The Emerging University 1970-74

Academic Programme Change I n 197 3 th e Un i ve r s i t y adopte d a f undamen t a l chang e i n educational po l i c y w i t h significan t impac t o n th e characte r o f unde r g r adua te education . Specificall y th e chang e concern s th e issue o f p r ema t u r e an d excessiv e specialization , an d involve s th e larger issu e o f i n t e l l ec t ua l b r ead t h an d flexibility a s desirabl e objectives o f unde r g r adua t e education . Pr i o r t o thi s change , ne w students wer e adm i t t e d t o a specifi c Depa r tmen t an d wer e force d therefore t o mak e a c r uc i a l decisio n base d on l y upo n t he i r ver y l i m i t ed secondar y schoo l experience . Wi de- sprea d problem s o f academic ad j us tmen t resulte d f r o m thi s practic e o f p r ema t u r e decision an d specialization . Un d e r th e ne w po l i c y student s ar e admi t t ed t o a Facu l t y , an d d u r i n g th e firs t yea r mus t elec t course s offered b y othe r Facultie s a s we l l a s certai n i n t e r - d i sc i p l i na r y courses offere d fo r genera l educatio n purposes . I n orde r t o implement this revise d p r og r amme , eac h Facu l t y ha s se t up a Commi t t e e on Admission s an d a Cu r r i c u l u m an d Counsellin g Commi t t ee . General Educat i on The ide a o f a balance d education , t ha t is , genera l educa t i o n as we l l a s specialize d education , ha s ha d som e earlie r expression s i n th e Colleges . Ch u n g Ch i Colleg e ha s a p r og r amme o f I n t eg r a t i v e Basic Studies , wh i c h embrace s a n i n t r oduc t i on t o un i ver s i t y studies , a stud y o f th e ma i n cu l t u r a l tradition s o f Ch i n a an d th e Wes t an d perspectives i n th e sciences , na t u r a l an d social , an d aims t o develop , inter alia, “ a n ab i l i t y t o fac e con t empo r a r y an d pe r enn i a l issue s o f life an d t he i r challeng e t o r a t i ona l i nqu i r y , discussion , an d persona l c omm i t me n t " . Ne w Asi a Colleg e believe s t ha t “ a ma n shoul d hav e a b r oa d genera l knowledg e a s a f r amewo r k i n t o wh i c h h e ca n late r pu t specialize d t r a i n i ng , wh i ch , w i t hou t a large r backg r ound , wo u l d lac k h uma n perspective" . Un i t e d Colleg e aim s t o produc e " i n t e l l i gen t , i n f o rme d an d we l l -ba l ance d me n an d wome n possessing a sens e o f socia l responsibilit y an d we l l - equ i ppe d t o serv e a s we l l a s t o assum e leadershi p i n society" . Recen t l y a Commi t t e e o n General Educa t i o n ha s bee n se t u p unde r th e Senat e t o kee p th e general educa t i o n programme s unde r constan t revie w an d supervision and t o se e t ha t clos e coo r d i na t i o n exist s betwee n th e Colleg e programmes. Bi l ingual i sm Cen t r al t o th e ph i l osoph y o f thi s Un i ve r s i t y , wh i c h i s committed to th e i n t eg r a t i o n o f Chines e an d Wester n cultures , i s th e conv i c t i on t ha t effectiv e b i l i ngua l i s m shoul d b e cu l t i va t ed . Established a s a “Ch i nes e Un i ve r s i t y ” ，t h is Un i ve r s i t y na t u r a l l y makes th e p r omo t i o n o f Chines e studie s it s c on t i nu i ng concern , bu t i t neve r lose s sigh t o f it s large r missio n o f b r i ng i n g Eas t an d Wes t 2 2