Vice-Chancellor's Report 1982-85

Vice — Chancellor's Repor t For thi s secon d volume o f my Report , I hav e chosen as the perio d to b e covere d th e thre e year s f r o m 198 2 t o 1985 . I hav e don e s o largely a s a matter o f convenience . Th e peopl e o f H o n g Ko n g w i l l no t fail t o notic e tha t thi s perio d cover s precisel y th e thre e fatefu l year s dur i ng wh i c h th e future o f H o ng Kon g was settled . A s f o r th e University, these thre e year s ma y we l l appea r t o th e casua l onlooker t o b e b y and larg e uneventfu l year s dur i n g wh i c h smoot h progres s wa s made . But i n reality , th e Un i ve r s i t y als o ha d t o com e t o som e crucia l decisions in 1983 . Thus thi s period saw not on l y th e parting of the ways fo r Ho ng Ko n g bu t als o f o r th e University , w i t h eac h undergoin g transformation of a different nature . The nex t decad e w i l l b e critica l f o r H o n g Kong , wh i c h w i l l hav e to f i n d it s wa y t h r oug h uncharte d water s t o th e goa l o f a highl y autonomous regio n unde r th e sovereignt y o f China . I t w i l l als o b e critical f o r China , wh i c h i s now poise d f o r p r o f oun d change s tha t ca n br i ng unprecedente d strength , prosperit y an d a totally ne w ou t l oo k t o one quarte r o f human i t y . Bein g f i rmly roote d i n th e Chines e traditio n and w i t h it s man y tie s t o th e internationa l academi c commun i t y , th e Un i ver s i ty i s i n a unique positio n t o mak e impo r t an t contribution s t o bo th o f thes e histori c changes , an d I f i rm l y believ e tha t th e har d decisions we t oo k w i l l prov e t o hav e strengthene d th e Un i ver s i t y i n a basic way , an d s o enabl e i t t o realiz e it s f u l l potentia l b y comin g t o grips w i t h it s large r responsibilitie s i n th e year s t o come . Two Majo r Decisions I no w t u r n t o th e t w o majo r decision s w e mad e dur i n g thi s period. Bo t h involv e stron g academi c initiative s i n impor t an t aspect s of th e undergraduat e programme , wh i c h i s alway s a t th e hear t o f a university's endeavours . First , w e change d th e mod e o f ou r undergraduate student intake . Second , we overhauled th e entir e structur e o f our undergraduat e curriculum . 1