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EDUCATION

ment. A fourth school, Humanities and Social Science, offers graduate degrees and provides general education for all undergraduates. In December, the university had 5 139 undergraduates and 1 156 graduate students. At its third congregation in November, 1 104 bachelor's and 216 advanced degrees were conferred.

The University of Hong Kong, is the territory's oldest tertiary institution. It was founded in 1911, continuing the work of a college of medicine dating from 1887. Its 10 325 full-time and 2618 part-time students are enrolled in nine faculties: architecture, arts, dentistry, education, engineering, law, medicine, science and social sciences. Courses and programmes are at first degree, taught master's and postgraduate research levels. In addition to teaching, the university is also committed to excellence in research.

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 20 000 students were enrolled in 125 courses leading to degree, sub-degree and post-graduate qualifications in four schools: Arts and Social Sciences, Business and Administration, Education, and Science and Technology and the Centre for Continuing and Community Education. Three new honours degree programmes were introduced during the year, the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, the Bachelor of Business Administration in Banking and Finance and the Bachelor of Education (in Secondary Education). In October, the institute's first post-graduate programme, an MBA, was launched and the 500 course places available were eagerly taken up. A student loan scheme was introduced in June to supplement the existing bursary provision and improve access for needy students. The topping-out ceremony of the institute's new headquarters in Ho Man Tin was held in July. Occupation of the new campus is expected to take place in April 1996.

Each tertiary institution publishes detailed information about admission criteria, courses, staff and other matters in its annual report, calendar and prospectus, obtainable through its 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 2 548 students. The college receives no public funding, but its students may apply for cash limited 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. Private schools offer language, business and computer courses. The British Council, Alliance Française, Goethe Institute and Japanese Consulate all offer language courses.

During the year, the Education Department provided formal courses of second chance education from primary to secondary six levels to adult learners at 42 centres and ran non-formal courses in 10 adult education and recreation centres. The