Bulletin Number Five 1986

they are reasonable and endurable policies which suit Hong Kong and indeed China in the long run. We all know that a modern university would need substantial resources in order to implement its policies and pursue its goals and The Chinese University is no exception. We have only to take a look at the spacious and beautiful campus around us and the many magnificent buildings; to reflect upon the hundreds of million dollars of subvention provided by the Government each year, as well as the tens of millions of donation generously given by foundations and individuals, to appreciate the extent to which the University draws upon society and depends upon society. That we are able to draw upon such steady and strong support from the community is largely the important contribution of the University Council. We have here with us for instance, Sir Y.K. Kan, Dr. the Hon. Q.W. Lee, Dr. J.S. Lee, Dr. the Hon. P.C. Woo, Dr. the Hon. Lydia Dunn, and the Hon. Peter Poon Wing-cheung, who have for many years provided strong leadership to the Council, cultivating understanding and support from outside the University and also providing us with wise counsel and guidance without however affecting the initiatives of the University and the flexibility of its operations. We are also fortunate to have the two overseas Council Members, Dr. Clark Kerr and Lord Todd, who come over to Hong Kong year by year to make available insight and expertise of the highest order on higher education development. We also have here with us Sir Run Run Shaw, who has over the years repeatedly made the most generous donations to enable us to realize many hopes and dreams. To all of them the University and myself personally owe a debt. We shall always remember their sincere support and genuine concern. Furthermore, to the many alumni who have given the University their constant support and care, we are indeed deeply grateful. Having received substantial resources from society, the University undoubtedly has the obligation to serve society and fulfil its responsibilities towards society. However, it is not quite simple to make clear what constitutes the service and responsibilities of the University, and it is useful that we should give this matter some thought. We all know that the functions of a university are quite different from those of a factory, a bank or a government department: it is not clothes, motor vehicles or cameras which are produced in the university, but rather intangible ideas, knowledge and scholarship; it is not immediately useful work such as building a road, erecting an apartment building, cleaning the streets or maintaining law and order which concerns the university, but rather academic research and the education of man which take much effort over many years before they would come to fruition. It is therefore wrong to measure the performance of a university by a simple numerical concept such as quarterly or annual profit; rather an overall long-term assessment of academic and educational output is called for. For an autonomous society with self-regulating functions, the university is no less than a laboratory and workshop within which the future of society is being forged. Thus today's society is at least partly the result of the past efforts of the university; similarly, from what today's university is like, it is also possible to have a glimpse of the future of society. It is therefore tomorrow's rather than today's society which the university should focus upon and it is what the society will need in twenty or thirty years' time which properly concerns today's university. Without such a long-term view, it would be impossible for us to understand the university, much less to improve higher education. To look at this from another angle, while it is wrong for the university to neglect or become estranged from society, it is even more disastrous for a university to merely follow the fashion and wisdom of the moment. To use learning as an analogy: most people learn in the hope of using what they have learned ， yet if they concern themselves too much with immediate application, then the mind is likely to be bogged down in too many technical details, thereby losing the intellectual capability and the proper faculties for acquiring real knowledge. Similarly, while it is undoubtedly a good thing for university to become identified with society and be popular, it would be disastrous for a university to muffle its voice or change its judgment for the sake of popularity. In so doing the university would not be fulfilling its responsibilities, on the contrary, this would be the worst form of irresponsibility. As it was said in the Book of Rites, ‘When a gentleman loves another, he does so through virtue', should not the university also tell the simple truth, and stand firm on its principles and missions, if it is to retain the trust of society? Indeed, it is a difficult task for the university to adhere to its principles and grow quickly at the same time. During the past eight years I myself have never ceased to feel the heavy burden of my office, given my very humble abilities, and also never ceased to feel indebted to my colleagues and students who have given me their whole-hearted support and full understanding no matter what the issue may be. This Congregation will always remain to me a truly memorable occasion, and may I take this occasion to express to my colleagues and students from the bottom of my heart, my sincerest gratitude. For the University, today is also a memorable 4 NEWS