Du Wei-ming: Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He was president of the Harvard Yanjing Society.He graduated from East China Sea University in Taiwan in 1961, then went to the United States to study, received a master's degree and doctorate from Harvard University.Mr. Du Wei-ming's research is centered on the modern transformation of Chinese Confucian tradition and is known as the representative of international sinology and contemporary new Confucianism.
There is no doubt that universities are now focused on the pursuit of knowledge.However, all universities, in addition to pursuing knowledge, science, and research, must also pursue the human spirit.Some even argue that the true spirit of science and humanism complement each other.It is impossible for a scientist to do pure scientific research without being inspired by the human spirit.
For example, MIT and Caltech attach great importance to the development of science and even technology, and spare no effort in the humanities.MIT's economics, politics, linguistics, and Caltech's history all have great influence in the United States.Otherwise, if a comprehensive, research-oriented university has no human spirit, no humanities, only natural sciences such as agriculture, medicine, engineering, etc., it may become a base for scientific and technological training from an international perspective.
Standards of Judgment for First Class Universities
What is a first-class university?Everyone is concerned, and I think it's possible to judge by at least two criteria.One is the standard that everyone is familiar with, which is the quantitative standard.The other is "impact," which cannot be quantified.Whether it is engineering, medicine, management, or agriculture, its knowledge production can be ranked by relatively objective criteria.There is no dispute about the order of ranking.
There are many famous universities in the world, and its ranking is probably within 10th, and the change is within 10th.No one in the top 10 can do it in a day or two.Being in the top ten is a great honor and has become the standard of the school today.
The "impact" standard, which many people don't pay attention to, but I think is important.For example, the University of Malaya's influence on Malaysia, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Japan, Seoul National University, Korea University, and Singapore is much greater than that of Ivy League universities combined.What we learned from this is that these universities undoubtedly have a very strong liberal arts faculty.Its influence in the society in which it is located is unshakable.When people think of this country, they think of this school.But when it comes to America, you don't immediately think of Harvard or Yale.
In addition, there is a completely objective criterion: whether the university has a long history also has a lot to do with the university's influence.Hu Shizhi attended the 300th anniversary of Harvard in 1936.He is a representative of Peking University, ranking 572.He waited in line for a long time before entering the conference room.But he said: "We are the University of Beijing, the University of Beijing is connected with sinology.Sinology was first introduced in the Han Dynasty, 124 BC.So, whether the school has a long history and its position in the world is also related.
It is the liberal arts that really underlines the spirit of the university.
The classification of disciplines is now very complex, and comprehensive universities do not indicate that they are good in various fields.For example, Harvard law is very good, but after so many years of hard work, there is no way to compare with Yale Law School, Yale must be the first.Harvard's medical school is good, but its history is relatively poor, and Berkeley's history has always been number one.Therefore, we need to consider how to move forward with our strong projects.I'm sure that ZHU has relatively strong projects as well.A university is not good in every field.
Humanities is the most appropriate and direct knowledge of human intelligence and self-knowledge.Literature, philosophy, history, psychology, law, etc. are all indispensable in shaping the soul of the university, and should be combined with science, industry, agriculture and medicine.A university only emphasizes science, industry, agriculture and medicine, but if the humanities are not strong, it is difficult to become a truly first-class university.
There is a general prejudice that it is easy to find a humanist, but it is difficult to find a scholar who has experience in science.Because we have to build a laboratory for the latter, and so on, the amount of money is very large.In fact, to find a true scholar of the humanities, we must also create an extremely loose space for him.His office is his teaching and research room, his teaching and research room has his books, so that his students can study in his teaching and research room.There is also the need to equip him with decent books – some are very expensive, and to create the conditions for his interaction with other fields.
We must create for the humanities what everyone is talking about today soft power, which means that he can shine only through dialogue and discussion.If there is no place to drink tea, no cafe, no place for everyone to get together and have a discussion, then certainly not.
In order for universities to develop their own liberal arts, they must highlight their local characteristics.Science and engineering departments from one university to another can do the same research.Of course, natural science has to be unique.But much of what really underlines the spirit of the university as a whole is liberal arts.For liberal arts, there is this view that I call local knowledge of global significance.Every university has its own characteristics, but this characteristic is not completely limited to this university.The more individuals this type of research is conducted, the more influential the university will be.
University development related to comprehensive national strength
From the perspective of the development of the whole university, it is closely related to the comprehensive national strength of the country.The rise of universities also has a time frame.In the 19th century, decent universities were in Germany, such as Berlin University, Hamburg University, Heidelberg University, etc.; only two American universities initially became research-oriented, the University of Chicago and Hopkins University.In the 21st century, 10 or 20 years from now, will American universities continue to be very strong, and is there any other possibility?
At this stage, I'm quite frankly saying that the universities I know about in China are hard to catch up with American universities in 10 years.There are many reasons, the most important of which is the academic atmosphere and academic ethos.Learning styles must encourage each other, but we are now "internal consumption" very heavy.I came to China to visit, talk to some university teachers, and ask them: Who is the professor you admire the most?They must have answered that they were their own teachers.What about outside the teacher?It's the teacher's teacher.I asked some tutors: no matter what university, do you have any peers you admire, should learn from him?Few people admire their peers or even speak ill of others.This climate is not working.
We also have a market economy.The market economy is an indispensable mechanism for wealth creation, but when the market economy penetrates into every field and makes society a market society, it is difficult to exert all other creativity except enterprises.We must first remove the impetuosity.
University is facing the future.
Now let's discuss one more question: What is the purpose of universities and why do we run them?From students, teachers, schools to society, we mostly have the view that universities are for society.If you don't serve the community, the value of the university will be wiped out.I have made some summary of the views of some famous universities in the United Kingdom and the United States: the most important purpose of universities is to cultivate talents.Let all types of young people strengthen their ability to reflect on themselves and expand their knowledge so that they can pursue wisdom; let them clearly separate information and data, and let them develop some intrinsic value.
It is true that universities also serve society, but it is important to understand that they serve society differently from other units.In general, what society needs, we provide.Universities also have a purpose of creating for society what should be, but not now.If universities are just negative and society wants what we provide, this kind of service is limited.Universities should seek to create for society what society needs, whether it is political, economic or cultural.
Universities should indeed be the inheritors of culture, spirit and tradition.The library, for example, is the accumulation of spiritual civilization.The university must be the inheritor of culture, if the university takes the inheritance of culture lightly, then the university does not have a good professor, the university is dereliction of duty.Some universities are open to the world, not just his own.A university is the crystallization of human society, it is a social commitment, not a business act, and it is not dependent on alumni.
The university has to face the future.In society, of course, universities need to think long-term.One mechanism is that the term of office of the principal is unlimited.As long as the principal was willing to do it, and the board thought he could do it, he could do it all the time, without many annual signings.For example, the president of Harvard, the shortest five years, because the liberal arts professors united against him, because he only understood quantification, only economics.Before that, in the shortest 10 to 12 years, there was a principal who did it for 40 years.If a leader has a long term, he has a vision.