Vice-Chancellor's Report 1978-82

generally good. Part-time university education is very much a new venture for the University. Wi t h more experience i n this endeavour, it will be possible to offer additional courses to more students in the years ahead. C. Anthropology , Psycholog y an d Statistic s The Department of Anthropology which was started in 1977/78 wi th four minor students saw its enrolment increase to 27 in 1978/79 and then to 37 students in 1979/80. In addition, a substantial number of students were enrolled i n the various anthropological courses offered by the Department. Students, both minors and electives, had taken to this new subject with great enthusiasm. I n response to this interest on the part of the students, the University Senate approved the launching of a major programme i n Anthropology in the academic year 1979/80 wi th a separate Department and Board of Studies and wi th some changes and additions i n the curriculum. This is the first department of Anthropology at university level in Hong Kong. Altogether 15 major students were enrolled in the major programme, 11 in the First Year and four the Second Year. A t the same time, the number of minor students also increased from 37 in 1979/80 to 69 i n 1980/81. In the academic year 1981/82, enrolment in the Anthropology Department increased further to 28 major students and 74 minors. Wi t h the enthusiastic participation of students, the Department was able to engage i n several research projects of a local nature. Aside from Anthropology, the Department of Psychology, wi th an enrolment of 260 students in its minor programme i n 1981 / 82, was also given permission by the Senate to become an independent department offering a major programme in 1982/83. For the Department, this represented the cumulation of 11 years' work. A t the same time, improvement of the Psychology laboratories was under way. Another significant development in the undergraduate curricula had to do with Statistics. In August 1978 ， the University started to offer Statistics as a minor programme i n the Department of Mathematics. The curriculum was introduced wi th the advice of Professor R.L. Plackett, a visitor of the Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas (IUC). A total of about 110 students from various faculties were enrolled. 20