Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1980

Twenty-Second Congregation programmes, so as to broaden the horizon of our young people, and to free them from the confines of any single language, or any one culture. It is an approach which would enable the University to pursue vigorously its mission of inculcating a synthesis between Eastern and Western cultures. We do not underestimate the difficulties involved in such an approach, but for a university with a mission and vision, there can naturally be no turning away from its destined path. I must therefore point out in no uncertain terms that in Hong Kong both the Chinese and the English language are of equal importance, and that they are complementary to eachother. It is my sincere hope that those who have concern for the future of higher education in HongKong would fully appreciate the value and necessity of bilingualism. Indeed, I feel the time has now come for acomprehensive review of our policy on the medium of instruction. It is en couraging that experts have already begun a careful examination of this problem at the primary and secondary level. As for institutions of higher learning, my opinion is that bilingualism should be adopted in instruction: this is not only an educational imperative but also atide which cannot be turned back. After all, it is not right to maintain a language barrier between institutions of higher learning and the man in the street, and auniversity should be apart of, not above, its community, which in the case of Hong Kong is undoubtedly abilingual one. Apart from bilingualism in instruction, the University has developed a balanced programme of studies for its students. It is true that specialized and professional education is essential to a sophisticated and advanced society, and, to keep pace with the accelerated diversification and growth of Hong Kong, university education w ill have to put even greater weight on professional and technical knowledge. Nevertheless, the task of auniversity does not stop at the transmission of technological know-how, nor is the community need for manpower confined to specialists and technologists. This is why the Univer sity also emphasizes general education,which sharpens the mind of students, cultivates in them an awareness of the nature of the surrounding world, and nurtures their sense of responsibility towards it. It is only through a balanced education that our young men w ill gain an understanding of the intricate relations among the individual, society, and the world at large —and develop a sense of history and an international perspective. Admittedly, general education should begin in the secondary school, but it certainly should continue in the university. It is therefore an integral part of the four-year balanced education provided at this University. This no doubt presents an educational challenge of the first magnitude, but, like any other university in the world, The Chinese University w ill also have to grow and prosper in the process of responding to its many challenges. Dear students and graduates, our University is but a very young one at seventeen. During the first seventeen years we have already achieved some results and established a name, but this is certainly not the time for complacency. In the next seventeen years and indeed for many more seventeen years to come, we must continue the hard work of building an institution capable of preserving our cultural heritage as well as looking out to the rest of the world. Even though the history of the University is short, our historical perspective should reach far. In Hong Kong, one is all too used to thinking in terms of instant success and quick returns, but, to university educa tors, what can be a better conclusion to this speech than the saying “ It takes ten years to grow a tree, a hundred to educate aman"? Thank you. 7