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Section A The Present Landscape of Higher Education in Hong Kong
Chapter 6 : Capital Provision
(cf Chapter 14 and Chapter 15 and of "Higher Education in Hong Kong" (1996))
| 6.1 |
Higher education in Hong Kong occupies about 150 hectares (gross) of floor space on sites which total 250 hectares. These overall figures might suggest that the institutions are well-endowed with amenity space, but in fact some individual institutions are extremely cramped. HKBU has a gross floor space to site ratio of 2.2 and PolyU one of 2.08. Even CUHK and HKUST, with gross floor space to site ratios of 0.3, have a good deal of land which, because of its steepness, is of little practical use.
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| 6.2 |
The UGC judges whether an institution has sufficient space, or needs additional buildings, on the basis of a set of UK-based "norms" which relate to purpose. On the basis of these norms, three of the UGC institutions (CityU, CUHK and PolyU) still have 2% to 18% deficiencies of floor space in 1997-98 and the remainder surpluses ranging from 12% to 26%. It must, however, be remembered that, particularly with the older institutions, space may not be conveniently arranged for present day teaching and research, and that some space (eg museums) serves public as well as institutional purposes.
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| 6.3 |
As well as determining total available space, the UGC is also interested in its utilisation. UGC HEIs have teaching years varying from 28 to 32 weeks. In the remainder of the time space is used for examinations, short and part-time courses, conferences and, particularly, research. Nevertheless, overall utilisation outside the teaching year is low. Within the teaching year, the UGC divides space into General Teaching Areas, where it expects 50% occupancy for 30 hours per week, and Special Teaching Areas, where it expects 50% occupancy for 22 hours per week. A survey by the UGC's Working Group on Space and Accommodation in 1996 suggested that the institutions met, or nearly met, the standard for General Teaching Areas, but that utilisation of the Special Teaching Areas was low. A further review of utilisation will be carried out in 1999.
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| 6.4 |
Under the current policy, which was announced in 1996, provision for residences will be made for the following proportions of full time students:
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| HKIEd |
50% |
| LC |
50% |
| HKU |
43% |
| HKUST |
42% |
| CUHK |
41% |
| HKBU |
39% |
| PolyU |
27% |
| CityU |
25% |
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These figures may be supplemented by non-government provision. The Government also decided in December 1996, as a long term objective, to increase 10,924 hostel places. Of these, preparation for some 9,400 places started in 1998.
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| 6.5 |
In 1997-98, hostel accommodation is available or planned for about 4,560 students at HKU, 4,254 at CUHK, 3,004 in PolyU, 2,875 at HKUST, 2,730 in CityU, 2,000 in HKIEd, 1,629 in HKBU and 1,000 at Lingnan College. These 22,052 places can take about 36% of the students engaged in full-time higher education. The remaining 64% mostly live at home and may have to try to study there in noisy and congested surroundings.
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| 6.6 |
The rapid expansion of the higher education system in recent years has led to the construction of many new buildings. The younger institutions are all in new or substantially reconstructed accommodation and the growth of the older HEIs has required new buildings on their campuses also. The building stock is thus comparatively young. We show an age profile of the academic buildings in Figure 6.1. The same is true of equipment, particularly scientific equipment, where the UGC has made special grants for updating to the older institutions, but also of administrative equipment and plant associated with the functioning of the buildings. We show an age profile for the larger items of scientific equipment in Figure 6.2. With a small number of exceptions it can be said that the HEIs in Hong Kong currently occupy good quality buildings, many of recent date, and that they are well provided with modern equipment. Costs associated with maintenance of buildings, plant and equipment are presently low, and even in the older institutions do not exceed 15% of recurrent expenditure in 1997-98.
Figure 6.1 Age Profile of Academic Buildings
in the UGC-funded Institutions (1997-98)
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Figure 6.2 Age Profile of Items of Scientific Equipment Costing
More than $500,000 each in the UGC-funded Institutions
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