Bulletin Spring 1979

groups o f students, attending to students' academic and personal problems in a counselling capacity, and extending extra help to them when necessary. Students The Centre has so far trained over two thousand foreign students from thirty-seven countries. Over twenty-five thousand local people, including students of this University, have attended Mandarin courses of the Centre since they were first offered in 1967. Among its students, there are missionaries (both Catholic and Protestant), medical doctors, nurses, social workers, school teachers, university professors and students, m ilitary officers, government officials, diplomats, businessmen, housewives ， etc. Although the great majority o f students are aged between 18 and 35, the Centre has had special students as young as 8 years old and as old as 72. Courses Offered (A) Mandarin courses at three levels (beginners', intermediate, and advanced) for students of the University. In the first term of each academic year, twenty-one beginners' classes are offered, mainly for freshmen. In the second term, three beginners', fifteen intermediate and three advanced classes are offered to the entire student body. Students take the Mandarin courses for two contact hours a week on an elective basis. Occasional summer courses have also been offered. (B) Mandarin and Cantonese classes for Univer sity's staff and exchange students at all levels. In addition to the two regular terms a year, a ten-week summer term has been arranged for lASP (Inter national Asian Studies Programme) students and a six-week summer intensive Cantonese course for exchange students o f the University o f California. (C) Mandarin and Cantonese classes for non- University students. Although these are considered extramural courses, the Centre's principal income is drawn from them. Intensive courses are offered at all levels for four quarters a year, each lasting eleven weeks. Students may be admitted in any quarter because beginners' courses are offered at the begin ning o f each quarter. For intensive courses, the heaviest programme consists o f fifteen hours o f class room instruction per week, but students may also register for less heavy programmes (six or nine hours). The maximum class size is 7 students, while most classes average between 4 and 5. In exceptional cases, private tutorials are available. Fong Shu Chuen Building under construction 18