University of Oxford Vice-Chancellor Prof Andrew Hamilton and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) President Prof Tony F Chan today appeared in an historical forum to exchange ideas on the development of tertiary education in the UK and Hong Kong.
The President Forum, presented by Oxford University Press, was attended by Ms Michelle Li, Deputy Secretary for Education of the HKSAR Government, leading academics and over 100 school principals.
Prof Hamilton and Prof Chan explored a broad range of issues, including the hallmarks of a world-class university, enrolment trends in UK and Hong Kong universities, and reforms in the tertiary education sector to nurture the new generation in various parts of the world.
Prof Hamilton said, “There are four absolutely critical factors that make a university world-class. The first is people. You need a concentration of brilliant minds. Second is a commitment to research excellence. Third is a complete dedication to high quality education, and lastly, the financial resources to allow you to be competitive.”
“It is clear to me the leading universities in China are on a trajectory to be leading universities of the world. I suspect that in ten years they will be there. But it is also very important in the current world class academic field for young professors to challenge and not to accept the perceived knowledge,” Prof Hamilton added.
President Tony Chan said, “A world-class university is definitely not about providing a narrow vocational training for the graduates’ first or second jobs. It is about training students to think critically, creatively, independently and to see the big picture.”
President Chan also stressed the importance of science and technology. “Basic research never yields immediate results, but make no mistake, science and technology is the wave of the future, and our guarantee of future prosperity,” he said.
For media enquiries, please feel free to contact :
Ross Lai
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Email: rosslai@ust.hk
Donna Wong
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Email: donnaw@ust.hk
