HKU Vice Chancellor Lap Chee Tsui Advocates Integration and Diversification in Higher Education (Oct 2004)

Just as the city of Dunhuang has historically represented the economic and cultural mecca of the Silk Road, Hong Kong today stands as a center of economic and cultural innovation, vitality and exchange. At an October 21 luncheon at the Omni Hotel in Los Angeles, Professor Lap Chee Tsui introduced the concept of "The New Silk Road: A Renaissance of Asian Development." A world-renowned geneticist and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) since 2002, Tsui likened growing East-West ties to a new Silk Road, Hong Kong a new mecca of economic and cultural exchange, human capital the vehicles that will traverse international boundaries and higher education the fuel that will propel innovation and development.

The luncheon, part of the HKASC's speaker series, was co-sponsored by the Hong Kong University Alumni Association of Southern California and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco. Cooperating organizations included the Asian Business League of Southern California, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Alumni Association of Southern California, Friends of the University of Hong Kong, Ltd., and the Hong Kong Schools Alumni Federation.

China has experienced unprecedented economic growth for the past two decades, and many predict that it will eventually overtake the U.S. as the largest economy in the world. Education is the key to economic success, and Tsui believed that Hong Kong is prepared to assume the role of an international education hub. On a wider scale, education has always been valued in Chinese society, and the PRC government is taking steps to enhance its educational system. This year marks the 100th anniversary of China's prestigious Beijing University, and the Ministry of Education is commemorating the occasion by initiating plans to build 100 leading universities, as well as a number of smaller comprehensive and research institutions across the mainland to meet the demands of the 1.1 million-plus new entrants per year.

Placing greater emphasis on applied research and development in light of economic construction, Chinese universities have entered into partnerships with the government in the industrial process, especially through services in regional development. This integration, stressed Tsui, is a "third mission" that is vital for communal and societal engagement. Universities, once associated only with the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge, must now actively engage in the exploitation, and even commercialization of that knowledge through industrial partnerships or networks, innovation and technological development, as well as involvement in multi-level politics. Improving the understanding of what universities are, what they do and what they contribute, especially to regional economies, will add to the developing cosmopolitan character of Chinese society.

As society changes, so must the university system in its key functions of teaching and learning. In many parts of Asia, China in particular, specialized knowledge is highly valued, as reflected in the high number of single-disciplinary and professional higher education institutions across China. However, Tsui pointed out that educators must bear in mind the development of human capital potential and consider the fact that university graduates today will likely enter and pursue several careers, and that employers today seek attributes such as pragmatism, logical thinking and communication skills. As such, university curricula should provide a balance of generic skills and specialized knowledge that will enhance, and not place limits, on individual learning.

In addition to diversification in the university curriculum, Tsui proposed that Chinese universities should embrace aspects of the North American liberal arts education model that promote international experiences. Since China "opened its doors," some 700,000 Chinese students have studied abroad, and over 600,000 have returned to pursue further education or career goals. Study abroad and international exchange programs provide significant opportunities for Chinese and international students alike, and facilitate the development of cultural understanding.

Tsui sees the future of higher education in research that will contribute to regional development. During his tenure, the University of Hong Kong has pursued this goal through the undertaking of projects with local relevance, such as research on SARS, the bird flu and geographic slope control. HKU is working towards becoming the premier university in Asia. As Hong Kong's comprehensive research-led, English-taught university, HKU comprises a total enrollment of 30,000 in its undergraduate, post-graduate and professional schools, international faculty from 47 different countries and student exchange relations with 45 different countries worldwide. Its goals include the development of the best liberal arts education program and research institutions for training specialists in Asia, for Asia. As China approaches its potential status as the largest economy in the world, Tsui believes that HKU has the potential to become the premier vehicle on the New Silk Road.

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