Bulletin Special Supplement Ever in My Heart: Professor Ambrose King and The Chinese University

訪問金耀基教授 Interviewing Prof. Ambrose King 17 樣的自我期許。四十年來，追求卓越，日新又新，有所變，也有所 守，中大在世界大學之林中已卓然而立，而今日在高等教育全球化愈 來愈烈的形勢下，要保持中大的競爭力，便必須在教學與研究的質素 上不斷提升，唯有這樣才能為香港、為中國培育第一等的人才。任何 人擔任中大校長之職，不能不感到責任之沉重。 Recalling my inauguration as Vice-Chancellor, I knew clearly where I stood in the history of the University andwhat my responsibilities were. My tenure was not long hence my words ‘My responsibility is heavy but the journey is short.’ When I joined The Chinese University in 1970, I was aware that it aspired to become an international university run by Chinese. It was the ideal of our founding Vice-Chancellor Dr. Choh- Ming Li. Being Chinese, it is our duty to promote culture and foster integration between Chinese and western cultures. In doing so, we attach equal importance to our Chinese heritage and our international outlook. CUHK is a university with the high aspirations befitting a great institution. For over 40 years, CUHK has undergone changes and upheld traditions in its pursuit of excellence. It has found its place among the great universities of the world. In the light of globalization of higher education, we have to sustain progress in the quality of our research and teaching in order to maintain our edge. It is only by doing so that we can nurture top talent for Hong Kong and China. Anyone in the position of Vice-Chancellor of this University is bound to feel the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. 蔡元培說過，大學的功用為領導社會和服務社會。你覺 得領導和服務這兩者本身是否有衝突，或者已有從屬 的關係？ Mr. Cai Yuanpei said that a university’s functions are to lead and serve society. Is there conflict between the roles of leading and serving, or is one secondary to the other? 蔡元培先生當年主持的北京大學，是新文化運動的 重鎮，鼓吹的新觀念和新思潮，風動全國，這是 一間大學「領導社會」的例子，卻是很特殊的。 在今日知識導向的社會中，大學創發的新知識和 新理論，直接和間接地都會影響或帶引社會的發 展。說到「服務」，大學研發的知識，大學培育 的人才，都是對社會最大、最主要的服務。在這 樣的理解下，領導和服務兩者基本上是沒有衝突 的。當然，如果把「服務」的概念任意擴大，以 致失去分寸，負面地影響到大學的核心任務，即 是教學與研究，那就會有矛盾，會有衝突了。 n n