Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

and genuin e concern . Furthermore , t o th e man y alumn i wh o hav e give n th e University thei r constan t suppor t an d care , w e ar e indee d deepl y grateful . Having receive d substantia l resource s fro m society , th e Universit y undoubtedly ha s th e obligatio n t o serv e societ y an d fulfi l it s responsibilitie s towards society . However , i t i s no t quit e simpl e t o mak e clea r wha t constitute s the servic e an d responsibilitie s o f th e University , an d i t i s useful tha t w e shoul d give thi s matte r som e thought . W e al l kno w tha t th e function s o f a universit y are quit e differen t fro m thos e o f a factory, a bank o r a government department : it i s no t clothes , moto r vehicle s o r camera s whic h ar e produce d i n th e university, but rathe r intangibl e ideas , knowledg e an d scholarship ; i t i s no t immediately usefu l wor k suc h a s building a road , erectin g a n apartmen t building, cleaning th e street s o r maintainin g la w an d orde r whic h concern s th e university, but rathe r academi c researc h an d th e educatio n o f ma n whic h tak e much effor t ove r man y year s befor e the y woul d com e t o fruition . I t i s therefor e wrong t o measur e th e performanc e o f a universit y b y a simpl e numerica l concept such a s quarterl y o r annua l profit ; rathe r a n overal l long-ter m assessmen t of academi c an d educationa l outpu t i s calle d for . Fo r a n autonomou s societ y w i th self-regulatin g functions , th e universit y i s n o les s tha n a laborator y an d workshop w i t h i n whic h th e futur e o f societ y i s being forged . Thu s today' s society is a t leas t partl y th e resul t o f th e pas t effort s o f th e university ; similarly , from wha t today' s universit y i s like , i t i s als o possibl e t o hav e a glimpse o f th e future o f society . I t i s therefor e tomorrow' s rathe r tha n today' s societ y whic h the universit y shoul d focu s upo n an d i t i s wha t th e societ y wil l nee d i n twent y or thirt y years ' tim e whic h properl y concern s today' s university . Withou t suc h a long-ter m view , i t woul d b e impossibl e fo r u s t o understan d th e university , much les s t o improv e highe r education . To loo k a t thi s fro m anothe r angle , whil e i t i s wron g fo r th e universit y to neglec t o r becom e estrange d fro m society , i t i s eve n mor e disastrou s fo r a university t o merel y follo w th e fashio n an d wisdo m o f th e moment . T o us e learning a s an analogy : mos t peopl e lear n i n th e hop e o f usin g wha t the y hav e learned, ye t i f the y concer n themselve s to o muc h w i t h immediat e application , then th e min d i s likel y t o b e bogge d dow n i n to o man y technica l details , thereby losin g th e intellectua l capabilit y an d th e prope r facultie s fo r acquirin g real knowledge . Similarly , whil e i t i s undoubtedl y a goo d thin g fo r universit y to becom e identifie d w i t h societ y an d b e popular , i t woul d b e disastrou s fo r a university t o muffl e it s voic e o r chang e it s judgmen t fo r th e sak e o f popularity . In s o doin g th e universit y woul d no t b e fulfillin g it s responsibilities , o n th e contrary, thi s woul d b e th e wors t for m o f irresponsibility . A s i t wa s sai d i n th e Book of Rites, 'Whe n a gentlema n love s another , h e doe s s o throug h virtue' , should no t th e universit y als o tel l th e simpl e truth , an d stan d f i r m o n it s principles and missions , i f i t i s t o retai n th e trus t o f society ? Indeed, i t i s a difficul t tas k fo r th e universit y t o adher e t o it s principle s and gro w quickl y a t th e sam e time . Durin g th e pas t eigh t year s I mysel f hav e never cease d t o fee l th e heav y burde n o f m y office , give n m y ver y humbl e abilities, an d als o neve r cease d t o fee l indebte d t o m y colleague s an d student s who hav e give n m e thei r whole-hearte d suppor t an d full understandin g n o matter what th e issu e ma y be . Thi s Congregatio n wil l alway s remai n t o m e a trul y memorable occasion , an d ma y I tak e thi s occasio n t o expres s t o m y colleague s and student s fro m th e botto m o f m y heart , m y sinceres t gratitude . For th e University , toda y i s als o a memorabl e occasion , becaus e afte r almost a decade's effort , w e ar e no w finall y abl e t o awar d degre e certificate s t o our firs t clas s o f medica l graduates . Thi s i s a combinatio n o f man y years ' har d 43