Bulletin Autumn 1976

planning, and it is obvious that the Programme will be reviewed every year for improvement. Q. Will the IASP have its own faculty? A. As mentioned earlier, the Programme is an integral part of the University's overall academic structure. On principle, therefore, teachers of Asian studies are members of the Boards of Studies concerned, and offer courses open to all students of the University including IASPparticipants. Two teaching posts in Asian studies are being advertised, and the lecturers will be assigned to the relevant Boards of Studies. In other words, teachers in Chinese and Asian studies will, in one way or another, contribute to the Programme. Q. It is natural that IASP participants would like to have someone to turn to when they have personal or academic problems. Do you think Chinese teachers would understand their academic concerns as they relate to their home institutions? A. Generally speaking, IASP students will be academically treated as other students of the University and will need to fulfil basic course requirements. Adequate provision for academic and personal counselling will be made in the same manner as for other students. However, in view of their different cultural backgrounds, a small number of teachers will be required for consultation by IASP students. As the University has a number of non-Chinese academic staff and as many Chinese academic colleagues have studied in other countries, some of them may be. called upon to help in academic and personal counselling to IASP students. Q. We all know that there is a shortage of student hostels at this University. Will this affect the accommodation arrangements for the IASP participants? A. The Programme is fully aware of the shortage of student hostels and its implications in relation to IASP students and scholars. In principle, however, since the Programme is part of the University's academic development, its students would hope to be given appropriate accommodation facilities. Furthermore, funds have been raised for the Programme to increase hostel accommodation in the various Colleges. As a large number of Hong Kong students go abroad every year to pursue their studies, it is hoped that local students of the University will fully appreciate the mutual advantage they will derive from frequent intellectual contacts with foreign students in our University. Every care will be exercised in the selection of IASP students in order not to over-strain the student hostel facilities. It is expected that with the completion of the new College hostels, including additional spaces financed by funds raised for the International Asian Studies Programme, the situation of student accommodation will be improved. Q. The IASP is, after all, an international programme based in Hong Kong. Has the Programme received any local support? A. Indeed, the Programme has received local and international support. For instance, the Sing Tao Foundation, which promotes Chinese studies and East-West cultural exchanges, has pledged a contribution to the sum of US$40,500. Cathay Pacific Airways has agreed to provide annually for a total of 16 round-trip air passages for three years for students and scholars from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The Yale-China Association has raised about US$200,000 as a contribution to the construction of accommodation facilities for IASP students in the new College hostels. Support has also been obtained from Soka University in Japan to the sum of US$30,000 for scholarships and fellowships. The Programme is confident of securing additional support in Hong Kong and abroad as it progresses in years to come. Special mention should also be made of the invaluable help which has been given by the Programme advisers from Asian and Western countries in its planning, as well as by colleague in Boards of Studies and administrative units in extending their assistance in the realization of the Programme.