Newsletter No. 64

CUHK Newsletter No.64 19th February 1995 3 This is a forum for the free expression of opinions on specific topics — topics proposed by the CUHK Newsletter or by readers. Faculty and staff are welcome to suggest topics, contribute their comments, or respond to views expressed herein. Impressions of CUHK —the Expatriate Perspective In this issue, four expatriate teaching and research staff of the University from Au s t r a l i a , Germany , and the UK describe their impressions of CUHK, especially in relation to tertiary institutions in their home countries. UK to HK Ian H. Wilson, UK Professor of electronic engineering Joined CUHK on 2nd January 1991. The othe r evenin g I wa s musin g o n the request to write about my impressions o f CUHK an d Hong Kon g compare d wit h the UK scene . I wa s crossing the bridg e from the Engineering Building on a warm November evening . Dusk had just falle n and the valley was full of jewel-like lights, with th e rugge d bul k o f M a O n Sha n silhouetted agains t th e las t ligh t a s a backdrop. A n enormou s dee p orang e moon hun g ove r th e foothill s an d a tug was towing a lighter t o it s mooring s o n the Tol o Harbour , th e wak e glistenin g orange i n the moonlight . Closer , o n the campus, th e cicada s wer e playin g thei r evening raga in the bamboo thickets . How can this compare with trudging across a chilly dar k damp car park in the November mist s o f Guildfor d whil e worrying about how to pay the mortgage, or if any of a myriad of research proposals will eve r ge t funded , o r when , i f ever , the Torie s w i l l ge t vote d ou t an d th e emasculation o f th e universit y syste m cease? I canno t over-emphasiz e th e gloo m that ha s descende d ove r th e tertiar y system in the UK. Years of pay rises well below inflation , the n th e Thatche r cut s with whol e department s disappearing , then th e effectiv e reductio n i n researc h funding b y reorganizatio n (eve n alph a plusses cannot be funded), the decline i n fundamental research and then, yet more cuts. Eve n th e elevatio n o f th e polytechnics t o university statu s has had the effect , probabl y deliberat e b y th e establishment, of reducing the number o f research universities . Bewar e researc h selectivity an d the academi c audit , yo u know not what lies at the end of the dark corridors dow n whic h w e ar e bein g driven. The British bean counters are on the move. Into the sweetness and light of Hong Kong. A respect and understanding of the importance o f education . A n expandin g and well-funded tertiary sector ； Research funding rising rapidly wit h probably th e best chanc e o f succes s fo r a proposa l anywhere in the world, albeit that the sums are small by UK and USA standards. The excitement o f bein g par t o f a dynami c economic engin e an d the excitemen t o f exposure t o th e exoti c (t o me ) culture s of th e Eas t and , yes , the excitemen t o f being where history is taking place. Front row seats at the end of the British Empire and the retur n to China . I suppos e the bi g difference s ar e a t the personal, environmental level. There is much in common between universities worldwide: the bright, young, happy and enthusiastic face s o f th e students , th e academic ideal s an d th e day-to-da y realities, th e companionship , bickerin g and backstabbin g (no t i n ou r facult y I hasten to add ) of the academic staff , the bureaucracy o f th e administration , th e exposure to other cultures and values, the active social and cultural scene. Certainly the student s her e ar e mor e deferential , more cheerfu l an d less drunke n than i n the UK . M y ex-colleague s ar e amaze d when I tel l them that there i s no studen t union ba r a t CUHK . Thi s i s the hu b o f all studen t activities i n the UK . The teaching has the highest degree of similarit y (i n th e area s tha t I kno w anyway—science an d technology). Both sets of students, except for the brightest, find th e concept s i n m y lectur e cours e difficult an d have the same problems. I f you scrambled the exam scripts you would not b e abl e t o tel l fro m whic h se t the y came. I f anything , th e Englis h standar d of the student s here i s marginally bette r than tha t o f pubescen t engineer s i n th e UK ( I am not saying that i t i s good). One British institution that I miss is the tea-break. These were attended, mid- morning and mid-aftemoon, with almost religious fervou r b y th e majorit y o f the academic an d al l th e suppor t staff . I t served a s a very usefu l informa l foru m for academic s t o ge t together an d many issues were sorted without recours e to a formal meeting. Here in Hong Kong, we get together at lunch and to a large extent this serve s th e sam e purpos e a t th e expense o f m y steadil y expandin g waistline. I lov e Cantonese food , so this is a big plus. Perhaps the academi c staf f here are not s o confrontationa l i n committe e meetings, backs tend to be stabbed behind the scene s whils t face s ar e save d i n public. On e disturbin g phenomeno n here, arisin g fro m th e reluctanc e t o openly discus s contentiou s issue s wit h colleagues, i s th e anonymou s lette r o f criticism. I n the UK we are more open. I sometimes felt that, in meetings, we took the Hous e o f Common s a s ou r mode l although w e wer e a little mor e polite . Incidentally i t seem s strange t o me tha t in parliamen t i n Taiwan , the y resor t t o fisticuffs. I t doe s not square with what I have seen in Hong Kong. Perhaps a more heated debate would liven up Legco. A t the moment , watchin g gras s gro w i s more fun than watching the TV coverage . I d o not fancy Governor Patten's chances in a three-round bout with Emil y Lau . This brings out the point that here in Hong Kong, even for one not yet qualified to vote, one feels more involved and more able t o hel p i n th e developmen t o f th e place. On e canno t hel p bumpin g int o famous peopl e a t meeting s an d receptions. On one day in January 1994 ， I me t the Governor in the morning at the opening of the Engineering Building and in th e evening , me t th e deput y hea d o f the Ne w Chin a New s Agenc y an d Si r Run-Run Sha w a t a Sha w Colleg e reception. I do not think that I met anyone famous durin g m y 1 9 year s a t th e University o f Surre y excep t th e chancellor, th e Duk e o f Kent . M y previous claim to fame was dancing with Cilia Black, the pop singer in the Beetles era. M y siste r wa s o n th e fring e o f th e Beetles se t and they came to her parties, but tha t is another story . The college system at CUHK i s a big plus. I t just add s t o th e variet y an d th e patterns o f existenc e o n th e campus . A bit lik e the school 'house ' system . Eac h one contributes in a different way and has a differen t poin t o f view . Sha w i s m y college and I will defend it to death! It may come as a surprise to readers that actually livin g on the campus is no t new. In fact this is the third campus that I have live d on . The firs t wa s i n Jamaic a where m y father , a civi l engineer , wa s building th e Universit y Colleg e o f th e West Indies. The second was 1 0 years as a warden of a hall of residence at Surrey University. However , th e campu s community o f academi c staf f wa s onl y four warden s an d six assistan t wardens . Here, ther e i s a larg e communit y o f academics which makes for a very active social life . Really CUHK ha s the best o f both world s — beautifu l environment , yet withi n eas y reac h o f the delight s o f the big city . One of my hobbies is rowing, and we can tak e thi s a s a n exampl e o f th e environmental differences . I n Guildfor d we row on the river Wey, a tributary of the Thames. Thi s flow s betwee n a wate r meadow an d the nort h downs , beautifu l willows an d giant beeche s overhan g the winding reed-bedded , swan-floating , mallard-squabbling stream. The Pilgrim's Way crosses on a foot bridge near a ruined priory o n th e hill . Th e rive r i s onl y marginal fo r training i n a racing boat. A boat travelling in the opposite direction is a major problem an d only 80 0 metres i s rowable at all. Contrast this with the Shing Mun Rive r alongsid e th e Sh a Ti n rac e course. Her e w e hav e a wel l stocke d boathouse an d an international standard , eight-lane, straight , unobstructe d 2,000 - meter course (apart from the odd floating fridge o r dea d dog). I t i s wel l protecte d from the wind and is perfect for training. I must admi t tha t i t i s rathe r mor e borin g than the Wey, the only interes t being the egrets and pond herons fishing on the side, the trees of the Jockey Club on one hand and block s o f flat s o n th e other , an d occasionally, the dreadfully polluted water. Well, we cannot have everything. In spite of the pollutio n ther e ar e plenty o f fish, although sometime s I think tha t they are trying to escape. One two-pounder jumped and caught me i n the kidneys , knockin g the breat h ou t o f me . Ofte n w e hav e a dozen six-inch long flappers in the bottom of the boat at the end of an outing. One of the big excitements i s that 1 get to paddle in th e Amateu r Rowin g Associatio n Dragon Boat . This yea r (1994 ) we came third i n the Sh a Tin races and celebrated with medals , gian t flag , troph y an d tw o