Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

Chines e H ritag e an d Internationa l Outloo k Twenty-Second Congregation for the Conferment of Honorary Degrees and other Degrees (11th December, 1980) Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, May I first o f al l exten d m y hearties t congratulation s t o th e thre e honorary graduates. Yo u hav e alread y hear d th e citation s extollin g thei r achievements and contributions , an d I can hardl y ad d anything excep t m y ow n admiration. I mus t poin t out , however , tha t Professo r Shing-Tun g Ya u wa s a n undergraduate of thi s Universit y onl y eleve n year s ago . I t must b e mos t encouragin g for ou r youn g graduate s her e t o se e h i m com e bac k a distinguished schola r an d receive fro m hi s alma mater a degree o f Docto r o f Science , honoris causa. M y sincere congratulation s als o g o t o this year' s graduate s an d thei r parents . As you ar e no w leavin g th e Universit y an d ar e a t th e beginnin g o f you r career , I want yo u t o kno w tha t th e Universit y doe s plac e ver y hig h hope s o n you . And , it seem s t o me , thi s i s a good opportunit y fo r u s t o re-examin e th e cours e an d ideals o f th e University . The birt h o f Th e Chines e Universit y o f Hon g Kon g seventee n year s ag o was a milestone t o highe r educatio n i n Hon g Kong . I t not onl y provide d th e deserving youn g peopl e o f Hon g Kon g w i t h additiona l opportunitie s fo r university studies, bu t als o marke d th e beginnin g o f a dedicated effor t i n pursui t o f a unique ideal . Fro m th e ver y beginning , th e Repor t b y th e Fulto n Commissio n had embodie d a histori c convictio n an d expectatio n o f it s time : th e Commission not onl y propose d a universit y o f internationa l standard , bu t als o tha t it should b e a four-year institutio n usin g Chines e a s th e principa l mediu m of instruction, Mr . Chancellor , I know yo u hav e a profoun d appreciatio n o f thi s conviction an d expectation , an d i n fac t hav e durin g th e pas t te n year s give n it your unfailin g support , fo r whic h bot h th e Universit y an d mysel f ar e deepl y grateful. Med i um of instruction Indeed it seems self-evident tha t Chines e shoul d b e th e principa l mediu m of instructio n i n a university establishe d fo r th e benefi t o f loca l residents , wh o are predominantl y Chinese . However , thi s simpl e trut h wa s no t understoo d o r found acceptabl e b y everyon e seventee n year s ago ; no r i s it today. Thi s remarkable phenomenon perhap s deserve s som e soul-searchin g b y th e community . In fact , a lopsided cultura l dualis m ha s pervade d Hon g Kon g fo r years : Chinese ha s bee n regarde d a s the languag e o f th e populace , an d Englis h a s th e language o f th e administrators , businessme n an d professionals—eac h languag e having it s ow n domai n an d bein g totall y unrelate d t o the other . Whil e thi s mentality ma y hav e somethin g t o do wit h th e particula r circumstance s an d commercial requirement s o f Hong Kong , I a m afrai d it s roo t ma y li e dee p w i t h in ou r educatio n system , whic h ha s largel y lef t th e cultura l need s o f th e community i n sorr y neglect . I n thi s regar d w e mus t al l pa y tribut e t o th e Fulto n Commission an d th e Government , fo r thei r determinatio n an d visio n i n establishing The Chines e Universit y o f Hon g Kon g seventee n year s ago . A n d i t is important fo r u s t o appreciate th e fac t tha t Hon g Kon g ha s already grow n int o a complex metropoli s wit h it s inner dynamic s today . Its trade patter n an d economi c structur e ar e constantl y evolving , an d communit y 20