The First Six Years 1963-69

The problem o f numbers versus standards o f qua lity in under graduate programmes has become a world-wide preoccupation. To expand undergraduate education w ithou t regard to its quality would undoubtedly complicate and retard efforts toward improve ment. A large class is not by definition worse than a small class. I t depends on the teacher ， the students and the subject taught. In general, increased numbers tend to detract from qua lity unless careful provision is made. The Chinese University is determined not to become a diploma m ill. A gradual increase in admissions is programmed bu t safeguards have been established to ensure that no extreme measures are taken to accommodate additional stu dents at the expense o f quality. The table below indicates the growth o f the student enrolment since the establishment o f the University: Year Faculty o f Arts Faculty o f Commerce and Social Science Faculty o f Science Total 1964/65 19 6 5/6 6 19 6 6/6 7 19 6 7/6 8 1968/69 19 6 9/7 0 5 4 1 6 3 9 5 4 9 5 7 6 623 623 5 8 0 6 5 3 7 9 3 7 9 0 803 8 4 4 5 6 5 5 7 9 586 5 9 4 6 2 6 6 3 7 1686 1871 1928 1960 2052 2 1 0 4 The projected student enrolment over the next four years is: 1970/71 1971/72 1 9 7 2 / 7 3 1 9 7 3 / 7 4 2 120 2275 2 4 7 0 2 5 5 0 The tota l number o f students for 197 3 /7 4 does not include the 80 students attending the School o f Education and 240 students in the Graduate School. The total student enrolment is expected to reach 3,000 by 1976/77. The slow and steady growth in student numbers reflects the policy o f the University to equate the needs o f the com munity w ith the ab ility o f the University to maintain a high stand ard o f undergraduate education. A corollary to the population explosion in Hong Kong is the clamour for more technical rather than liberal education. The commercial and industrial nature o f Hong Kong's rap id ly expand ing economy prompts the community to look at liberal education w ith reservation and ask the institutions o f higher education to turn out more doctors ， engineers ， architects and accountants who can readily be absorbed by various sectors o f the community to relieve the acute shortage o f technically trained manpower. 5