Bulletin Vol. 3 No. 9 Apr 1967

si u p on us, we w i l l be only 8 hours away. We w i l l be on th e wo r l d 's doorstep, and it w i l l be on ours, if this is not already true today. As a result, an intellectual c ommu n i ty really exists i n t e r n a t i o n a l ly and we should be p r o ud of h a v i ng been accepted b y it and to be a memb er of it. A n d this is altogether fitting, not j u st for the universities, b ut for H o n g K o n g. I t is desirable for the good of the u n i versities and for the c ommu n i ty that we c o n t r i b u te able people to other lands and that they c o n t r i b u te able people to us. As a memb er of the w o r l d intellectual and economic c ommu n i t y, it is essential that we ma i n t a in a position of equality and respect and engage in f r u i t f ul exchange. I f we d id not have this e n r i c h i ng interflow it w o u ld be difficult to ma i n t a in the q u a l i ty of education and economic performance w h i ch w e n ow have and w h i ch we mu st continually i mp r o v e . A t the same time, we mu st not w o r ry about the present brain drain, such as it is. I t w i l l become meaningless if we continue to i mp r o ve o ur intellectual resources and facilities. We have the w i l l and the ability. It remains o n ly to get on w i t h the j o b . MATR I CULAT I ON T h e Chinese Un i v e r s i ty Ma t r i c u l a t i on E x am i n a t i on for this year commenced on A p r i l 17 and was completed on A p r i l 25. Over 2,500 candidates took the E x am i n ation at eleven centres. T h is year's total n umb er of candidates represents an increase of more than f o ur h u n d r ed over last year. Close liaison has been maintained between representatives of Chinese m i d d l e schools and the Un i v e r s i t y. T h e r e are regular i n f o r mal discussions between the representatives and College Presidents on matters of mu t u al interest. On the Un i v e r s i t y 's Ma t r i c u l a t i on Board, Chinese m i d d l e schools are also represented. I n order to help the matriculated Chinese m i d d le school graduates i mp r o ve one of their tool subjects for the p u r s u it of higher education, the Un i v e r s i ty has i n s t i t u t ed intensive En g l i sh courses i n the s ummer vacation. CONFERENCE OF CONT I NU I NG EDUCAT ION ADMINI STRATORS T h e “Conference of C o n t i n u i ng Ed u c a t i on A d m i n i strators”, u n d er th e sponsorship of the Un i v e r s i t y 's De p a r t me nt of E x t r a - mu r a l Studies, was held at the Peninsula H o t el on A p r i l 3. I n the absense o f the D i r e c t or of the De p a r t me n t, the Un i v e r s i ty Registrar, M r . H . T . W u , presided i n the mo r n i ng session. Memb e rs of this Un i v e r s i ty and the Un i v e r s i ty of H o n g K o n g, togethe r w i t h representatives f r om governmental, educational and c u l t u r a l organizations participated. T h e Conference started at 9:30 a.m. A f t er a speech of welcome was delivered by the Vice-Chancellor, D r . C . M . L i , to over eighty participants and guests, the f o l l ow i ng five papers were presented, “The Role of the Adult Educator in Hong Kong”, by D r . A . A . L i v e r i g h t, V i s i t i ng Consultant to the Conference, and D i r e c t or of the Centre for the S t u dy of L i b e r al Ed u c a t i on for Ad u l t s, Boston Un i v e r s i t y. “Adult Education—Before and After”, by M r . S . K . Cheung, A d u l t Ed u c a t i o n Section, Education De p a r t me nt of the H o n g K o n g Go v e r nme n t. “Tutor's Aim and Student's Motives”, by M r . l e u a n Hughes, D i r e c t o r, De p a r t me nt of E x t r a - mu r al Studies, Un i v e r s i ty of H o n g K o n g. “A New Force in Continuing Education”, b y M r . T . C . L a i, D e p u ty D i r e c t o r, De p a r t me nt of E x t r a - mu r al Studies, T h e Chinese Un i v e r s i ty of H o n g K o n g. “Television and Adult Education”, b y M r . T i m o t h y Birch, Co n t r o l l e r of En g l i sh Programme, Radio H o n g K o n g . I n his speech, D r . L i v e r i g ht made the recommendation of an external degrees p r o g r amme, co-operatively planned by the t wo Universities i n H o n g K o n g, t h r o u gh a j o i n t E x t r a - mu r al Board. T h e need fo r external degrees was very great, not o n ly to satisfy the large n umb er of people w h o were unable each yea r to gain entry to the t wo Universities b ut to provide for the large n umb er of people who could i ll afford f u l l - t i me u n i v e r s i ty t r a i n i n g. D r . L i v e r i g ht also stressed the need for (1) additional diplomas and certificates i n special areas, (2) h i gh level refresher courses an d c o n t i n u i ng education programmes, (3) more effective programmes for secondary school teachers, (4) s t i mu l a t i on of indigenous arts/music and drama, and (5) t r a i n i ng of personnel and research into adult education itself. D r . L i v e r i g ht me n t i o n e d that s u p p o rt and recognition of such t r a i n i n g programmes by the Ed u c a t i on De p a r tment is i mp o r t a nt and that in establishing h i gh level refresher courses and c o n t i n u i ng education programmes, the Universities shoul d be in co-operation w i t h various schools, institutes and g o v e r nme nt departments to seek w i d er effectiveness. M r . S . K. Ch e u ng spoke on a few of the steps w h i ch could be taken in this c ommu n i t y. T h e steps we r e: (1) to provid e suitable reading materials for adults, (2) to f o r m various c u l t u r al societies to promote w i d er interests, and (3) wh en f u n d s are available, to establish an U r b a n Centre w i t h complete educational facilities. Such a centre is essential to the c o n t i n u ed expansion of adult education . 3

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDE2NjYz