Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

was abl e t o acquir e a spacious campu s an d t o la y dow n a solid foundatio n fo r the University , t o conceptualiz e i n mode m term s th e hope s an d ideal s o f th e founding father s an d t o translat e the m int o concret e policie s an d goals , an d indeed t o pu t th e Universit y o n th e ma p o f the internationa l highe r educatio n scene. I woul d say i t i s not merel y th e Universit y bu t als o higher educatio n i n Hong Kon g an d China whic h ar e much indebte d t o Dr . Li . Undeniably i t wa s difficult fo r mos t peopl e t o full y appreciat e o r understand the visio n and ambition o f Dr. C.M . L i twent y year s ago. Thus th e University was largely o n it s own i n it s effort s t o advocat e bilingua l educatio n an d general education , emphasiz e academi c research , activel y develo p connection s with Chin a an d internationa l academi c institutions , an d insis t upo n wha t we regard as a more desirable and balanced educational system. Fo r a long time we were not abl e to evoke the right response to and identification with these initiatives. It i s only unti l recently , whe n a totally new situation i s confronting Hon g Kong, tha t th e need for basi c changes i s beginning t o be felt. Fo r instance , th e University an d Polytechnic Grant s Committee ha s since 1984-8 5 begun to substantially increase th e equipmen t vot e o f th e fiv e tertiar y institution s an d also provided indicate d grant s fo r research ; th e Educatio n Commissio n ha s i n it s Number Tw o Repor t propose d a greater us e of Chinese a s a medium of instruction in secondar y school s an d als o th e eliminatio n o f th e languag e indicato r from certificates of public examinations ; th e Planning Committee fo r the Thir d University ha s als o indicate d tha t eve n thoug h th e ne w universit y woul d b e mainly fo r science , technolog y an d business management, i t woul d be wrong t o neglect th e genera l education of students. These ar e far-sighted and progressive measures an d proposals which w e have indee d long called for ove r man y years . While wha t w e stand fo r an d believ e i n hav e i n th e pas t been misunderstoo d as outdated and impracticable, an d while the y were different from current views of th e past , I trus t tha t th e publi c ca n now appreciat e tha t thes e ar e no t th e aberration o f on e perso n o r on e institution , rathe r the y ar e reasonabl e an d endurable policie s whic h sui t Hon g Kong an d indeed China i n th e lon g run . We al l kno w tha t a modern universit y woul d nee d substantia l resource s in orde r t o implemen t it s policies and pursue its goals and The Chinese University is no exception . W e have onl y t o tak e a look a t th e spaciou s and beautifu l campus around us and the many magnificent buildings ; to reflect upon the hundreds of millio n dollar s o f subvention provide d b y th e Governmen t eac h year , as well a s the ten s of millions o f donation generousl y given by foundations an d individuals, t o appreciat e th e exten t t o whic h th e Universit y draw s upon society and depends upon society . Tha t w e ar e abl e t o draw upo n such steady an d strong suppor t fro m th e communit y i s largel y th e importan t contributio n o f the Universit y Council . W e hav e her e wit h u s for instance , Si r Y.K. Kan , Dr . the Hon . Q.W . Lee , Dr . ].S . Lee , Dr . th e Hon . P.C . Woo , Dr . th e Hon . Lydia Dunn , an d the Hon . Pete r Poo n Wing-cheung, wh o have for man y years provided stron g leadershi p t o th e Council , cultivatin g understandin g an d support from outsid e th e Universit y an d als o providin g u s with wis e counse l an d guidance withou t howeve r affectin g th e initiative s o f th e Universit y an d th e flexibility o f it s operations . W e ar e als o fortunat e t o hav e th e tw o oversea s Council Members , Dr . Clar k Ker r an d Lor d Todd , wh o com e ove r t o Hon g Kong yea r b y yea r t o mak e availabl e insigh t an d expertise o f the highes t orde r on highe r educatio n development . W e als o hav e her e wit h u s Si r Ru n Ru n Shaw, wh o ha s over th e year s repeatedly mad e the mos t generous donations t o enable u s to realiz e many hopes and dreams. To al l of them the University an d myself personall y ow e a debt. We shal l alway s remembe r thei r sincer e suppor t 42