The Emerging University 1970-74

I V Research and Pub l ic Service Research Research i s th e d r i v i n g forc e o f a university . Imag i n e a situation i n wh i c h researc h effor t i n a universit y i s entirel y suspended . The graduat e schoo l become s a n emp t y shell . Th e l i b r a r y i s listless . Classroom teachin g become s perfunctory . Lea r n i n g lose s it s sens e of wonde r an d excitement . Th e whol e universit y i s deprived o f th e invisible energ y tha t drive s t o exce l an d th e academi c staf f ar e denied th e inspiratio n an d impetu s o f i n t erac t i o n w i t h th e wi de r c ommun i ty o f learning . Academi c developmen t w i l l stagnat e a l t hough studen t popu l a t i o n ma y continu e t o inflate . Wh en on e speak s o f pure research , wha t on e reall y ha s in m i n d is th e basi c researc h t ha t i s generate d f r o m w i t h i n an d deal s w i t h the art s an d th e na t u r a l sciences . App l i e d research , o n th e othe r hand, i s identifie d w i t h specifi c problem s an d situation s ； i t ha s a practical purpos e an d i s ofte n th e direc t upsho t o f professiona l education. Th e concep t tha t researc h mus t b e pur e an d ha s a n intrinsic valu e o f it s ow n i s n o longe r meaningful . Wh a t i s pur e today ma y becom e prac t i ca l a t a late r date . T o pu t i t mor e realistically, society invest s an d put s it s f a i t h i n a universit y becaus e i t i s an i ns t rumen t o f na t i ona l development . Th e direc t pay - o f f is , o f course, th e f u l f i lmen t o f th e manpowe r need s o f society . Ano t he r f o rm o f d i v i den d i s servic e t h r oug h app l i e d research . Scholar s an d scientists ow e i t t o societ y t o appl y thei r knowledg e t o ever y conceivable prob l em. I t i s thei r missio n t o utiliz e thei r specia l expertis e and freedo m o f enqu i r y t o solv e society' s problem s i n al l areas , b e they scientific , technological , socia l o r economic . Th i s i s th e po i n t where researc h an d servic e converge . Institutes and Centres F r om th e ver y i ncep t i o n o f The Chines e Un i ve r s i t y a p r em i u m has bee n place d o n research . Sinc e 196 5 i t ha s se t u p fou r "Institutes" and nin e “Centres” . Befor e proceedin g t o describ e these , i t may no t b e ou t o f place t o stat e th e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f thes e term s i n the structur e o f Th e Chines e Un i ve r s i t y . Bo th institute s an d centre s ar e organizationa l vehicle s fo r fostering facult y researc h an d fo r t r a i n i n g graduat e student s i n research methodologies . Institute s ar e concerne d w i t h broad , mu l t i d i sc i p l i na ry area s o f investigation , an d foste r bo t h i nd i v i dua l and grou p researc h projects . Wh e n project s o f considerabl e magn i t ude ar e under t aken , r equ i r i n g a number o f investigators an d research assistant s a n d whe n suc h project s ar e abl e t o attrac t outside financia l support , a subdivisio n calle d a " cen t r e " ma y b e 45