Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

found i t importan t t o maintai n it s polic y o f teachin g mainl y i n Chinese ; o f structuring an d designin g it s cours e o f studie s i n suc h a wa y a s t o ensur e tha t students would , irrespectiv e o f speciality , hav e ampl e opportunitie s o f explorin g and comin g int o contac t w i t h Chines e culture ; an d als o o f supportin g researc h on Ch i n a an d Chines e cultur e throug h man y differen t channels . I n thi s ligh t it wa s w i t h grea t far-sightednes s tha t Governmen t chose , twent y year s ago , t o decide i n favou r o f establishin g a universit y fo r wh i c h Chines e i s th e principa l medium o f instruction ; an d i t i s als o clea r tha t th e basi c polic y o f th e University wh i ch I hav e jus t discusse d i s i n accor d w i t h th e long-ter m need s o f th e community o f Ho n g Kong . Now, I mus t ow n tha t ther e ha d bee n me n o f sincerit y wh o nevertheles s could no t comprehen d th e reaso n behin d ou r policy , wh i c h appeare d t o the m utterly outdate d an d impractical . Thi s i s mos t unfortunat e — an d i t i s perhap s simply a n unavoidabl e phenomeno n peculia r t o wha t ou r sociologis t Dr . La u Siu-kai ha s i n hi s recen t wor k terme d ' a minimall y integrate d social-politica l system'. Thi s i s wh y I sai d a t th e 198 0 Congregatio n o f th e Univeristy , 'a lop - sided cultura l dualis m ha s pervade d Hon g Kon g fo r years' . Now , thre e year s later, i t i s perhap s no t overl y optimisti c t o hop e tha t th e numbe r o f peopl e wh o can comprehen d th e long-ter m significanc e o f ou r wor k hav e increase d somewhat from wha t i t was . Thus, t o su m up , I woul d sa y tha t th e tw o basi c goal s o f th e Universit y are essentiall y paralle l t o th e long-ter m policie s wh i c h Ho n g Kon g ough t t o pursue: t o maintai n opennes s an d striv e fo r modernizatio n o n th e on e hand ; and t o develo p Chines e cultur e an d increas e contac t w i t h an d understandin g of Ch i n a o n th e other . You r Excellency , M y Lords , Ladie s an d Gentlemen , twenty year s i s bu t a fleeting momen t fo r a university, an d ou r journe y ha s bu t begun. Ma y I ， on closin g m y remarks , submi t t o yo u th e following : s o lon g a s the Universit y ca n tak e a trul y lon g vie w ahea d whil e a t th e sam e tim e maintain a practica l attitude , the n i t shoul d hav e goo d hope s o f accomplishing , i f only on e ste p a t a time , wha t i t ha s originall y se t ou t for ; b y th e sam e route , i t should als o b e possibl e fo r Hon g Kon g t o f i n d itsel f a futur e tha t i s ope n an d w i t h goo d prospects . 27