Commenting on the Chief Executive's 1998 Policy Address this afternoon (7 October), Dr Edgar Cheng, Chairman of the University Grants Committee said:

"The UGC is pleased to note the Government's ongoing commitment to upgrading the quality of school education and measures to improve the quality of teaching in schools and teacher education.

"The Committee is working closely with the Hong Kong Institute of Education and other tertiary institutions concerned on the upgrading of teacher education.

"The UGC supports the Government's aims of encouraging the tertiary institutions to develop their existing strengths into areas of excellence and of enhancing Hong Kong's status as a regional centre for higher education.

"These are, incientally, in line with recommendations made by the UGC itself in the Committee's 1996 review report 'Higher Education in Hong Kong'," he added.

Referring to the plans for promoting innovation and technology, Dr Cheng said:

"The UGC and the Research Grants Council (RGC) welcome the proposed establishment of an Applied Science and Technology Institute and an Innovation and Technology Fund as important and timely measures to support and stimulate mid-stream research to help fill the gap between basic scientific research and its commercial application."

"The UGC and the RGC will be pleased to work together with these new bodies and other existing organisations and the tertiary institutions with a view to further promoting innovation and technology for the benefit of Hong Kong," he said.

UGC Secretariat
October 1998