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Following is a question by the Hon Abraham Shek and a reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Arthur K C Li, in the Legislative Council today (March 7):
Questions:
It is learnt that in its report submitted to the Chief Executive in January this year, the Focus Group on Trade and Business of the Economic Summit on "China's 11th Five-Year Plan and the Development of Hong Kong" proposed that in order to attract more non-local students to study in the universities in Hong Kong, more hostel facilities should be constructed. Regarding the supply and demand of student hostel places at various universities, will the Government inform this Council :-
(a) whether it has assessed the feasibility of the aforesaid proposal put forward by the Focus Group;
(b) given that funding has already been earmarked for the hostel construction projects of the University of Hong Kong, the City University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, of the timetable for the implementation of such projects; and
(c) of the specific plan to meet the additional demand for hostel places arising from the increase in the number of university students after the implementation of four-year undergraduate curriculum from the 2012/13 academic year onwards?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) In the Report on Economic Summit on "China's 11th Five-Year Plan and the Development of Hong Kong", the Focus Group on Trade and Business proposed that the Government should make "helping nurture talents and enlarge our talent pool, thereby raising the quality of our human capital" a policy direction at the national level for Hong Kong's development. The report pointed out that through attracting Mainland students to study and work in Hong Kong, not only can our education system help nurture Mainland talents, our local students and workforce will also benefit from the intellectual stimulation and healthy competition brought about by Mainland students, thereby enhancing the quality of our talent pool as well as supporting and sustaining Hong Kong's competitiveness and long-term economic development.
The Focus Group has invited the Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration to examine a number of proposals for developing Hong Kong into a regional education hub. One of the proposals is to provide non-local and exchange students with adequate boarding facilities. The Administration agrees that adequate facilities should be in place to support Hong Kong's development as a regional education hub. In fact, on top of what is being provided under the established policy, the Administration has earlier taken the initiative to provide the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded sector with an additional 1,840 publicly-funded student hostel places to meet the accommodation needs of non-local and exchange students. The UGC has already allocated these places to the institutions, and the institutions are in the process of planning for the construction of these student hostels. The Steering Committee will carefully consider the proposals made by the Focus Group on Trade and Business when it examines the relevant issues.
(b) The Administration has earmarked funding for the following plans to build student hostels:
(1) The University of Hong Kong (HKU)'s plan to build 1,800 publicly-funded hostel places at Lung Wah Street;
(2) City University of Hong Kong (CityU)'s plan to build 700 publicly-funded hostel places within its campus; and
(3) The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)'s plan to build 1,500 hostel places within its campus.
HKU's and CUHK's proposals are expected to be submitted to the Public Works Subcommittee and the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for funding approval in 2007, while CityU is working on its proposal. Subject to funding approval of the Finance Committee, the new hostels of CUHK, CityU and HKU are expected to be completed and ready for occupation in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively.
(c) It is estimated that the whole UGC-funded sector will require some 2,200 additional hostel places as a result of the implementation of the new "3+3+4" academic structure. Individual institutions have been planning actively with a view to meeting the additional hostel requirements. Indeed, some institutions have already submitted hostel project proposals which are supported by the UGC, and funding has been earmarked by the Administration.
We are mindful of the keen demand for hostels. In view of the lead time required for planning and executing hostel projects, the Administration has been encouraging the UGC-funded institutions to make the best use of their existing stock of student hostels and explore all possible options in order to meet the increasing needs for boarding facilities. The UGC and the Administration will continue to discuss with the institutions their hostel requirements, consider their capital works proposals and funding requests, and render assistance to the institutions in identifying suitable sites for building new hostels if necessary. Some institutions are also considering short-term relief measures such as temporary conversion of existing student hostel units to accommodate more students.
Ends/Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:58
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