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EDUCATION

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279 of the Laws of Hong Kong. Although the board is an advisory body without executive functions, it plays a key role in formulating and planning education policy for the school sector.

The 18 board members comprise 16 non-officials (including the chairman), who are experienced educators and prominent members of the community. The two official members are the Director of Education (vice-chairman) and the Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower. The board is serviced by the Education Department.

University and Polytechnic Grants Committee

The University and Polytechnic Grants Committee (UPGC) appointed by the Governor to advise the government on the development of, and funding requirements for, higher education in Hong Kong and to administer government grants for the tertiary institutions.

The committee was established in 1965, with the title of the University Grants Commit- tee, to advise the government on the development and financial needs of the universities. The present title was adopted in 1972, to reflect the inclusion of the first polytechnic within the purview of the committee. There are at present five institutions funded through the UPGC: the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Baptist College.

At present, the UPGC is assisted by four sub-committees. The research sub-committee determines the disbursement of funds from grants earmarked for research activities. The University of Science and Technology sub-committee advises on the development of the new university, which will be funded by the UPGC from 1991. The sub-committee on Revision and Expansion provides advice on the implementation of the revised structure of tertiary education, arising from the government's consideration of the Education Commission Report No. 3; and the further expansion of tertiary education, as announced by the Governor in his Opening Address to the Legislative Council, which will result in an increase in the number of first year, first degree places planned from nearly 10 510 to about 15 000 in 1994-5. The Lingnan College sub-committee has been set up to consider the possible upgrading and development of Lingnan College.

The development of academic plans for the UPGC-funded institutions follows a triennial cycle, which begins almost three years prior to the commencement of each triennium. The recurrent grants for the institutions are determined on the basis of formal Academic Development Proposals which are considered by the UPGC. Capital grants are approved annually, to finance the institutions' building programmes to keep pace with planned academic developments.

In addition to monitoring the academic development and funding of the institutions, the UPGC is responsible for providing advice to the government and the Education Commission on a wide variety of issues pertaining to tertiary education. During the year, the committee was consulted on such subjects as the future structure and further expansion of tertiary education; manpower planning; the level of research funding for the 1991-4 triennium; the future development of postgraduate medical education and training; the feasibility of developing a Hong Kong Technology Centre; the Hong Kong Open Learning Institute, and the establishment of the proposed Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation.

The UPGC is an advisory committee, with membership comprising distinguished over- seas academics, eminent Hong Kong-based academics and prominent local professionals