Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1996

Mr. Chancellor, d i s t i ngu i s hed guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. In the past few months, I have been asked many questions about The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the direction that it wil l take in the coming years . I hope to use the opportunity of this special day to give answer to some of them. Our watchword for th e University will be 'sound management', as indeed it should be for all complex organizations. This means we must know where we are , where we want to go, and identify all the critical issues on the way. I n dealing with each issue w e w i l l analyse t ho r ough l y our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, and the risks and pitfalls that we will face. When we reach out fo r oppo r t un i t i es and face u p to difficulties, we want the whole University community to be behind us. To that end we must be receptive and responsive to honest criticism as well as to constructive proposals. No one should be denied their say, and be made to feel left out. Management is, however, an internal matter which does no t directly concern our distinguished guests, s o I shall mov e on to other questions. I wou l d like to address one apparently simple and certainly relevant question that was put to me. What language wo u l d I use for this address? I guess you n ow feel you have the answer Today we are greatly honoured to have so many distinguished guests from Hong K o n g, Ch i na, a nd overseas, ma n y representing distinguished institutions. For myself and on behalf of the University, I welcome you most warmly and thank you most sincerely for your presence here today. It is my fervent hope that in the coming years we shall forge and foster closer links and liaisons with one another. After all, we all be l ong to the same family, that of educationists. One of the major issues which concern educationists the world over is declining language standards . I n the seemingly innocuous question of what language I should use today, therefore, are hidden some of the most fundamental issues. First of all, language is a basic tool of communication, allowing thoughts and emotions to be expressed in words and conveyed f r om one person to another. Without this skill, the development of all aspects of our society will be retarded — from business to politics, from the sciences to the arts. In view of the importance of language and the need to recover the high ground, it is good news that the University Grants Committee has strongly encouraged language enhancement in recent years. It is vital that our young men and women, when they graduate f r o m university, be we ll equipped to tackle the tasks they face. Chinese University Bulletin Autumn . Winter 1996 6