Bulletin Autumn 1989

Better coordination of student services The provision of student services at the University has traditionally been shared by the Office of Student Affairs and the dean of students' office of the colleges. Certain division of labour has evolved over the years. Professor C.Y. Lee has been appointed to the new office of University Dean of Students with effect from 1st August to coordinate the various student related activities. As a University officer, Professor Lee w ill be able to provide much better liaison between student services and the major policy-making bodies such as the University Council and the Senate. His immediate tasks w ill include the strengthening of the student service units, namely, the Office of Student Affairs and college dean of students' offices, identifying new service needs generated by the changing curriculum requirements and student participation in Senate affairs, and developing an effective support system in close collaboration with student bodies that enables our students to grow in physical health as well as in intellectual and social capabilities. Mrs. Grace Chow has been appointed Administrative Director of Student Affairs to strength­ en the administrative machinery for the student related activities. Better focused academic staff development We have taken significant steps towards increasing our research activities. Research enables academic members to contribute to society directly and to grow in knowledge and stature such that he could discharge his primary duty as a teacher with increasing effectiveness and success. However, aword of caution is in order. The practice of teaching must not be short changed by over-committing oneself to research and outside community-related efforts. We have made summer leave for research somewhat easier and more rational. (This w ill be substantially rationalized when the new service conditions are implemented.) We have introduced special incentives for developing joint research with centres of excellence at universities around the world. We have established sponsored studentships for PhD candidates. So far funding for three such scholars have been promised and at least ten more are forthcoming. Initially, most of the efforts in raising external funds for research are in the science, engineering, medicine and business administration areas. But the outside funding in these areas would relieve the pressure on internal funding, such that more can be allocated to arts, social science and education where external support seems to bemore difficult. Our staff must be competitive in a worldwide sense. Their research must be of scholarly standard acceptable on the world stage. When occasion permits they must be coupled well with centres of excellence so that their contacts with leaders in their field are direct and ongoing. This situation would lead to better recognition by their peers on an international scene. The price of working at least as hard as their counterparts in the centres of excellence is well worth paying. This University is determined to make the opportunities available to all who would take on this important challenge. It is crucial to the University as well as the academic staff and students. Institutes for research and development I amhappy to report that we have established the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology with agenerous donation of HK$170 million from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. The work of this institute has already begun in their temporary accommodation in the Lady Shaw Building. Research and development and pilot production w ill be undertaken in a range of biotechnology areas specially selected to match Hong Kong's industrial environment. It is anticipated that the output from this institute w ill help to spawn a new biotechnology-based industry in Hong Kong. Academic staff from this University and from other tertiary institutions of Hong Kong are urged to be involved with the work at the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology. A Hong Kong Centre of Sports Medi­ cine and Sports Science, and an Asia-Pacific Institute of Business incorporating the Management for Execu­ tive Development programme (MED) which is in its eleventh-year history are being formed. Internal research units such as the Institute of Chinese Studies, the Institute of Social Studies and the Institute of Science and Technology (including the Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre) are being strengthened and given greater flexibility in the promotion of good research. They w ill receive asteady source of funding from the block grant that is earmarked to develop research in areas that all of us regard as distinguished research at this University. Our effort to increase the quality and quantity of research fortunately coincides with the recognition given by the Government and the community to the growing importance of research to Hong Kong. Hong Kong needs its own research and development infrastructure to support the further expansion and strengthening of its education and industry sectors. The tertiary institutions are part of this infrastructure. The University and Polytechnic Grants Committee is expected to increase the allocation of research funds for the six tertiary institutions and it w ill be well beyond the sum of HK$120 million earmarked for the current triennium. 10