ENG-1966 — Page 37

14

REVIEW

scattered but they will be brought together on a new site at Sha Tin in the New Territories, where the new university is to be built.

The fee income at the two universities covers about 10 per cent of their expenditure, and they therefore rely heavily on government support. In 1966–7 their joint recurrent subvention from the govern- ment will probably be between $35 million and $40 million. A University Grants Committee was established in 1966 to keep under review facilities for university education in Hong Kong and to advise the government on financial needs. In the same year came a decision to increase student numbers by 20 per cent by 1970. Considering that less than half of those passing the matricula- tion examinations of the two universities can at present be offered places, this figure may not appear to be very great, but the increase of places in the universities must take account of the capacity of Hong Kong's industry, commerce and services to absorb graduates at salaries which graduates expect, the capacity of the government to find the necessary funds for the ever-increasing costs of univer- sities and of the universities themselves to expand rapidly on a sound basis.

Hong Kong now depends on its industry for its survival, and during the 10 years which have elapsed since 1956, in which most of our industrialization has taken place, both industry and society in general have slowly come to realize that, in order for either the Colony or individual factories to survive, they must compete in an increasingly sophisticated world market, against factories and organizations backed by technologists and skilled workers. There is still a distinct reluctance in those who have studied in secondary schools to consider industry as an alternative to even the most routine clerical work, but as industry has begun to take stock of the situation, and begun to offer more competitive wages for technically trained personnel, so inroads have begun to be made into the traditional viewpoint of parents and students. Public awareness of the growing importance of technical education to meet the needs of our industrial expansion and consolidation was reflected in the Chinese Manufacturers' Association's donation of $1 million towards the cost of a new Technical College. The foundation stone was laid in 1956 and the college moved into its new premises in 1957. The facilities provided by the college have since expanded,