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Interview|He Zisen, former deputy school of the University of Hong Kong: Regress of internationalization to persuade the Hong Kong government to abide by the Open Door Policy

2020-10-27T00:11:52.680Z


Recently, the appointment of the vice president of the University of Hong Kong has once again aroused heated discussions in the community. In fact, whether scholars can complete their "term" and leave has also been a concern. Former Vice President (Research) of the University of Hong Kong, He Zisen officially resigned in February this year. However, he has not completed the original five-year contract term and has decided to return to Singapore, where he has settled for more than 30 years, as the new vice president of the local Science and Technology Research Bureau (Research) post. "I am a person who likes to challenge." When He Zisen in Singapore was interviewed by "Hong Kong 01", he summarized the reasons for leaving office and emphasized that he had no other considerations. However, when he talked about his four years at HKU, he observed that Hong Kong is The international level has regressed, and it has begun to focus on the local and mainland China, which is different from the diversified development of Singapore; and the English ability of Hong Kong people has also regressed, which is one of the factors. He Zisen believes that the Hong Kong government has only attached importance to commercial development for many years. Instead, it should start to develop industrial scientific research to narrow the distance between science and technology and the general public, and retain high value-added talents such as doctors and post-doctors, or a way out for Hong Kong to continue to develop. Isn’t it necessary for him to do a position that only requires bachelor’s graduates. How can the department create high-value-added talent positions? In fact, it is closely related to industrial research."


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Written by: Kuang Xiaobin

2020-10-27 08:00

Last update date: 2020-10-27 08:00

Recently, the appointment of the vice president of the University of Hong Kong has once again aroused heated discussions in the community. In fact, whether scholars can complete their "term" and leave has also been a concern.

Former Vice President (Research) of the University of Hong Kong, He Zisen officially resigned in February this year. However, he has not completed the original five-year contract term and has decided to return to Singapore, where he has settled for more than 30 years, as the new vice president of the local Science and Technology Research Bureau (Research) post.

"I am a person who likes to challenge." When He Zisen in Singapore was interviewed by "Hong Kong 01", he summarized the reasons for leaving office and emphasized that he had no other considerations. However, when he talked about his four years at HKU, he observed that Hong Kong is The international level has regressed, and it has begun to focus on the local and mainland China, which is different from the diversified development of Singapore; and the English ability of Hong Kong people has also regressed, which is one of the factors.

He Zisen believes that the Hong Kong government has only attached importance to commercial development for many years. Instead, it should start to develop industrial scientific research to narrow the distance between science and technology and the general public, and retain high value-added talents such as doctors and post-doctors, or a way out for Hong Kong to continue to develop. Isn’t it necessary for him to do a position that only requires bachelor’s graduates. How can the department create high-value-added talent positions? In fact, it is closely related to industrial research."

He Zisen: "Singapore's future development is very challenging, and I am a person who likes challenges." (Photo by Ou Jiale)

He Zisen grew up in the Wong Tai Sin resettlement area. After graduating from high school, he went to the UK to study at Imperial College, London, and then completed his PhD at Oxford University, and then went to Yale University as a postdoctoral researcher (Postdoctoral).

Since 1984, he has served in the Department of Chemistry of the National University of Singapore for more than 31 years, and returned to Hong Kong in 2015 as the Vice President (Research) of the University of Hong Kong.

Singapore is determined to develop industrial research and was invited to Singapore

According to sources, He Zisen has not completed his five-year contract and left Hong Kong again in February this year and returned to Singapore.

He Zisen’s departure turned out to be an accidental opportunity. He received an invitation from a friend of the Singapore Science and Technology Research Agency (A*STAR) last year, stating that the authorities are determined to develop industrial scientific research combined with urban development and technology transfer and will create a vice president (research) position. ; The other party considers him a suitable candidate and invites him to serve.

He Zisen described that Hong Kong society has regressed in terms of internationalization and began to tend to focus on the local and mainland China. This is different from Singapore's diversified development.

(Photo/Photo by Ou Jiale)

"Singapore’s future development is very challenging, and I am a person who likes to challenge." He Zisen believes that this position is very suitable for him. At the same time, he can return to Singapore to reunite with his wife and daughter, saving his wife’s frequent "flying." "Flying away," the boats and cars were tired, and finally decided to leave Hong Kong University last year.

In an interview with "Hong Kong 01" in 2018, He Zisen mentioned that Singapore has invested more research funds than Hong Kong. "Hong Kong has made progress, but the rate of progress is less than Singapore." He believed at the time that Hong Kong’s scientific research and innovation opportunities were narrow. Most promising positions are concentrated in the business and financial sectors.

In Hong Kong's future development, the primary consideration is how to retain doctoral and post-doctoral talents.



Two years later, He Zisen, who returned to Singapore, also believes that Hong Kong has attached great importance to commercial and financial development for many years, and not particularly to industrial development and student development.

He took Singapore as an example. Since the 1990s, he has developed industrial scientific research and invested a large amount of money year by year. He is committed to popularizing science and technology and bringing scientific research closer to the public so that the public can feel the benefits.

He Zisen described that the development of industry actually helps improve students’ prospects. "There are suitable positions for graduates from bachelor degree to doctoral degree." He extended from this to the future development of Hong Kong. He believed that the primary consideration for industrial development was How to retain high-value-added talents such as doctoral and post-doctoral qualifications? "Why don't you have to do a job that only requires bachelor graduates? How can the department create high-value-added talent jobs? It is actually closely related to industrial scientific research. "

The Science and Technology Research Council of Singapore is an independent research institution under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Singapore government department. In recent years, it has focused on energy, artificial intelligence, big data, environment, energy and robotics industry.

According to He Zisen's observation, it is difficult for Hong Kong to find independent research institutions similar to those of the subordinate government, and Hong Kong universities tend to be more academic, focusing mainly on student development and academic achievements.

He Zisen bluntly said that after returning to Singapore, there are two things that he is most unaccustomed to, including not being able to go to the suburbs often to get in touch with nature.

(Photo/Photo by Ou Jiale)

I’m not used to Singapore, I can’t go to the suburbs often, but I don’t have any delicious food

Excluding work factors, He Zisen bluntly said that after returning to Singapore, there are two things that he is most unaccustomed to, including not being able to go to the suburbs to get in touch with nature frequently, and not having the diversified and tasteful food like Hong Kong. Singapore is more boring."

The decline of Hong Kong's internationalization first impacts academic development

Although He Zisen has moved to another place, he loves his hometown, Hong Kong, and is very responsible.

In the four years since returning to Hong Kong, he found that the local financial and legal systems are still very stable, but Hong Kong society has regressed in terms of internationalization and began to tend to focus on local and mainland China. This is different from Singapore’s diversified development. ; And he just thinks that internationalization is very important to academic and research development, otherwise Hong Kong cannot absorb talents from all over the world.

Therefore, Hong Kong's decline in internationalization will primarily impact and affect academic development.

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According to He's observation, the overall English proficiency of Hong Kong people has declined, which is one of the key factors in the regression of internationalization, which will affect the communication between Hong Kong society and overseas countries in the long run.

He believes that Hong Kong has relied on its international status in the past to attract large multinational institutions to settle in. He therefore called on the government to "open more doors" and be more determined to implement the "Open Door Policy" in order to maintain Hong Kong's status. Overall competitiveness.

01News

The University of Hong Kong Educational Research

Source: hk1

All news articles on 2020-10-27

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