The First Six Years 1963-69

In 1969 the Centre faced a turn ing point in its development and was reorganized as the Social Research Centre in November. A new Director was appointed and a plan o f restructuring was carefully mapped out ， incorporating the Rura l Studies Centre and Urban Study Centre as part o f the overall programme. The Rura l Studies Centre was established in September 1965 at Chung Chi College w ith a grant from The Asia Foundation. Its emphasis was on field survey, through which the students were able to study various aspects o f village life first hand. The U rban Study Centre was established in October 1966 w ith a grant from The Asia Foundation. United College was responsible in itia lly for the administration o f the Centre. Besides instruction, the U rban Study Centre also conducted a series o f research projects ， such as Ka i- fong ， Neighbourhood and the Chinese Family. By incorporating the two Centres w ith the Social Research Centre ， the base was broadened to serve as an inter-disciplinary research facility to be utilized by the members o f the entire Social Science Faculty o f the University. For the first time ， there is a wholly integrated research programme to complement the educational commitment o f the new Centre. In its research programme ， the Centre undertakes studies o f social change in Hong Kong. This means that various aspects o f the evolving societal scene in Hong Kong are investigated from the viewpoint o f both the dynamics o f their history and the dynamics o f their future directions. The Centre is particularly interested in research which permits not only an assessment o f a given situation, but also an analysis o f alternative future developments coupled w ith a capability to observe the actual future developments as they occur. In this regard ， the programme is one o f basic research through which the Centre seeks to advance social ， scientific, and particu lar ly sociological knowledge o f both secular and induced processes o f change. Since the programme is firm ly grounded in the needs o f the community ， the Centre prefers to undertake studies which not only contribute to the advancement o f basic knowledge, bu t which also have practical policy implications for the Government ， the various voluntary organizations, and the people o f Hong Kong. Whenever possible ， the Centre helps other interested organi zations in the formulation o f research programmes, in research design ， field work and analysis o f data. In effect, i t acts as con sultant on relevant aspects o f research studies which are being carried out by other private or Governmental organizations. In fu lfilling its educational commitment, the Centre seeks to develop a cadre o f expert researchers whose abilities and skills w ill 44