Newsletter No. 391

8 No. 391, 19.1.2012 …… 如是說 Thus Spake… Prof. Fung Kwok-pui, Head of United College 聯合書院院長馮國培教授 你在中大求學時期環境是怎樣的？ 我六十年代末在聯合書院唸化學。未搬進沙田校園前在港 島校舍上課，地方雖小，但實驗室、康體設施等一應俱全， 課餘參與多種球類活動，教授也會一起打球，關係很是融 洽。搬進沙田，我是首批湯若望宿舍宿生，那時宿舍設備沒 有現在的先進，校園面積也大了，空間多了，相應地彼此距 離也大了，這是和我同輩的人都感到有點可惜的，也因此書 院致力培養保持與人相處相知心的環境。 你怎樣看聯合書院院長的角色？ 我認為院長並不純是一個行政的崗位，否則可能和學生甚 至同事之間出現距離。我視院長工作為教學的一部分，因為 可以在課室以外締造一個環境，為學生的教育盡一分力，他 們的利益永遠是我的最優先考慮，看到一屆一屆的學生成 長，自己也感到安慰。由於我還要教書和做研究，所以必須 有效地分配時間。我會利用晚上的時間，參加學生或宿舍 的活動。新來的教師也是我們關注的，協助他們融入書院 生活，提供資源助他們在大學安頓下來，在學術上起步，都 是我們的工作重點。 依你看，聯合書院的學生有甚麼特質？ 聯合書院的校訓是「明德新民」，明德是學問，新民是道 德，聯合的學生在這兩方面都做得不錯。他們學科的知識 紮實，且熱心社會事務。不單如此，他們實事求是，亦追求 創新。以我觀察他們在檢討宿舍事務上的表現，可看出他 們持平、宏觀，尊重不同意見，並且勇於提出破格的解決辦 法。在現今的社會氛圍中，這些都是頗為珍貴的特質。 聯合書院五十五周年想達到甚麼目的？ 我們目標有三個。一是提升學生的學術水平，故我們舉辦 了很多研討會，也有藝文活動。學生也有自發的活動，當中 可見他們創意充盈。二是表彰聯合人的貢獻與成就，前校長 高錕教授、多位前院長、退休教授、羅德學人，對聯合的發 展有莫大貢獻，希望藉此機會誌念一番。三是推動校友事 務，去年10月的校友日，我們邀請了畢業二十五及三十五年 或以上的校友回來，與當年的老師和舍監重聚，各方盡興。 這個夏天再接再厲，正在籌劃校友回歸營這宗美事。 今年是你出任聯合書院院長第十年。回顧這十年，你覺得有 何成就？ 不敢說有甚麼成就，但還是有幾件事值得一提的。首先是奠 下了一個堅實有效率的團隊去推動書院事務。剛上任不久， 便在院務委員會之下增設一個內閣式的委 員會，結集了一批對書院教育有共同信念 的同事，及院務室和輔導處同事們和三位 副院長以及六舍堂的舍監，一起為書院的 事務及發展獻策費心。此外，也致力校友 的連繫及凝聚，因我自己是校友，也曾參 與校友會幹事會，所以可能有少許優勢， 在鼓勵校友出任學長、分享經驗、提供實 習機會，乃至捐贈方面都見到點成績。我 也催生了橫向的校友交流及組織，如級社 和宿舍舊生會等。 你的研究興趣在哪裏？ 我是研究癌症的生化病理，特別是有關葡 萄糖傳遞體的研究。近十多年來，由於中醫 中藥研究的興起，以及中大成立中醫中藥 研究所，更有系統地發展中醫藥的研究，現 在我致力研究從中藥提純出抗癌藥。 你這麼忙，如何保持燦爛的笑容？ 最重要是保持心境輕鬆和過平衡的生活。 我清早會在家附近的海旁散散步，在校園 內，從一個會議地點到另一個，也會盡量 用腿走，這樣既環保又健康。近來，我還 會和太太在星期天一起參與有機耕種，盡 量親近大自然。 What was school like when you were an undergraduate at CUHK? I went to United College (UC) during the late sixties to read chemistry, and classes were held on our premises on Bonham Road before we moved to the Sha Tin campus. The old campus was small but fully equipped, with adequate laboratories and recreational facilities. I played a lot of ball games in those days, sometimes with our teachers, which did help to promote friendship between academics and students. Later we moved to Sha Tin and I was among the first students accommodated in the Adam Schall Residence. In those days the facilities in the hostel really did not compare with those that students enjoy today. Today we have a larger campus, and with relatively more space interpersonal relationship becomes more distant than before, which is what UC strives to preserve and deliver to its students. How do you see your role as the Head of UC? The headship cannot be regarded as a mere administrative calling, and not recognizing this point will result in a good deal of undesirable gaps and voids between the Head and the students, and even colleagues. I see the work of the Head as a part of my teaching. It enables me to create an additional dimension to teaching, quite outside of the classroom, where I can work fully for the sake of the education of the students, and where their interests are given the first priority. It gives me a great sense of fulfilment to see successive generations of students growing up. Since I both teach and do research, I have to divide my time in an effective manner, and I will make use of the evenings to participate in the activities of the students, some of which are held in the hostels. Teachers who have newly arrived at CUHK are also the focus of my attention. Giving them the assistance and support they need to integrate with life at the College, and providing the resources to enable them to settle in comfortably and happily on campus, are important aspects of my work as College Head. What are the characteristics of UC students in your view? The motto of the College is ‘ming de xin min’, where ‘ming de’ refers to learning and ‘xin min’ pertains to the ethical. I believe that the students and graduates of UC have done remarkably well in both aspects, serving the community with solid knowledge of their respective disciplines, and an enthusiasm inspired by an admirable civic spirit. And not only that: while they are apt to be practical, they also seek to be creative. Take for example what our students demonstrated in the issues regarding the management of the hostels, and we could have a glimpse of their ability to maintain equity and broad-mindedness in their views, their willingness to respect opinions from all sides, and an audacity to propose extraordinary measures in the way of solutions. In the context of the milieu of our society, these are rare and valuable qualities. What does the College hope to achieve through the 55th anniversary celebrations? We have three objectives. The first is to raise the students’ academic standards, which explains why we are mounting a good number of seminars, as well as cultural functions. There are also many events initiated and organized by the students. The second is to celebrate the achievements and contributions of members of UC: former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Charles K. Kao, the former UC Heads, and many retired professors have all played significantly facilitative roles in the development of the College, and the 55th anniversary provides an appropriate occasion for us to remember their dedication and to celebrate their great deeds. The third is to strengthen our liaison with alumni: last October, graduates who left the College 25 and 35 years ago were invited back to meet with their teachers and the wardens of the hostels in their days, to the great enjoyment of everyone. We are planning to organize a home-coming camp for alumni in the summer of 2012. It has been ten years since you took up the Headship of UC. What would you count as your major achievements as you look back? I would not boast of great achievements, but there are quite a few matters with which I am particularly pleased. Shortly after I took up office as Head, a committee similar to a cabinet was formed under the Assembly of Fellows. This group comprises colleagues who share the same convictions and ideals in college education. Together with administrators who form the backbone of the College Office, three Associate College Heads and six wardens, we worked hard for the advancement of the College. I have also put in a lot of effort to promote our links with alumni and to enhance their allegiance to the College. In this I might have had a little advantage as an alumnus myself, and having been engaged in the work of the alumni association. There are some noticeable achievements in enlisting qualified alumni as mentors, in inviting alumni to share their experience with students, in seeking internships for students, and in canvassing donations and gifts. I have also helped to institute alumni interactions and networking on the horizontal level. What are your major research interests? My primary research interest is on the biochemical pathology of cancer, especially on research related to the glucose transporter. In the past decade or so research on Chinese medicine has grown tremendously and, with the more systematic study of the subject through the establishment of the Institute of Chinese Medicine at CUHK, I am now concentrating on the elicitation of drugs to combat cancer from Chinese medicine. How do you manage to keep your proverbial smile despite your busy and heavy workload? I think it is very important to be light-hearted at all times, and keep a balanced life. In the early morning I will take a walk along the sea front near where I live, and on campus I will walk, the best I can, from one meeting to another, which is a healthy practice and ecologically sound too. More recently, my wife and I take part in organic farming activities on Sundays, which is another way of getting closer to Nature.