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EDUCATION

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research grants to the institutions. Its members comprise local academics, overseas academics as well as local professionals and industrialists.

Research grant applications received from the UGC-funded institutions are considered and assessed by the RGC's four specialist subject panels which are composed mainly of local academics, covering physical sciences, engineering, biology and medicine, humanities, social sciences and business studies. The panels are assisted in their work by an independent network of international academic referees who provide impartial and expert advice. In the 2001-02 exercise, the RGC received a total of 1630 applications for its Competitive Earmarked Research Grant and supported a total of 693 projects. For the year, the council committed a total of $511 million as earmarked grants for academic research.

During the year, the RGC continued to operate joint research schemes with the German Academic Exchange Service and the French Consulate General in Hong Kong to strengthen existing links between local and overseas tertiary institutions. There is also a joint research scheme with the National Natural Science Foundation of China to foster closer collaboration between academics in the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Vocational Training Council

The Vocational Training Council (VTC) advises the Government on measures to ensure a comprehensive system of vocational education and technical training suited to the needs of Hong Kong's evolving economy. It administers the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, industrial training and development centres, skills centres for persons with a disability and provisions of the Apprenticeship Ordinance. Its membership comprises representatives from the industry, commerce and service sectors, employee representatives and government officials.

During the year, 20 training boards and five general committees, including a newly established Beauty Care Training Board, continued to help the VTC implement its training programmes. The main tasks of the training boards and general committees include assessing manpower needs and recommending measures to meet such needs, prescribing job specifications, training programmes and trade test guidelines, and overseeing the operation of training centres and trade testing.

Hong Kong Examinations Authority

The Hong Kong Examinations Authority (HKEA) is an independent and self- funding statutory body, with members drawn from the teaching profession, tertiary institutions and the business community. Its main function is to operate two local public examinations: the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE). It also conducts examinations for overseas examining professional bodies and other local organisations.

During the year, 124 794 candidates sat for the HKCEE and 35 272 sat for the HKALE. The percentage of awards at grade E or above for day school candidates in A-level subjects was 76.1, an improvement from 74.9 in 2000. The percentage at grade E or above for day school candidates in the HKCEE was 70.3 compared with 69.4 in 2000. The percentages of grade awards at grade E or above for school candidates in the subjects of HKCEE Chinese Language and English Language (Syllabus B) were 66.9 and 67.8 respectively (66.1 and 64.6 in 2000).