ENG-1994 — Page 205

EDUCATION

already developed interdisciplinary research projects in areas such as advanced materials, Asian financial markets, Hainan Island, biotechnology, economic development, environ- mental studies, information technology, infrastructure development, manufacturing, micro- systems, scientific computation and software engineering. In December, it had 4 367 undergraduate and 945 graduate students. At its second congregation in November, 576 bachelor and 213 advanced degrees were conferred.

The Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong was established in 1989 to provide adults with more opportunities for higher education through open access and distance learning courses. In October, about 18 400 students were enrolled in 114 courses leading to degree and sub-degree qualifications in four schools -arts and social science, business and administration, education, and science and technology and the Centre for Continuing and Community Education. Two new honours degree programmes

the Bachelor of

Education and the Bachelor of Nursing were introduced during the year, and more than 1 000 teachers and 1 000 nurses were enrolled in the programmes. Financial aid schemes of grants and scholarships were set up during the year to help needy students. At the end of 1994, the construction of the institute's permanent headquarters in Ho Man Tin was well underway and was expected to be completed in early 1996.

Lingnan College was founded in 1967 to continue the tradition of Lingnan University. It came under the aegis of the UGC in 1991, and was incorporated as a degree-awarding institution under its own ordinance in 1992. It has three faculties arts, business and social sciences and a general education division. In December, enrolment was 1 947 full-time students, of whom 1 409 were pursuing honours degree studies and 538 were honours diploma students. Enrolment is planned to increase to 2 000 by 1995. At the year's end, the new Tuen Mun campus was under construction, with a target completion date of July 1995. Following its move to Tuen Mun, the college will be fully residential.

Each institution publishes detailed information about admission criteria, courses, staff and other matters in its annual report, calendar and prospectus, obtainable through the institution's information office.

Post-Secondary Colleges

Hong Kong Shue Yan College, registered in 1976 under the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance, operates a four-year diploma programme. Its faculties of arts, social sciences and commerce include 13 departments offering day and evening courses to 2 712 students. The college receives no public funding, but its students may apply for government grants and loans.

Adult Education

Many formal and informal opportunities are available for adults to study in their spare time, either for personal development or to update knowledge and skills relevant to their work. Numerous private schools offer language, business and computer courses. The British Council, Alliance Française, Goethe Institute and Japanese Consulate all offer language

courses.

All the tertiary institutions, except the Hong Kong University of Science and Tech- nology and Lingnan College, operate extra-mural departments or divisions of continuing education. They offer a large variety of courses, some at degree level, in such areas as

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