Vice-Chancellor's Report 1982-85

Philip Haddon -Cave , th e Chie f Secretary , D r . K . L . Thong , th e D i r ec t or o f Medica l an d Hea l t h Services , D r . th e Honou r ab l e Q . W . Lee, Chairma n o f th e Un i ve r s i t y Counc i l , an d D r . th e Honou r ab l e Lyd ia Du n n , Un i ve r s i t y Treasurer , i n ensurin g tha t th e d i f f i cu l t y encountered i n completin g th e projec t wa s speedil y resolved . The i r professional ‘base’thu s secured , th e Facult y gre w steadil y i n strength , f r om f o r t y - f ou r facult y member s t o 11 2 an d 13 9 student s t o 320 , between th e beginnin g o f 1982/8 3 an d th e en d o f 1984/85 ， and I f u l l y expect al l eightee n chair s i n th e Facult y t o b e fille d b y earl y 1986/87 ’ when studen t intak e wo u l d reac h th e targe t figur e o f 140 . W e als o expect t o se e our firs t batc h o f medica l graduate s i n 1986 , an d thi s w i l l be a milestone fo r th e Faculty . I n 1982/83 , thre e ne w PD P course s i n Chinese-English , Mus i c and Busines s Admi n i s t r a t i o n wer e introduced . These , togethe r w i t h the alread y establishe d PDP cours e i n Socia l Wo r k, furthe r develope d du r i ng th e perio d unde r review , w i t h th e tota l studen t numbe r increasing f r om 13 9 t o 36 8 an d th e firs t si x PD P graduate s i n Socia l Wo r k receivin g thei r degree s a t th e Twen t y - e i gh t h Congregatio n i n 1984. This , bein g th e firs t part-tim e degre e offere d t o wo r k i n g adult s i n H o ng Ko n g t o date , mark s th e beginning of a n attempt t o satisf y a t a modest cos t th e deman d f o r highe r educatio n amon g thos e wh o missed the oppo r t un i t y whe n the y finishe d thei r secondar y education . The Part-tim e Undergraduat e Degre e Programm e a s a f o rm o f ope n education, i s we l l ahea d o f it s time , an d should , i n m y view , receiv e much greate r suppor t tha n ha s hithert o bee n give n it . Th e succes s o f the f ou r establishe d programme s clearl y show s expansio n int o th e several othe r area s f o r wh i c h proposal s hav e alread y bee n mad e t o b e warranted. I n th e f u l l - t im e undergraduat e cours e t w o ne w majo r programmes were establishe d i n 1982/83 . Statistic s develope d int o a f u l l - fledged departmen t f r o m a section w i t h i n th e Departmen t o f Mathematics and Psycholog y f r o m Sociology . Bo t h ha d l on g bee n subject s w i t h considerabl e interes t amon g student s an d socia l demand . Unde r the dedicate d an d abl e leadershi p o f th e t w o ne w Chai r Professors , H o w e l l To n g o f Statistic s an d L i u I n -ma u o f Psychology , thes e t w o disciplines ar e expecte d t o mak e valuabl e contribution s t o ou r academic life. Ano t he r subjec t wh i c h wa s furthe r strengthene d wa s Translation. Previousl y a section w i t h i n th e Departmen t o f Chines e Language an d Literatur e offerin g a mi nor programme , i t becam e a n independent departmen t i n 1984/85 . The teachin g o f Englis h i s anothe r are a t o wh i c h w e hav e pai d 5