The University Grants Committee is pleased to announce the launch today (8 May 1997) of its new web site [http://www.ugc.edu.hk], which has several new features, including a

"Hong Kong Higher Education Discussion Forum".

The discussion forum is located at the UGC Web at the following address:

http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/forum/forum.htm

The purpose of the discussion forum is to identify and discuss current issues or potential developments affecting higher education in Hong Kong. From time to time articles will also be posted by the UGC for comment and discussion.

The new UGC Web and the discussion forum were launched by Mr Nigel J French, Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee during the Third Hong Kong Web Symposium today.

Speaking during the Symposium at the University of Hong Kong, Nigel French said:

"The UGC Web aims to present to a wider audience information about the role, functions and activities of the UGC. The discussion forum is provided as a service to the Hong Kong higher education community and as a means of expanding the debate on issues of cuurent interest in higher educaiotn in Hong Kong.

"We hope that students, faculty and members of the public will find the space provided here useful for discussion of issues related to higher education in Hong Kong, and that the resultant exchanges will be interesting and informative.

"The UGC has recently sponsored two seminars on important issues for Hong Kong's higher education sector today. The first of these, held in January, concerned Language. To start off this discussion forum, we are posting the proceedings of this seminar for comment and discussion.

"In due course we will also be posting the proceedings of the second seminar, held in April, which concerned the UGC's recently completed first round of Teaching and Learning Quality Process Reviews of Hong Kong institutions," Mr French said.

The web site and discussion forum are supported by the UGC and have been developed in collaboration with the Social Sciences Research Centre at the University of Hong Kong.

UGC Secretariat
8 May 1997