Bulletin Vol. 5 No. 7 Apr 1969

In 1967 the ground was broken for the campus of The Chinese University , and this Centre has, you will agree, been completed in a remarkably short time. The cost of HK$2.5 million has most generously been borne by America n friends of the University — the American people, through the United States Department of State, the Asia Foundation and the American business community, and to all of them 1 express my thanks and appreciation for their support and financial assistance. The Benjamin Franklin Centre on this magnificent site overlooking Tolo Harbour, has been designed to become a focal point of university life in Hong Kong. It covers an area of 44,000 square feet and will be available to al l students and staff of the University. Its services will include student counselling, an appointments service, students' union offices, alumni offices, committee rooms, games, music and dining rooms, and space has also been set aside for several shops and two cafeteria. From this list you will see that it has been planned to play a large part in student life and to cater to all tastes, and I am sure that it will be much appreciated by those who use it. For a short time, however , it will be used as the Administrative Centre of the university, pending the completion of the new Administrative Block. It was, I think, an extremely happy idea to name this centre after Benjamin Franklin. He was certainly one of the outstanding men of his time, and versatility was one of his prominent characteristics. Statesman, philosopher and scientist, he had a full career and an enquiring mind. If there is a risk of the students of this university becoming narrow in outlook through intensive study in their own disciplines, it is here at this Centre that they will have the chance to mix with members of other faculties and to widen their ideas through debate and social contact. It is difficult in this day and age when there is a need for such a degree of specialised knowledge ill some subjects, for a student to find time to get to know about fields outside his own, and here we have a building where he can meet other university members easily and informally. It now gives me much pleasure to declare open the Benjamin Franklin Centre , and 1 wish all those who will use it and all who will be concerned with its running the best of good fortune. THE MALTA CONFERENCE Dr. Choh-Ming L i, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, attended the Conference of Overseas Vice-Chancellors and Principals sponsored by the Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas ( l UC ) , at Malta , from 8th Ap r il to 13th April, 1969. The Conference was attended by nearly 60 delegates, including representatives of various Associations of Higher Education, Foundations, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Ministry of Overseas Development. The Conference paid specia l attention to the major developments in some of the member universities (The Chinese University included), and reviewed problems of commo n interest, such as the effectiveness of the various lUC-managed assistance schemes. The conference is hel d every 18-24 months. The last conference was held in August 1967. The next conference will be held in September 1970 at Ottawa, Canada, following the Quinquennial Conference of International Association of Universities at Montreal, Canada. Dr. L i was elected a member of the Steering Committe e of five that is to plan the coming l UC conference. SEMINAR ON THE PRESS AND SOCIAL CHANGES A Seminar on the Press and Social Changes in Hong Kong was held from 1st April, 1969 through 11th April, 1969. Th e Seminar was sponsored jointly by the Mass Communications Centre and Department of Extramural Studies of The Chinese University in cooperation with the Chinese-Language Press Institute. The Seminar was opened on 1st April, 1969 and an introductory address was made by Dr. Frederick T.C, Yu, Professor of Journalism and Director of the Mass Communications Centre, The Chinese University of Hon g Kong. In his introduction, Dr. Yu outlined the objective of the Seminar: "The Seminar is a pilot project of the Programme on Continuing Educatio n for Journalists of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The Programme has these broad aims: ( 1 ) to provide working journalists in Hong Kong and Asian countries an opportunity for intellectual enrichment; — 3 —