ENG-1963 — Page 380

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Research

UNIVERSITY

A VARIETY of research programmes was conducted by the University of Hong Kong during the year. In the Faculty of Arts, the Department of Economics and Political Science continued research work in the following fields: the application of modern methods and techniques of economic and business forecasting in Asian countries; current economic development problems in these countries; further work on the economic history of Japan; and a special study of the steel industry of mainland China; political thought and public administration in east and south-east Asia; social changes and the commune system in China. Some of the resultant material is published annually in Contemporary China (Hong Kong University Press and Oxford University Press), and others in various other journals and books. The Institute of Modern Asian Studies of the University of Hong Kong was established, and it is hoped that these research activities will be further consolidated.

Research in education was conducted by two groups-the Hong Kong Council for Educational Research and the University Depart- ment of Education. The former body has completed projects assess- ing the intelligence and academic achievement of primary school pupils, and surveying the medical, psychological, social, and educa- tion conditions associated with failure and backwardness in schools. Current research includes appraisals of pupils' difficulties in learn- ing English, and work on improving the teaching of Chinese. A follow-up study in guidance and counselling has been launched, and will follow students over a number of years from their secondary school courses to the university to find the predictive value of certain guidance tests and interviews, and the effect of counselling over a period. A number of other studies, including a comparative study of educational development and planning in