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Lecture: ―How to Build First-Class
Universities‖
PKU NEWS 2008--10—29
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=225477745
Peking University, Beijing, Oct. 29. 2008: The thematic lecture on ―How to Build
First-Class Universities‖ was held in room 107 of Building 2 on the evening of
October 26. Prof. Chen Pingyuan, Director of Department of Chinese Language and
Literature of Peking University (PKU) and Prof. Rao Yi, Dean of School of Life
Sciences of PKU had heated discussions on the topic of ―Way of University‖. The
lecture was organized by Office for Development and Planning of PKU and held by
Development Research Association of PKU.
During the lecture, the two professors discussed topics about the construction and
development of China‘s universities, such as the academic development and talents
training at PKU. They also expressed their opinions on the opportunities and
challenges universities are facing nowadays. And they gave their own advice on how
to make PKU a world-class university. The lecture lasted about two hours, and the
atmosphere was heated.
Broadening Minds on Students Training—First-Class Universities Need First-Class
Students
In an increasingly utilitarian society, how to balance employment and academic
research, what kind of talents to train and how to train them have become the
important issues which can‘t be avoided in the development of universities. Prof.
Chen Pingyuan expressed his understanding of the students‘ confusions caused by
this environment. He stressed: ―The whole society has become increasingly
utilitarian and thus it‘s impossible to ―emphasize spirit too much and ignore the
material.‖ This will not work. However, our students are malleable and we should try
our best to improve our teaching standards to attract students and get them out of
the confusions.‖
Prof. Rao Yi put forward the concept of ―intellectual talent‖. In his opinion, the
―intellectual talent‖ is not the traditional sense of intellectual talent but the ones who
have a strong pursuit of both intelligence and knowledge. He thought the training of
the ―intellectual talents‖ should not be limited to individuals but form a group whose
members could provide some creative results in academic, commercial and political
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