| |
 |
Chinese to head UK university
|
CHINESE students have pursued academic careers abroad for over a century, ever since the former Qing Government started to send its first batch of overseas students to the US in the 19th century. Hoping to learn the advanced knowledge and Western culture, overseas Chinese are eager to receive diplomas from foreign universities. From this year on, however, a Chinese will sign graduate diplomas at a top British university.
Even his friends were surprised by the news that Yang Fujia was chosen to be the new chancellor of the University of Nottingham. This is a solid break with tradition, they said; before the return of Hong Kong, they said, all chancellors of HK universities were British. But the British, bucking their reputation for a reserved attitude, have chosen a Chinese to be the highest official at one of their top universities.
Established in 1881 and the first to get the royal approval after World War Two, Nottingham College became the University of Nottingham in 1948. Located in the city centre of Nottingham, Britain, the school ranks seventh, according to the evaluation by Financial Times in 2000. It has friendly relations with several famous Chinese universities including Fudan and Beijing universities.
Last Saturday, Yang flew to Nottingham for the inauguration ceremony. Then he will attend a breakfast meeting given by US President W Bush in the middle of February and be received by the British Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Professor Yang, 65 this year, is now director of the Shanghai Nuclear Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Since his graduation from Fudan in 1958, Yang has worked in the US, Japan, Denmark and other counties and been awarded honorary doctor's degrees by many world-renowned universities.
This is the fourth time that Yang has been to England. He had visited and researched in the country for short periods before as principal of Fudan University. In July 1999, he was awarded a doctor's degree by the University of Nottingham.
Despite taking his position at Nottingham, Yang will continue his research in China. "I have consulted everything with Nottingham," he said, "and my work back home cannot be neglected." As a matter of fact, the tasks of a chancellor are limited to the decision of important issues and chairing big ceremonies, leaving much time for Yang's research work.
Many celebrities in Chinese academia have sent their congratulations, including Chen Zhili, minister of education. "This is a great honour for the Chinese education field," she said.
|
|
|
|
