Baptist College has designs on higher status

HONG KONG's two polytechnics and Baptist College were preparing yesterday for endorsement of their move to gain university status.

But they said they would issue past graduates with certificates to ensure potential employers continued to recognise in future the colleges' existing names.

The Legislative Council is expected to pass an amendment bill today which endorses new names for the education institutions: City University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and Hong Kong Baptist University.

These are expected to be gazetted on November 25.

Professor Enoch Young Chien-ming, chairman of City Polytechnic's transition committee, said: 'Just in case people forget what City Polytechnic was in 10 years' time, the certificate will let them know it was the predecessor of City University.' Baptist College president Dr Daniel Tse Chi-wai said the certificates would inform employers that degrees conferred under the old and new titles were of the same standard.

Dr Tse, college president for some 24 years, said of the new title: 'It is just like waiting for the would-be daughter-in-law to come home.

'This will become a collector's item,' he said, proffering his name-card carrying the existing emblem.

The college will use a new emblem with a logo designed by Kan Tai-keung.

Dr Tse said the logo featured book and water motifs, symbolising knowledge.

The design also conveyed the idea of a merging of East and West - the acronym BU and the shape resembling the Chinese character for the word 'welcome' and 'progress'.

Baptist College will stage 'U-Day' celebrations tonight with plans for a student societies' parade and lion dance. The two polytechnics will celebrate later.

All three institutions will make appropriate administrative changes from January 1, though no date has yet been fixed by the Government for a 'changeover'.

City Polytechnic began dismantling name signs at the main exits of the campus yesterday.

Professor Young said: 'It will be the students who would benefit most from the re-entitlement. Many people have misconceptions about polytechnics, which they think are of a lower rank than universities.' A Hong Kong Polytechnic spokesman said that although he was glad about the change, the 'most important thing is the standard, not the title'.

The institutions first sought the change in 1991, and in 1993 were given self-accreditation status.