Bulletin Special Supplement Professor Arthur K C Li: A Six-Year Term as Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University (1996–2002)

research. I wondere d t o myself , ‘Th e Chines e University i s neither the oldest nor the youngest. Ho w can i t stand out? ' But in fact The Chinese Universit y i s exceptional in fa r mor e way s tha n one . It s academi c traditio n combining Chinese and Western cultures, its bilingual policy, it s credit uni t system, it s emphasis on genera l education, t o name a few, are all attributes that hav e been advocated and emphasized sinc e it s inception . We shoul d le t mor e peopl e understan d an d appreciate th e foresight of the University' s founders . They were the fearless pioneers whose vision we have steadfastly uphel d fo r 4 0 years , simpl y becaus e w e are convince d the y poin t t o th e righ t direction . Haven't othe r universitie s followed suit ? Doesn't this justify ou r cause ? Th e Chines e Universit y mus t continue t o reinforce and develop it s unique features . • S o what plan s ha d you conceive d fo r the Universit y in the ne w centur y befor e you wer e invite d t o serv e as Secretary fo r Educatio n an d Manpower ? • I ha d wa n t e d i t t o w o r k eve n harde r a t internationalizing, fo r mos t o f th e actio n an d competition wil l tak e plac e a t the global level . However i f i t want s t o becom e a world-clas s university, i t mus t expand . I t mus t tak e i n mor e students, recrui t mor e talent, acquire mor e resources , or i t would hav e a hard time obtaining the necessar y critical mas s to go one leve l higher . I often wondered : Hon g Kon g ha s a populatio n of 7 million. This includes the cream of the academic crop from th e world over . Condition s ar e idea l fo r i t to become an educational hu b i n Southeast Asia. Bu t how com e ther e hasn' t bee n a singl e Nobe l priz e winner fro m Hon g Kong ? Why ar e it s mos t capabl e people onl y intereste d i n business ? D o Hon g Kon g people lac k passio n fo r knowledg e an d academi c vision? What should be The Chinese University's nex t step? H o w shou l d sh e mak e eve n greate r contributions t o th e cit y tha t ha s nourishe d he r al l these years ? I thu s bega n exp l o r i n g th e feasibilit y o f collaboration wit h othe r loca l universitie s bac k i n 但其實中大的特色極多：融會中 西的學術傳統、雙語制度、學分制、 書院制、通識敎育等，都是中大自創 校就提倡和強調的。我們應該讓更多 人認識及欣賞中大創校者的遠見，他 們都是無畏無懼的「先行者」，而中大 人四十年來一直堅持，毫不動搖，正 是因為我們深信這方向是正確的。現 在其他大學不是都跟著做了嗎？這不 就證明了中大一直是擇善固執嗎？中 大這些特色一定要繼續加強和發展。 •那你未轉任敎統局局長之前，可有為 中大的未來籌劃甚麼大計？ •我認為中大應加倍努力邁向國際化， 那裡才是主要的競爭平台。 但如果要發展成為國際級的卓越 大學，中大就必須要進一步擴充，吸 納更多學生，更多人才，更多資源， 否則難以取得 c r i t i c al mas s ( 臨界規 模），更上層樓。 在任六年，我不時這樣想：香港 七百萬人口，匯聚了各地的學術精 英，是完全有條件發展成為華南地區 的高敎中心的。為甚麼至今還未見有 本地栽培出來的諾貝爾獎得獎人？為 甚麼優秀的人才大多只熱衷於營商？ 香港人是否欠缺一份對追尋知識和學 術的熱忱和理想？中大發展至今日的 階段，下一步該如何走？她應如何回 饋多年來一直支持她的本地社會，為 香港作出更大的貢獻？ 九八年，我與其他大學校長探討 整合的可能，背後的理念是以高等敎 育的福祉為依歸，也合乎香港的整體 利益。九九年中大與科大簽訂的策略 中文大學校刊•特刊 Chines e Universit y Bulleti n • Specia l Supplemen t 34