Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2004

r e t u r n s t o k n o w l e d g e , e s p e c i a l l y i n t e r n a t i o n al k n o w l e d g e, has b e c ome m u c h higher. There is great d ema nd i n the l abour markets for i n d i v i d u a ls w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n al k n o w l e d g e, pe r s pe c t i v e, a nd s k i l ls ( i n c l u d i ng l a n g u a ge skills). T h a t is w h y w o r l d - c l a ss u n i v e r s i t i es s u ch as H a r v a r d a n d Yale are m o v i n g to r e q u i re t hat all t he ir u n d e r g r a d u a te s t u d e n t s s p e n d s o me t i m e a b r o a d d u r i n g their u n d e r g r a d u a te years. A t t he same t i me, c o m p e t i t i on f or talents has also become global. N o t o n ly are e m p l o y e r s c o m p e t i n g w i t h o ne another, so are universities. We i n H o n g K o n g have been t r y i ng to retain our best students i n our universities here t h r o u gh our Early Adm i s s i ons Scheme. B u t to be able to attract a n d r e t a in t a l en ts c omp e t i t i v e l y, the Chinese U n i v e r s i ty mu s t o f f e r an e n v i r o n m e n t a n d p r o g r a mm es c omp a r a b le to our non-local peer institutions, w h i c h i n t u r n m a n d a t e s further internationalization on our part. Second, the o p e n i ng a nd the rise of t h e C h i n e se e c o n o my o v e r t h e l a st quarter of a century have also presented u n p r e c e d e n t e d c h a l l e n g e s a n d opportunities for H o n g Kong. Before the S e c o n d W o r l d Wa r , S h a n g h a i w a s unquestionably Asia's Wo r l d City. H o n g K o n g b e g an to surpass Sh a n g h ai after 1949 w h e n Ch i na was closed to the rest of t he w o r l d . H o n g K o n g b e n e f i t ed g r e a t l y as t h e u n i q u e g a t e w a y t o ma i n l a nd China. H o w e v e r, Shanghai is n o w poised to reclaim w h a t it considers its r i g h t f ul place. I n d e e d, Shanghai, as w e l l as the rest of ma i n l a nd Ch i n a, are i n t e r n a t i o n a l i z i ng at a r a p i d rate. Wh i l e Shanghai w i l l a l wa ys be mo re centrally l o c a t ed t h a n H o n g K o n g as far as t he Ch i ne se e c o n omy is conce r ned, H o n g K o n g c an s t i l l c o m p e t e b y g r e a t l y strengthening and s o l i d i f y i ng its existing i n t e r n a t i o n al ties a n d b y f o r g i ng n ew r e l a t i o ns w i t h t he A S E A N c o u n t r i e s, s e r v i ng as t he h u b l i n k i n g t h em w i t h ma i n l a nd China and the rest of Northeast Asia. H o n g K o n g r u ns the r i sk of b e i ng ma r g i n a l i z ed if it does n ot ma ke itself mo r e v a l u a b le to o t he r s. H o n g K o n g mu st continue to f i n d wa ys to a dd value a nd its i n t e r n a t i o n al character is one of its major comparative advantages, w h i c h i t mu s t ma i n t a in a nd enhance i n o r der to compete. It is against such a ba c k d r op that the Chinese Un i v e r s i ty strives to realize its v i s i o n f or its f i f t h decade, w h i c h is to d e v e l op i n to a l e a d i ng c omp r e h e n s i ve research university i n H o n g Ko n g, China a n d t he r e g i o n, t h r o u g h excellence i n t e a c h i n g, research, a n d service. O n l y t hen can it serve effectively the students i n H o n g K o n g a n d the needs of H o n g K o n g . To t h r i ve i n its f i f t h decade a nd to respond effectively to the demands of t h e t i m e s r e q u i r e s a s t r a t e g y o f he i gh t ened internationalization. We use t h e t e r m ‘ h e i g h t e n e d ' b e c a u s e i n t e r n a t i o n a l i z a t i on is b y no me a ns a n e w p h e n o m e n on o n t h is c amp u s: we . . . H o n g Kong runs the risk of being marginalized if it does not make itself more valuable to others. Hong Kong must continue to find ways to add value and its international character is one of its major comparative advantages, which it must maintain and enhance in order to compete. Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2004 18