Students in Hong Kong and the region are showing an increasing interest in pursuing qualifications in the arts and humanities compared with traditionally popular academic studies, according to a British Council official.
The council's assistant director (education promotion), Jenny Scott, said there had been an increase in the number of applicants from the region for art courses in Britain in the past few years.
No comprehensive statistics on various disciplines were immediately available, but Ms Scott said more than 300 students from Hong Kong had followed art and design programmes in Britain during the 1996-97 academic year on undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
This was an increase of more than 12 per cent compared with the number in 1995-96.
Ms Scott said the new generation of students appeared more responsive to their natural inclinations and talents than letting themselves be guided solely by market demand.
She made her remarks during a showcase of outstanding design projects by graduates of British schools, which was held at the council.
'Designing Tomorrow' used video footage and displays to show more than 35 examples from leading colleges under the themes of 'the workplace, the home, new ways of travelling and communicating, and means of self expression'.
