The Emerging University 1970-74

4. A s th e function s o f th e Un i ve r s i t y continu e t o g r o w i n range an d comp l ex i t y , wha t f undamen t a l change s i n f o rma l o r gan i za t i on an d i n basi c educa t i ona l po l i c y ma y b e necessary t o enabl e th e Un i ve r s i t y t o discharg e effectivel y and efficientl y it s ever-increasin g responsibilities ? New Dimens i on: Hea l th Sciences As t o ou r firs t questio n conce r n i n g a n entirel y ne w d imens i o n i n th e rol e o f the Un i ve r s i t y , th e answe r appear s clea r an d challenging— the establishmen t o f a Facu l t y o f He a l t h Sciences , wh i c h w i l l u l t i ma t e ly i nc l ud e Med i c i ne , Den t i s t r y , Pha rmaco l ogy , Pub l i c Hea l t h, Nu r s i ng , an d Me d i c a l Techno l ogy , f unc t i on i n g i n a Me d i c a l Centr e wh i c h w i l l accommoda t e coo r d i na t e d p r og r amme s of i ns t r uc t i on , research , an d hea l t h services . I n keepin g w i t h th e distinctive missio n o f the Un i ve r s i t y , eac h o f these fields w i l l i nc l ud e related studie s i n Chines e Med i c i n e an d hea l t h care . A deve l opmen t o f such magn i t ud e an d long-rang e significanc e i n Th e Chines e Un i ve r s i t y require s som e exp l ana t i on , o r perhap s j us t i f i ca t i on. I t i s o f cours e impossibl e i n thi s b r i e f conc l ud i n g Section t o describ e i n detai l th e ba c k g r oun d o f th e Gove r nmen t ' s historic decision——th e countles s social , economic , pub l i c health , an d manpower studies , th e extensiv e professiona l consultation s o n chang i ng hea l t h car e systems an d th e carefu l we i gh i n g o f a l t erna t i v e courses o f action . W e shal l men t i o n jus t a fe w o f th e compe l l i n g considerations l ead i n g t o th e decisio n t o establis h a Facu l t y o f He a l t h Science s i n Th e Chines e Un i ve r s i t y . First, simpl e observatio n an d technica l studie s revea l th e serious need s fo r professiona l manpowe r i n th e healt h f i e l ds 一 physicians, dentists , pharmacologists , nurses , hospita l an d pub l i c hea l th administrators , an d hea l t h scienc e (paraprofessional ) workers. Secondly, th e He a l t h Science s p r og r amme s w i l l p r ov i d e a n o p p o r t u n i t y, no t cu r r en t l y available , fo r som e h i gh l y qua l i f i e d Chinese student s t o ob t a i n a n educa t i o n i n th e severa l hea l t h professions an d relate d field s o f wo r k . A t presen t student s educate d in mi dd l e school s wh i c h us e Chines e a s th e p r i nc i pa l me d i u m o f i ns t r uc t i on ar e denie d th e o p p o r t u n i t y t o stud y medicine , fo r the y can ha r d l y ga i n admissio n t o th e Un i ve r s i t y o f H o n g Ko n g , wher e English i s th e me d i u m o f i ns t r uc t i on . Thu s th e establishmen t o f a Facu l ty o f Hea l t h Science s i n Th e Chines e Un i ve r s i t y w i t h it s b i l i ngual app r oac h t o i ns t r uc t i o n w i l l ope n th e doo r t o a larg e an d g r ow i ng segmen t o f th e c ommu n i t y t o pursu e career s i n th e hea l t h professions an d relate d fields . T h i r d l y , H o n g Kong ' s popu l a t i o n g r ow t h , it s vigorou s economic an d technologica l deve l opmen t , an d it s expand i n g 8 9