Vice-Chancellor's Report 1978-82

Altogether over 700 applications were received and 142 students were enrolled in the four programmes. From the start, the University had insisted that the Part-time Degree Programmes must have parity in academic standard with the full-time programmes. To this end, the University has ensured that all learning facilities of the University are open to part-time students and that teachers in the Part-time Degree Programmes are of the same academic standing as those of full-time courses. The idea of distance learning for a degree course was not adopted as the University wants the part-time students to enjoy the same kind of contact with their teachers as is available to full-time students. It was recognized, however, that the part-time students have special needs and problems and that they are subject to certain constraints which do not apply in the case of full-time students. At a more advanced stage in their lives and with many demands on their time from employers, members of the family and other outside interests, they are unlikely to be able to devote to their studies the same undivided attention a full-time student is capable of. On the other hand, they tend to be highly motivated learners with a more mature outlook and a more practical orientation. The Part-time Degree Programmes at the University were organized very much with these considerations in mind. As an industrialized and modem society, Hong Kong is perhaps unique in that only 2 % of the relevant age group is able to receive a university education. The gap between the supply of and demand for university places is extremely wide. The Part-time Degree Programmes would go some ways towards narrowing the gap and, judging from the enthusiastic response in the first year of its operation, are well supported by the community. It is now the University's intention to expand the programmes, albeit slowly and with caution, over the next few years. In the very first year of their existence, the new Programmes had to contend with such fundamental and ground-breaking policy matters as entrance requirements, admissions policy, curriculum design, examination schemes, staff structure and budgeting problems. But a start has been made and the University is pleased to report that the development of the Programmes has proceeded on target. The overall drop-out and suspension rate in the Part-time Degree Programmes was 5% and attendance in all classes was 19