Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2004

Inaugural Address by Prof. Lawrence J. Lau M r. Chairman, distinguished guests, colleagues, pa r en t s, g r a d u a t e s, alumni, ladies and gentlemen: Fo r ty years ago, the F o u n d i ng Vice- Chancellor of The Chinese Un i v e r s i ty of H o n g K o n g w a s i n s t a l l e d. D u r i n g t he e n s u i ng years, f i ve mo st d i s t i n g u i s h ed s c h o l a r s , e a c h c o m i n g f r o m a d i f f e r e nt a c a d em ic background, have i n succession l ed t h is u n i v e r s i t y f r o m i n f a n c y t o adulthood. T h e ene r g y, f a i t h, a nd d e v o t i on they b r ought to their tasks have propelled the U n i v e r s i ty f o r w a r d a nd f u e l l ed its continuous quest for excellence. Today, the Un i v e r s i ty is w i d e ly recognized as one of the best tertiary educational institutions, n ot o n l y i n H o n g K o n g, b u t also i n o ur region. For f o r t y years, t he U n i v e r s i ty has b e e n m o v i n g f o r w a r d a n d u p w a r d , d r a w i n g s t r e n g t h f r o m i ts y o u t h f u l v i g o u r , i t s b i c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e , i t s collegiate system, a nd its emp h a s is o n general a nd wh o l e - p e r s on education. I t h a s a l so b e n e f i t e d f r o m t h e d e e p d e d i c a t i on of g e n e r a t i o ns of teachers, staff, students, a n d a l u m n i , a n d t h e e n o r m o u s g o o d w i l l of b e n e f a c t o r s bo th i n and out of H o n g Kong. A l l t h e se w e s h a l l s e e k t o consolidate; all these shall continue to sustain us. A n d r i g h t f r o m t he b e g i n n i n g, t he Un i v e r s i ty has been conceived, ‘ n ot just as a Ch i n e se U n i v e r s i t y w i t h B r i t i s h a f f i l i a t i on b u t as a Chinese Un i v e r s i ty of i n t e r n a t i o n al c h a r a c t e r ', to q u o te D r. C h o h - M i n g L i , o u r F o u n d i n g V i c e- For forty years, the University has been moving forward and upward, drawing strength from its youthful vigour, its bicultural heritage, its collegiate system, and its emphasis on general and whole-person education.…All these we shall seek to consolidate; all these shall continue to sustain us. The 61st Congregation 15