Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2004

Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, BS, MA, Ph.D., D.S.Sc. (Hon) T o d a y we celebrate a h i s t o r ic moment in the life of The Chinese University of H o ng Kong. Prof. Lawrence J. L au is about to be i n s t a l l e d as o u r s i x t h V i c e - Chancellor. Prof. Lawrence Lau is an economist of h i gh stature i n the wo r ld of learning: a distinguished researcher and director of research; an adviser to g o v e r n m e n t s , u n i v e r s i t i es a n d foundations; a scholar w i t h a profound understanding of the economies of the Ea st A s i a n r e g i o n . H e is a m a n of educational w i s d om and vision. D r a w i ng on the rich traditions and achievements of t he Ch i n e se U n i v e r s i t y a n d h is o w n experience at some of the wo r l d 's foremost universities, Prof. L au has ma p p ed out a clear path for the University to follow into its f i f th decade. Wh i le being faithful to its Ho ng Ko ng origins and base, he wants the Chinese U n i v e r s i ty ‘ to become a great Asian university of international standing'. Born in China, Prof. Lau did his schooling i n H o ng Ko ng before leaving for Stanford University, where i n 1964 he received his Bachelor of Science degree i n Physics and Economics w i t h Great Distinction. He took his postgraduate education at the University of California at Berkeley, completing his M A i n 1966 and his Ph.D. i n 1969. Meanwhile he h ad joined the faculty of his alma mater, Stanford, where he became a f u ll professor of economics i n 1976. I n 1992, he had the honour of being named the first Kwoh-Ting L i Professor of Economic Development at Stanford. A t the same time, he served as co- director of Stanford's Asia/Pacific Research Center and later as director of the Stanford I ns t i t u te for Ec onom ic Policy Research. Du r i ng a highly distinguished research career ma i n ly i n the fields of economic development, economic g r ow th and the economies of East Asia, including China, he authored or …Of fundamental importance to Prof. Lau is a belief that a great university is not simply a place that produce and transmits knowledge to its students, crucial as these functions are....it must be a place where students learn to think for themselves. As he said to our freshmen at the Inauguration Ceremony on 1st September of this year: 'This is the best thing the University can offer you — not just a degree or a diploma, but a capacity for life-long s e l f - l e a r n i n g . ' Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2004 12