success would be the creation of a peer group of future leaders, whose common experience of Britain would be managed and followed-up by the British Council working with a group of universities selected as pre-eminent in a range of priority subjects.

The Education Counselling Service would manage the selection exercise and follow-up activities in Hong Kong and would oversee the coordination of group meetings and events handled by one of the participating universities.

Together, the two strands would help to increase both the impact of other operational programmes in Hong Kong and China and the opportunities for British education and business. The opportunity to reflect changing circumstances and priorities would come with the ability to alter the balance of funding between the two strands.

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