Newsletter No. 333

No. 333, 4.3.2009 1 你在大學唸物理，為何後來轉研經濟學和教育學？ 科學和教育學的訓練對你的管理工作有甚麽幫助？ You majored in physics at university. Why did you change to economics and education in graduate school? Does your science training help you with managerial work? 我在美國唸大學時，越戰方酣，許多學生被徵召入伍，社會 很動盪。當時的美國學生開始關注自己所學與社會何干的 問題，我也思考學甚麼才最有益於社會。這種時代背景是 促使我轉而鑽研教育和經濟學的原因，因為覺得這兩門學 科對人民生活、國家發展較貼近一些。 涉獵過不同範疇的學科，對我的管理工作很有幫助。比如 我雖然最終投身社會科學，但唸過物理，所以也明白理學 院同事看事物的角度。 I went to college in the US at the height of the Vietnam War. Many students were drafted and society was in turmoil. The American students questioned the relevance of what they were learning, prompting me to ask the same. My academic interests changed from physics to education and economics because I thought these subjects were more relevant to people’s lives and the development of a country. My exposure to different academic fields has helped me a lot with managerial work. For example, though I am a social scientist, I can understand how colleagues at the Faculty of Science see things, because I studied physics. 2 你甫自美國畢業後即加入中大，當時中大給你的印 象是怎樣的？ What was your impression of CUHK when you returned to Hong Kong to join the University? 1976年1月回來時，中大給我的第一個印象是：這是一所 很新的大學，才剛開始發展，和美國那些百年老校恰成對 照。那時候中大才遷進馬料水沒多久，校園沒幾棟建築 物，沒幾棵樹，也沒幾個人，光禿禿的，全是砂石。 另一個深刻的印象是，中大學生非常關心社會和國家大 事。當時正值文革即將結束的火紅年代，在大學校園，國 粹派和社會派的爭論非常激烈。 I came back to Hong Kong and joined CUHK in January 1976. My first impression of this fledgling university was: it was a sharp contrast to American universities with a history of over a hundred years. The University had just moved to its Shatin campus. There were very few buildings, trees, and people. My other impression was that CUHK students were very concerned about society and issues of China. At that time, the Cultural Revolution was coming to an end. There were heated debates among students concerned with China issues and those who devoted their attention to local society. 3 教師、學者、大學管理層，你比較喜歡哪個崗位的工 作？ Teacher, researcher, administrator—which role do you like most? 三者都喜歡，但也知道頂多只能取其一二，不可三者兼 得。至於如何取捨，我認為是在事業的不同階段作不同 的選擇。開始時當然是專注於教學和研究，後來大學找 我加入管理層，自問能勝任並能為大學貢獻所長，那就 投入行政工作。及至覺得無法兼顧教研，那就要放棄其 中一兩項。 I like all three. But I can only choose one or two at best at a time. I believe people have different priorities at different stages of their careers. In my case, it was natural for me to start off with teaching and research. Later I was invited to join the university management. I thought myself competent for the job and hoped to contribute to the University. When I found that I had difficulty juggling administrative work with teaching and research, I gave up one or two of them. 4 任教務長／副校長期間，最大的挑戰是甚麼？有甚 麼難忘經驗？ Which were the most challenging and memorable moments during your time as Registrar of the University and as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (PVC)? 擔任教務長時遇到兩大挑戰。首先是1982年當上教務長 第一天就投入籌劃暫取生計劃，當時碰到外界很大阻力， 但1985年計劃實施後，我們錄取了許多優秀學生，扭轉了 中大原本收生的劣勢。 另一個大挑戰是改革中大的課程結構，廢除學位考試，由 中英混合的升級及學位考試制度，轉為美國式的學分制。 推行學分制後，學生的自由度大增。我記得課程結構檢討 小組拍板定案那天，正好是《中英聯合聲明》草簽的同一 天。 副校長任內的最大挑戰，則是應付2004至05年度大學經 費大幅削減的問題。面對財政困難，大學推行了自願離職 計劃、合約員工減薪、學系重組等不得已的措施。 副校長任內最難忘的經驗是法律學院的成立。早在馬臨 校長時期已有成立法律學院的構想。法學與人文學科和 社會科學關係密切，而中大有根基深厚的文學院和社會科 學院，具有發展法律教學的獨特優勢。現在成立了法律學 院，中大這所綜合大學也更完整一點。 During my tenure as Registrar, I encountered two major challenges. The first was the Provisional Acceptance Scheme, which was aimed at tackling our disavantaged position in recruiting high-achieving students. I was committed to the preparation of the scheme from my first day as Registrar. Its introduction was met with suspicion and huge objection from outside. But when it was implemented in 1985, the galaxy of top achievers we admitted finally turned the tables. Another challenge was curriculum review and abolition of degree examinations, switching from the original mix of a degree examination system and an academic year system to an American credit unit system. With the implementation of the credit unit system, students are given more flexibility in their course of study. The curriculum review panel finalized the plan on the day the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed. The biggest challenge in my capacity as PVC was the budgetary cut for 2004–05 faced by the University. To cope with the ensuing financial difficulties, the University could only introduce measures such as the voluntary separation scheme, pay cuts for contract staff, and restructuring of certain academic departments. The most memorable moment in my tenure as PVC was the founding of the Faculty of Law, which was a dream of the University since the days when Prof. Ma Lin was the Vice-Chancellor. Law is a subject closely related to ( To be continued )