Bulletin Vol. 3 No. 8 Mar 1967

T H E C H I N E S E U N I V E R S I T Y O F H O N G K O N G T H E U N I V E R S I T Y BULLETIN V O L U M E T H R E E • M A R C H I 9 6 7 • N U M B E R E I G H T C O N T E N T S Page Ford Foundation Grant 1 The Computer Centre 2 Admissions to the Graduate School . . . . 2 Further Donation of Books from the Japanese Government 2 Visitor from the Centre for Curriculum Renewal and Education Development Overseas 3 University Public Lectures 3 Amplified Telephone System for Inter- collegiate Teaching 3 Advisors visit Journalism Department . . 4 Exchange Programme with the University of Pittsburgh . . 4 Membership of the International Society for Music Education 4 Staff Profiles 4 Comings and Goings 5 College News 6 FORD FOUNDATION GRANT The Ford Foundation has recently made a grant of nearly $3 million (US$510,000) to The Chinese University to supplement a previous grant o f $1,700,000 (US$295,000) made by the Foundation to the University in August, 1965. The University Council formally approved the acceptance of the recent grant in its meeting on February 28. The grant will be used to develop the University's teaching staff, to provide for visiting professors and consultants and to develop research in the social and natural sciences in the University. With the generous financial support from the Ford Foundation, the University was able to start a staff development programme some time ago, under which 14 members of its teaching staff have been sent to the United States for advanced studies and another 9 will be sent in the next academic year. Under this programme, junior teaching staff of the University will be sent overseas to study for higher degrees ； those with a doctor's degree, to do post-doctoral research in overseas universities for a year or so; and some very senior staff members, to reacquaint themselves with scholars and academic developments abroad for a period of several months. The recent grant by the Ford Foundation will enable the University to extend the programme still further and will thus have a profound effect on the University's continuing effort to improve the quality of its teaching staff. Other steps the University has taken with the financial assistance of the Ford Foundation are various and many. They include the recent acquisition of a collection of important Chinese works for the University Library and the installation of an I.B.M. computer in the University. The Social Survey Research Centre, which is at present engaged in the study of Chinese Family Life in Hong Kong and other research projects,is supported with funds provided by the Ford Foundation. A part of the funds is also used to supplement the budget of the University's Lingnan Institute of Business Administration and to invite consultants from overseas. Further, the University will use some of the funds to equip the new University Laboratory for Chemistry and purchase scientific equipment for the science faculties. The recent grant of $3 million is the culmination of a somewhat lengthy negotiation which began in August 1966. In November 1966, Vice-President David Bell visited Hong Kong together with the Foundation's Director of South and Southeast Asia Programme Mr . George Gant and Field Representative Mr. Harry L. Case. They held intensive talks with Vice-Chancellor Li about the University's plans for future development. Dr. L i pointed out that it has been the policy of the Foundation in its overseas programme to give support to universities on specific projects only and that very rarely does it give grants to any university for general support. The latest action of the Foundation, therefore, demonstrates its continued confidence in The Chinese University.