Calendar: 1963-1964 Page 416

ANNUAL REPORT xix Ghana Nigeria Kenya Uganda and Tanganyika and serious also in Malta Khartoum Hong Kong India and Pakistan It is of very great importance politically that the British universities should continue to influence these young institutions overseas if they do not others will be only too ready to step into the vacant places and take over Un- fortunately these difficulties come at an awkward time when uni- versities of this country are expanding and already finding it very difficult to recruit suitable staff in adequate numbers particularly in Engineering and Medicine the very faculties in which overseas uni- versities are most deficient Nevertheless in spite of our own diffi- culties it is imperative that we should make the utmost effort to help universities and colleges overseas for the loss if we do not do so might well be irreparable The University of London has given great deal of help in the past and is therefore particularly well fitted to con- tinue to do so It has in fact already made beginning with the secondment of staff overseas in which King's has taken some part As recent examples Professor Parker Spanish was seconded to the University College of the West Indies for year Miss Ching Spanish now resigned for three terms and Professor Robson Biochemistry now retired for six months to the University of Ghana have been seconded recently Mr Jones French now retired for two years as Acting Professor Mr Johnson French for the Lent Term 1962 and Mr Smith French for two sessions Dr Arthur spent three months acting as Deputy for the Professor of Zoology at the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland In addition members of staff have visited overseas universities and colleges as advisers in their subjects as External Examiners or as representatives of the University of London under its scheme of Special Relationship for overseas colleges as for example Professor Brown- lee University College of the West Indies Professor D'Silva University College Ibadan Professor Greig Royal College Nairobi Professor Kastner Hong Kong Ceylon Singapore and Aden Professor Nicol University College of the West Indies Professor Semple University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and the Royal College Nairobi Dr Dawes University College Ibadan and the University of Ghana Mr Edwards University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Secondment is not easy to arrange but it can be done And it seems clear that it must continue to be done if we are not to betray the pioneers who went out from this country to build up sound way of life overseas and abandon to others the work which they sacrificed so much to establish and the fruits they hoped would be reaped from it The problem of finding site to meet the conditions laid down by the anonymous donor who generously offered £250 000 for men's hall of residence defied our utmost efforts to solve it At last the College was obliged to ask the donor to waive the condition that the hostel should be not more than two miles from the College thus allowing it to be built