Bulletin Summer‧Autumn 1993

In t ro du c tio n o f a Mo r e Flexible Cr edit U n it System Since its in tro d u c tio n in 1986-87, the credit u n it system has been continuously re fined to increase its fle x ib ility . From 1991 to 1993, fo r example, fu rth e r adjustments in m in im u n u n it- requ irem en ts fo r m a jo r and m in o r programmes and changes in course and u n it exem p tion regulations were introduced, so that departments can easily design and redesign the ir p ro grammes in response to new comm unity and academ ic developments, and stu dents can select the ir courses and pace o f study according to the ir ow n interest and need. U nder this new system, more students w ith d iffe ren t background in education p reparation can be accom m o d a te d , and the U n iv e rs ity can m a in ta in e xchangeab ility w ith aca dem ic programmes offered b y famous institu tions overseas. Pa rt i c i p a ti on i n J o i n t University and Polytechnic Admissions System (JUPAS) In September 1990 the U n ive rsity, together w ith five other tertiary in ­ stitutions, launched a jo in t admissions scheme, JUPAS, fo r the adm ission o f students to first-year first-degree programmes. Secondary Six stu­ dents can ap p ly fo r adm ission to six institutions at the same time using one single app lica tion fo rm and w ill be considered b y the in stitutions independently. Success fu l applicants w ill be n o tifie d b y the institutions at the same time so that they can choose from various offers the in s titu tio n and p ro gramme they w ish to enter most. Student intake unde r this scheme has been satisfactory in terms o f b o th qu a lity and number, and the University has accordingly decided to drop the Provisional Acceptance Scheme. Two New Faculties a n d M a n y New Ac ad em ic Programmes D u rin g the period, the n um b e r o f faculties increased from five to seven. The tw o new faculties o f engineering and education w ere b o th established in 1991. A ll seven faculties have striven to im p rove the scope and content o f the ir programmes in response to n ew social needs. N ew undergraduate courses in Japanese studies, law , p rim a ry educa tion, physical education, architecture, nursing, pharmacy, in fo rm a tio n and systems engineering were introduced. In postgraduate education, m any new master's and doctoral programmes w ere also launched. By January 1993 ； there were 35 divisions in the G radu ate School, o ffe ring 48 master's p ro grammes, 30 doctoral programmes, and three d ip lom a courses. Seven New Research Institutes From 1987 to 1993, seven n ew research institutes were established o r planned to prom ote in te rd iscip lina ry research w ith in the U niversity as w e ll as in con junction w ith overseas institutions. They are the H ong Kong Institute o f B io techno logy (1988), the Asia-Pacific o pening ceremony o f the H ong Kong Institute o f Biotechnology 14