Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

including tw o Fellow s o f th e Roya l Societ y o f th e Un i t e d Kingdom , a Nobel Laureat e fro m th e Unite d State s o f Ameriea , leadin g loca l industrialists and professional s i n th e field , an d th e Presiden t o f th e Hon g Kong Institutio n o f Engineers . Dr . Charle s K . Kao , Executiv e Scientis t of th e I T T Corporatio n i n th e Unite d States , a world renowne d pionee r in optica l fibr e researc h an d telecommunicatio n technolog y an d Founding Professor o f Electronic s o f th e University , accepte d a n invitatio n t o serve a s Chairman o f th e EAAC . Havin g rigorousl y assesse d the cours e proposals o f the Universit y i n term s o f manpower needs , academi c standards and cost-effectiveness , th e E A A C strongl y recommende d i n earl y 1987 tha t th e Universit y shoul d launc h a n integrate d engineerin g studies programm e i n 1988/8 9 w i t h fou r area s o f specialization , namely , Electronics, Compute r Science , Informatio n Technolog y an d Compute r Aided System s Engineering . Th e timelines s an d relevanc e o f thes e training programmes i n hig h technolog y t o loca l industrie s ar e underscore d by academic s an d industrialist s alike . Ther e i s indee d a n urgen t nee d fo r high-technology personne l w i t h a broad-based engineerin g educatio n t o establish a mode m infrastructur e fo r th e manufacturin g industrie s o f Hong Kong . Thi s i s particularl y importan t i f Hon g Kon g i s t o remai n competitive i n th e expor t market . Postgraduate Studies The Graduat e Schoo l o f the University , whic h wa s first establishe d in 196 6 w i t h fiv e divisions , ha s grow n t o 2 8 division s b y 1986/87 . During the pas t tw o years , ne w Ph.D . programme s hav e bee n launche d i n the Division s o f Chemistry , Mathematics , Marketin g an d Internationa l Business, an d Clinica l an d Pathologica l Sciences , togethe r w i t h fou r additional programme s a t th e master' s level . I n 1986/87 ， the Graduat e School offer s a tota l o f 1 5 programme s a t th e doctora l level , 3 8 a t th e master's leve l an d tw o diplom a course s i n Educatio n an d Socia l Work . The tota l numbe r o f postgraduat e student s ha s increase d fro m 1,17 2 t o 1,305 (headcount) , representin g abou t 18 % o f ou r tota l studen t population in 1986/87 . I n makin g plan s fo r th e 1988-9 1 Triennium , th e University has mad e considerabl e effort s t o brin g th e postgraduat e studen t enrolment t o a muc h large r proportio n t o matc h th e standard s se t b y leading internationa l institutions . Th e Universit y an d Polytechni c Grants Committe e als o recognize s th e nee d fo r furthe r developmen t i n postgraduate studie s an d research . I t i s hope d tha t b y 1990/91 , th e 2 8 Divisions o f th e Graduat e Schoo l wi l l b e offerin g a tota l o f 2 0 Ph.D . and 4 9 master' s programmes . Other Academic Developments The Universit y ha s als o bee n makin g continue d effort s t o mee t manpower demand s i n othe r area s o f society . Mor e socia l worker s an d graduate teacher s ar e bein g trained . Translatio n i s als o a n are a w i t h growth potentia l i n vie w o f th e nee d fo r graduate s w i t h bilingua l ability . During th e pas t year , th e Universit y ha s commissioned tw o ad hoc work - 5