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

An Open Lette r to Staff and Students of the University Dear colleague s and students , I n Octobe r 199 5 I wrot e a n ope n lette r t o yo u a s I wa s abou t t o tak e u p th e Vice - Chancellorship. Th e las t paragraph of that letter reads : I hav e struggle d wit h mysel f ove r whethe r I should accep t the appointmen t a s Vice-Chancellor o f The Chinese Universit y o f Hon g Kong . I do no t care whethe r the Vice-Chancellor' s pa y i s highe r o r lowe r tha n m y presen t income , bu t I really d o no t wan t t o giv e u p m y medica l practice . ...I f I hav e t o leav e m y teaching positio n i n th e Facult y o f Medicine , i t mus t b e fo r a worthier caus e which need s m y service s more . Today, some seven years later, I have tendered my resignation to the University Council , in order to take up the invitation to be the Secretary fo r Education and Manpower o f the Hong Kon g SA R Government , commencin g 1s t August 2002 . As I cas t my thought s bac k t o 1995 , I a m amaze d by th e grea t similarit y betwee n m y dilemmas the n and now. What exercise d my min d wa s whethe r I shoul d relinquis h m y wo r k a t The Chines e University a t this point in time, and whether I coul d offer more in the new position. Doe s the University nee d me more, o r the communit y a s a whole? I hav e serve d The Chines e University fo r 2 0 ful l years, firs t as Head of the Departmen t of Surgery , where my tas k was to heal the sick , advance the frontier s o f knowledge, an d train the young t o become responsibl e doctors . As I move d on to become Dea n o f th e Faculty of Medicine, my mission expanded and I se t myself to improve teaching, promot e research, strengthe n facilities, and recruit talent. When I became Vice-Chancellor, I wa s expected t o lea d th e Universit y throug h th e 199 7 transitio n toward s a new er a o f development i n the 21st century. A ll thes e years my wor k ha s centred around educatio n — f r om teachin g medicine t o managin g a medical faculty , an d from tha t to shapin g a university's growth . I t was indeed my goo d fortune that, in these various positions, I wa s able t o serv e a n increasingly large r secto r o f the University community , eac h time i n a different role . I n my ne w pos t I shal l continu e t o serv e th e educatio n communit y o f which The Chines e University i s an integral part, only that this time my task w i ll be eve n broader. We ar e all aware tha t many o f the woes besetting higher educatio n in Hong Kong hav e stemmed from inadequacies i n primary and secondary educatio n and, as such, cannot be resolved on their own. How the education infrastructure is to be overhauled is a formidable subject requirin g carefu l review fro m man y perspective s an d at many levels . Thi s i s a matter o f great concern to al l conscientious educationists . Now a n opportunity arise s i n which I ma y us e my experienc e gaine d at The Chines e Universit y o f Hong Kong t o se t 中文大學校刊•特刊 Chines e Universit y Bulleti n • Specia l Supplemen t 40