Dr. Lucas makes a speech named "Universities & Globalization".

Student from Zhongshan Uninversity is asking questions.

Dr. Lucas is receiving an interview of  reporter with newsgd.com.

In globalized knowledge economy today, the development of universities involves collaboration, vigorous participation in world exchange and circulation around the university world, says Dr. Colin Lucas, vice chancellor of the University of Oxford in his speech named "Universities & Globalization" in Zhongshan University on November 4th.

Collaboration is necessary, he says, because beyond a certain point no university can make major innovation by itself. He expresses that the cooperation between Oxford and Zhongshan University of Guangdong has been undergoing satisfactorily.

The College of Life Science of Zhongshan University and the University of Oxford will work together to carry out a post-graduate education programme this year, just following the senior civil servant training programme beginning last year (2002). A doctor-education programme collaborated by the two universities has also been confirmed, releases Dr. Lucas.

It is also important to be involved in the circulation of people in the world network of universities because it is from personal interaction, from direct debate of ideas, from working in laboratories alongside others and participating in seminars that the ideas and experience of individuals grow, says Lucas in his speech.

Dr. Lucas gives suggestion to uni students

In the speech, Dr. Lucas also gives his suggestions the university students of Guangdong to prepare themselves for challenges as well as opportunities brought by globalization.

He advises that university students must learn to be skeptical, and to look at the information to judge whether it proves what they are told or whether some other interpretation is possible.

It is also necessary for university students to understand the international world to be able to work with it and in it, he says, it is a matter of using information to learn and to understand. The most obvious necessary skill is foreign languages.

Lastly, he emphasizes that globalization does not mean a world without distinct patterns of thought and culture. Understanding others is not the same as being like others, he says.

Q & A with reporter with Newsgd.com

Q: What is your advice for higher education in Guangdong to improve themselves?

A: I think they should invest more in two areas:

1) High quality international research

2) To look after technical education

Q: What's the relationship between fundamental research and applied research in universities?

A: They should be developed in balance. It is important that fundamental research is not forgotten. Without fundamental research, applied research does not exist.

See the full text of speech by Dr. Colin Lucas.>>>

Editor: Catherine