Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

natural fo r th e Universit y t o buil d o n tha t foundatio n an d furthe r strengthe n the engineerin g educatio n i t ha s t o offer . Thi s ca n b e don e b y introducin g i n the Facult y o f Scienc e ne w undergraduat e an d postgraduat e degre e course s i n engineering-related subject s suc h a s communication s engineering , automatio n engineering, informatics , etc . Suc h a thrus t b y th e Facult y o f Scienc e int o engineering educatio n woul d hav e followe d th e moder n tren d o f increasin g convergency between technologica l developmen t an d scientifi c advances , an d would als o b e i n th e interes t o f th e industrie s o f Hon g Kon g which , i n orde r t o maintain it s leadin g positio n amon g expor t countrie s o n th e wester n Pacifi c basin, wil l soo n hav e t o mak e th e transitio n fro m th e labour-intensiv e mod e t o the technological-intensiv e mode . I a m therefor e hopefu l tha t thi s development plan o f th e Universit y woul d mee t w i t h suppor t fro m Governmen t an d industry, an d tha t i t woul d actuall y g o forwar d w i t h i n th e nex t fou r o r fiv e years. The eminen t rol e o f researc h an d postgraduate educatio n i s another essential characteristic o f a mode m university . A n d a t thi s Universit y w e hav e indeed pursue d a vigorou s polic y o f promotin g research : amon g ou r ver y firs t concerns a s soo n a s th e Universit y starte d wer e th e establishmen t o f th e Graduate Schoo l an d thre e Researc h Institutes , an d th e introductio n o f a system of assessmen t t o encourag e activ e academi c work ; i t wa s als o hig h o n ou r priority t o provid e postgraduat e student s w i t h goo d hoste l accommodatio n an d generous financia l ai d i n orde r tha t the y ma y stud y an d d o researc h full-time . It i s somewhat disappointin g tha t thes e effort s hav e ye t t o w i n th e publi c recognition and suppor t whic h the y s o ampl y deserve . Tha t i s wh y th e Universit y has t o resor t t o privat e donation s an d t o saving s from recurren t fund s essentiall y provided o n th e basi s o f undergraduat e teachin g need s i n orde r t o giv e suppor t to th e researc h wor k o f it s academics . A n d i t i s therefor e no t surprisin g tha t the numbe r o f ou r postgraduat e student s (o f whic h mor e tha n hal f ar e furthermore students readin g fo r Diplom a i n Education ) ha s no t grow n beyon d 17 % of th e studen t body , whil e th e correspondin g fractio n fo r leadin g universitie s i n the worl d ha s alread y rise n t o 50 % o r higher ; an d tha t ou r direc t expenditur e on researc h i s onl y 2.4 % o f ou r budget , wherea s fo r universitie s i n advance d countries thi s figur e i s likel y t o b e 6 % t o 8% . Public neglec t i n suc h a vita l are a a s researc h i s perhap s explicabl e i n view o f th e fac t tha t Hon g Kon g use d t o impor t technologica l an d professiona l expertise jus t lik e fruit s an d cameras , th e consideratio n i n bot h case s bein g ready availabilit y an d cost-effectiveness . A n d indee d tha t mus t hav e bee n a n effective strateg y o f developmen t fo r th e educationall y an d economicall y backward city whic h Hon g Kon g was . However , tha t ha s lon g changed : havin g buil t up a considerable industria l an d economi c base , Hon g Kon g i s now i n a leadin g position amon g developin g countries ; an d it s institution s o f highe r learnin g have als o demonstrate d that , give n th e resources , the y ar e quit e capabl e o f serious academic work . I f Hon g Kon g i s t o furthe r expan d it s industria l bas e an d maintain it s momentum o f economi c growth , surel y i t i s now tim e fo r changin g the polic y an d mentalit y o f almos t tota l relianc e o n foreig n technolog y an d overseas professiona l training . Wha t Hon g Kon g reall y need s toda y i s rathe r a new generatio n o f wel l educate d youn g men , wh o ar e professionall y goo d an d who woul d eve n i n thes e rapidl y changin g time s fin d a fir m footin g her e i n Hong Kon g an d mak e meanin g fo r themselve s ou t o f confusin g events . T o them, a higher educatio n beyon d th e firs t degre e i s not a luxury bu t a necessity; to Hon g Kong , suc h peopl e ar e no t jus t ye t anothe r optio n fo r findin g manpower to d o a job, bu t rathe r th e ke y t o it s future . 25