ENG-1993 — Page 189

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EDUCATION

Less formal activities, including hobby and fitness classes, are provided in adult education and recreation centres run by the department. During the year, government subventions supported 397 adult education projects organised by 68 voluntary agencies.

The British Council

The aim of the British Council in Hong Kong is to offer British skills and expertise in the key areas of English language teaching and learning, science and technology, and the arts, to meet the challenge of Hong Kong's changing needs into the next century.

English language teaching is one of the council's major programmes in Hong Kong. Through its general and business English courses, distance learning language programmes with Radio Television Hong Kong, summer schools and teacher training courses, the English Language Centre provided English language learning opportunities for over 42 000 Hong Kong residents in 1993. In addition, the council arranged for 62 trainees and 25 lecturers from the colleges of education to visit the United Kingdom for courses jointly funded with the Education and Manpower Branch.

The council provides access to British expertise to help develop local industry through promoting technology transfer. It works closely with the Industry Department and Hong Kong Polytechnic on the provision of post-experience training. The council also works with the government, higher education and other organisations in areas such as the environment, law, planning, education, medicine and nursing -in some cases through - joint academic programmes linking Hong Kong and Britain with China. The annual Science Alive lecture series for young people took place at the Hong Kong Science Museum, with the theme of life, science and technology. In 1993, an annual scholarship in environmental science was awarded, co-funded with the Swire Educational Trust and the Aberdeen University Hong Kong Association.

The council's library and information services are open to all Hong Kong residents and cover all aspects of British life and culture, with an emphasis on English literature and English language teaching. The collections include books, magazines, newspapers, videos, CD-ROM, music on CD and audio tapes. The library facilities are computerised and free to students of the council's English Language Centre. Others are charged a nominal annual subscription.

The Educational Counselling Service provides free and impartial advice to students on educational opportunities in Britain. In 1993, 33 000 students used the service.