□ 彭道林
一流學(xué)科與一流大學(xué)
——兼論五個(gè)“一流”的關(guān)系
□ 彭道林
大學(xué)若想成為一流,勢(shì)必要有一流的學(xué)科,特別是文與理中的主要學(xué)科。一流大學(xué)所關(guān)心的是提供給學(xué)生以高深的學(xué)科知識(shí),高水平大學(xué)的注意力集中在學(xué)科建設(shè)上。高水平的學(xué)科是高水平的、眾多課程的支柱,而一個(gè)適當(dāng)組合的課程群就是一個(gè)專業(yè)。同時(shí),在中國(guó)的體制下,一流大學(xué)需要有一流校長(zhǎng)。而且,一流學(xué)科是以一流師資為后盾的,亦必應(yīng)培養(yǎng)一流人才。這就是一流師資、一流學(xué)科、一流人才、一流校長(zhǎng)和一流大學(xué)這五個(gè)“一流”的聯(lián)系。
一流大學(xué);學(xué)科;校長(zhǎng);師資;人才;“雙一流”
中國(guó)人有一流情結(jié),盼望自己國(guó)家有一流大學(xué)。這種情結(jié)是一種覺(jué)醒。在農(nóng)耕時(shí)代,大學(xué)的意義很有限。進(jìn)入工業(yè)革命,在工業(yè)化的浪潮中,大學(xué)的地位迅速上升。到了信息經(jīng)濟(jì)或知識(shí)經(jīng)濟(jì)時(shí)代,大學(xué)的地位幾乎具有決定性意義。發(fā)達(dá)的高等教育是發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家必備的條件。中國(guó)在走向發(fā)達(dá)的過(guò)程中,也期待有自己的一流大學(xué)。
我們看到硅谷,它的經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮就離不開斯坦福大學(xué)、加州伯克利分校、加州理工大學(xué)。人才離不開它們,科學(xué)技術(shù)離不開它們。又可看到波士頓工業(yè)園區(qū)離不開哈佛,離不開麻省。中關(guān)村經(jīng)濟(jì)區(qū)緊靠著北大、清華;武漢工業(yè)園區(qū)緊靠著武漢大學(xué)、華中科技大學(xué)。當(dāng)今,一流的經(jīng)濟(jì)、一流的強(qiáng)國(guó),必須有一流的大學(xué)做后盾。
這里,我們特別討論一下一流學(xué)科與一流大學(xué)的關(guān)系。一流大學(xué)所關(guān)心的不是學(xué)生就業(yè),而是提供給學(xué)生以高深的學(xué)科知識(shí),未來(lái)他們就有比別的院校的學(xué)生更寬闊的擇業(yè)余地。一流大學(xué)所直接關(guān)心的,也不是專業(yè),有了強(qiáng)大的學(xué)科,就可提供千門萬(wàn)門課程,而一個(gè)適當(dāng)組合的課程群就是一個(gè)專業(yè)。高水平的學(xué)科是高水平的、眾多課程的支柱,故而,高水平大學(xué)的注意力集中在學(xué)科建設(shè)上。
特別關(guān)注哪些學(xué)科呢?學(xué)科類約有十一二個(gè),一級(jí)學(xué)科80多個(gè),二級(jí)學(xué)科360多個(gè)。一所大學(xué)不可能在所有二級(jí)學(xué)科上都很出色,在一級(jí)學(xué)科上也都只能是集中于少部分上。那么,一流大學(xué)會(huì)對(duì)其所發(fā)展的學(xué)科有所選擇嗎?不可能不選擇,不可能大面積開花。
是不是只要有一批一流學(xué)科,便一定可以成為一流大學(xué)呢?有人說(shuō),有10到12個(gè)一流學(xué)科,就是一流大學(xué)了;但只有10至12個(gè)一流工科,就只能是一流工科大學(xué),還算不上一流大學(xué)。這不單純是一個(gè)數(shù)量問(wèn)題,還有學(xué)科結(jié)構(gòu)問(wèn)題。僅有一流的工科,甚至是一批數(shù)量可觀的一流工科,也成不了一流大學(xué)的例子并不少見。
麻省理工大學(xué)(MIT)的歷史很能說(shuō)明問(wèn)題。直至20世紀(jì)初的20多年里,麻省一直是工科為主,特別是土木所占比例很大,占七成以上。然而,那時(shí)的麻省只能是二流三流大學(xué)。
當(dāng)年的哈佛沒(méi)有工學(xué)院,正希望麻省能合并進(jìn)來(lái)。但麻省的董事會(huì)怎能甘心合并,他們便自找出路了。首先是從哥倫比亞大學(xué)請(qǐng)來(lái)了物理學(xué)家康普頓。開初,康普頓有點(diǎn)猶豫,這樣一所只有工科傳統(tǒng)的大學(xué)能改變過(guò)來(lái)嗎?董事會(huì)向康普頓表示,你來(lái)任校長(zhǎng)后,一切聽你的了??灯疹D接手后,立即發(fā)展理,且發(fā)展文,著名的語(yǔ)言學(xué)家喬姆斯基就出在MIT了。麻省為學(xué)生開出了80門音樂(lè)課程,全校3 000學(xué)生修讀音樂(lè)。這樣,MIT文理都發(fā)展起來(lái)了,經(jīng)十余年努力,麻省成為全美一流大學(xué),故而也成了世界一流大學(xué)。
此時(shí)的哈佛仍然沒(méi)有工,而麻省有了文和理。這個(gè)事實(shí)說(shuō)明了不同學(xué)科的不同地位,沒(méi)有工仍可以是世界一流大學(xué),而只有工,無(wú)論如何成不了一流。
清華大學(xué)走過(guò)一段與麻省相反的道路。本來(lái),清華是文理工十分齊全的一流大學(xué),20世紀(jì)50年代初院系調(diào)整后,只有八個(gè)工科了,遂降為二流大學(xué)。改革開放后,清華再度恢復(fù)齊全的文理工,并迅速崛起,它所擁有的優(yōu)良傳統(tǒng)仍在那里。
湖南大學(xué)走過(guò)一段與清華類似的道路。幾乎在同一時(shí)期,類似清華、湖大的情形還相當(dāng)普遍。與此同時(shí),那時(shí)候的中國(guó)大學(xué)亦必然地與一流更是漸行漸遠(yuǎn)了。
越是高水平大學(xué)越要按大學(xué)自身的邏輯去運(yùn)行。越是發(fā)達(dá)的社會(huì),大學(xué)越超然;大學(xué)越超然,它對(duì)社會(huì)所起的作用越大。此時(shí),不是大學(xué)要過(guò)多去考慮經(jīng)濟(jì)、文化發(fā)展的需要,而是經(jīng)濟(jì)、文化的發(fā)展需要更多想著大學(xué)。
高等教育理論中,曾有一種“適應(yīng)論”。其實(shí),職業(yè)院??赡苄枰^多地考慮適應(yīng),高水平的大學(xué)是不太關(guān)注適應(yīng)的,它更多關(guān)注人本身,從而在根本上它適應(yīng)了一切之所需。故而,“適應(yīng)論”不適合高水平學(xué)科,不適應(yīng)高水平大學(xué)。
還有一個(gè)“對(duì)口論”,較之“適應(yīng)論”還進(jìn)了一步。然而,職業(yè)教育是對(duì)口的,而高水平大學(xué)不對(duì)什么“口”。哈佛大學(xué)對(duì)著什么“口”?北京大學(xué)對(duì)著什么“口”?實(shí)在要說(shuō)對(duì)口,它們那個(gè)“口”可大呢,北京大學(xué)對(duì)著全中國(guó),哈佛大學(xué)對(duì)著全世界。
北大、清華都想辦成世界一流,這是它們的愿望。大學(xué)的愿望,也反映了我們民族的愿望??墒?,宏觀上的、體制上的制約力不小。所以,中國(guó)高等教育必須深入改革,否則,一流何在?然而,人們都看到,在各個(gè)領(lǐng)域的改革中,教育領(lǐng)域是相對(duì)滯后的。這個(gè)問(wèn)題的解決,超乎了大學(xué)自身的能力,外部約束太多了。
高水平大學(xué)直接關(guān)心的是學(xué)科。學(xué)科是科學(xué)下的分類;專業(yè)是教育學(xué)下的分類;職業(yè)是社會(huì)學(xué)意義下的分類。大學(xué)為真理而真理、為科學(xué)而科學(xué),遠(yuǎn)離功利,因而也是一種純凈。從這個(gè)意義上看,一流學(xué)科才真正代表了大學(xué)自身。
現(xiàn)在該正面地具體地討論一下,什么學(xué)科,什么一流學(xué)科,對(duì)高水平一流大學(xué)更重要了。
簡(jiǎn)言之,就是文理。一所高水平大學(xué)必不可少的是,強(qiáng)大的文學(xué)院和強(qiáng)大的理學(xué)院。強(qiáng)大的文學(xué)院之中,最重要的是文史哲;強(qiáng)大的理學(xué)院之中,最重要的是數(shù)理化。學(xué)好數(shù)理化,走遍天下都不怕;學(xué)好文史哲,能把上蒼看透徹;學(xué)好天地生,能在宇宙中穿行。
如果把大學(xué)比喻為一座空中堡壘,那么,文學(xué)院和理學(xué)院便是它的兩翼,有了這兩翼,它就可以騰空而起,展翅高飛。
在文學(xué)院這一翼,便伸展出法學(xué)院、商學(xué)院、神學(xué)院(或宗教學(xué)院)、管理學(xué)院;在理學(xué)院這一翼,便伸展出工學(xué)院、農(nóng)學(xué)院、林學(xué)院。900年前,最早的大學(xué)是古典四院:文學(xué)院、神學(xué)院、法學(xué)院、醫(yī)學(xué)院。文為首的事實(shí)一直延伸下來(lái),且必將永久存在。那時(shí),自然科學(xué)尚不發(fā)達(dá),直至牛頓時(shí)代之后,理學(xué)院才登上大學(xué)舞臺(tái),充分展開也經(jīng)歷了兩三百年。
對(duì)于文理兩翼,我們還可以這樣看:文研究著人間,理研究著世間,以大自然為對(duì)象。由此,我們可以把文學(xué)院、理學(xué)院的整體作用與地位看得更清楚。
我們還可以這樣說(shuō),文學(xué)院是讓我們仰望天空的,理學(xué)院是讓我們俯視大地的。
還有一個(gè)被普遍認(rèn)可的觀念:沒(méi)有一流的文,就沒(méi)有一流的理;沒(méi)有一流的理,就沒(méi)有一流的工。從歷史看也清楚,文產(chǎn)生了幾千年,理產(chǎn)生了四百年,工則只有兩百年左右的歷史。希臘人已有物理學(xué),但那是在哲學(xué)視野下的。這個(gè)悠久的歷史,也可以幫助我們理解今日的大學(xué)及其與學(xué)科發(fā)展的關(guān)系。
近代以來(lái),首先是歐洲的科學(xué)家們,他們深知文學(xué)藝術(shù)對(duì)他們有多么的重要。我們中國(guó)今日的科學(xué)家們,也十分明白,人文修養(yǎng)對(duì)自己的發(fā)展有多么重要。今日的中國(guó)教育也終于明白,早早的文理分家,是不利于杰出人物的涌現(xiàn)的。
一流學(xué)科、一流大學(xué),落腳點(diǎn)在能培養(yǎng)一流人才,否則,怎么好說(shuō)學(xué)科一流、大學(xué)一流?
一流學(xué)科、一流大學(xué)需要一流的校長(zhǎng)嗎?一流學(xué)科、一流大學(xué)、一流人才、一流校長(zhǎng),這四方面都有聯(lián)系嗎?我們最后來(lái)討論一下校長(zhǎng)問(wèn)題。這涉及什么是一流校長(zhǎng)的問(wèn)題。什么是一流校長(zhǎng)?蔡元培、梅貽琦是一流校長(zhǎng);艾略?shī)W特、博克、赫欽斯是一流校長(zhǎng)。一流校長(zhǎng)是什么呢?他必須具備兩個(gè)條件:第一,他有思想,有理論;第二,他曾有效治理過(guò)一所大學(xué)。兩者缺一不可,只有前一樁,可稱之為教育學(xué)家;只有后一樁,可稱之為教育踐行家。
什么學(xué)科出身的校長(zhǎng)成為一流校長(zhǎng)的可能性大一些?蔡元培從事美學(xué)研究,哲學(xué)的一個(gè)分支;梅貽琦研究理學(xué),曾在臺(tái)灣擔(dān)任原子能研究院院長(zhǎng)。艾略?shī)W特是學(xué)理學(xué),博克是研究法學(xué),赫欽斯學(xué)的是文學(xué)、法學(xué)。文理相比,文尚偏多。
中美之間曾有一個(gè)交流項(xiàng)目,雙方各出十位校長(zhǎng)進(jìn)行交流。其中的一次,雙方校長(zhǎng)論起了學(xué)科出身,中方十位中,九理一文;美方十位中,九文一理。然后大家論及如此之大的反差,誰(shuí)更合理。最后,20位校長(zhǎng)一致認(rèn)為,九文一理更合理。
中美雙方的校長(zhǎng)中,無(wú)一是工科出身的。這一現(xiàn)象偶然嗎?盡管九理一文沒(méi)有九文一理那樣合理,但沒(méi)有工這一點(diǎn)是共同的、合理的。為什么呢?
顯然不能說(shuō)工科領(lǐng)域里的人不聰明、不智慧,但是,一直從事工科,其思維特點(diǎn)必與工科有關(guān)了。然而,工科思維不適宜于大學(xué)管理。大學(xué)管理不是靠程序化的,不是靠繪圖紙的;大學(xué)管理靠的是人心,是理念。換言之,軟管理較之硬管理重要十倍以上。
管理和治理大學(xué),要思考大學(xué)是什么,什么是大學(xué),大學(xué)做什么。學(xué)工的,可能只思考第三個(gè)問(wèn)題;學(xué)理的,有可能思考后兩個(gè)問(wèn)題;學(xué)文的,極有可能仔細(xì)思考第一個(gè)問(wèn)題,從而或許會(huì)更有大學(xué)自覺(jué),更知大學(xué)應(yīng)向何處走。
我們這里曾有過(guò)工科出身的擔(dān)任校長(zhǎng),效果大多不佳。原因也容易想到了。
有人說(shuō),一個(gè)好校長(zhǎng),一所好大學(xué);一所好大學(xué),一個(gè)好校長(zhǎng)。有人說(shuō),校長(zhǎng)是大學(xué)之魂,也有人說(shuō)教授是大學(xué)之魂,對(duì)此,或許需要作一些具體的分析。
魂是神性的,校長(zhǎng)是魂或教授是魂,應(yīng)當(dāng)都是指他們體現(xiàn)的精神、思想、信念、態(tài)度等。在中國(guó)和美國(guó),這樣說(shuō)大體上沒(méi)有問(wèn)題,并且說(shuō)得也很到位。但在歐洲,校長(zhǎng)的作用沒(méi)那么大,地位也沒(méi)那么重要。因而,一所好大學(xué),一位好校長(zhǎng),以及校長(zhǎng)乃大學(xué)之魂的說(shuō)法不適合歐洲。有人說(shuō)到洪堡,但洪堡是以創(chuàng)辦柏林大學(xué)著稱,以提出了大學(xué)科研職能而著稱;整個(gè)歐洲沒(méi)有名校長(zhǎng),洪堡也不例外。原因就在于,在美國(guó)、中國(guó),是校長(zhǎng)代表大學(xué),并與社會(huì)打交道;而歐洲大學(xué)的教授直接對(duì)外打交道,有校長(zhǎng),但作用不大,任期也短,教授們也不愿去做校長(zhǎng)。教授乃大學(xué)之魂,這對(duì)歐洲還是適合的。但是,一流大學(xué)必有一流校長(zhǎng)之說(shuō)對(duì)歐洲也就不合適了。如蔡元培,如赫欽斯,這類杰出校長(zhǎng),歐洲沒(méi)有。
這樣,從大學(xué)校長(zhǎng)中涌現(xiàn)出來(lái)的杰出教育家,在美國(guó)有,中國(guó)有,歐洲卻沒(méi)有。
當(dāng)今中國(guó)的大學(xué),若想成為一流,勢(shì)必要有一流的學(xué)科,特別是文與理中的主要學(xué)科;同時(shí),勢(shì)必要有一流校長(zhǎng)。然而,由于體制上的原因,很難有一流校長(zhǎng)出現(xiàn)。本可成為,本人亦有條件成為一流校長(zhǎng)的,也難以現(xiàn)實(shí)地成為一流校長(zhǎng)?;蛟S,偶然有人從狹縫中奮斗出來(lái),特立獨(dú)行,善于巧妙周旋,并因此而成為杰出校長(zhǎng)的,當(dāng)屬十分幸運(yùn)了。其個(gè)人及其所在學(xué)校也幸運(yùn)。
一流學(xué)科與一流大學(xué)在歐洲可以同時(shí)出現(xiàn),但在中國(guó)、美國(guó)這樣的機(jī)制下,一流學(xué)科、一流大學(xué)、一流校長(zhǎng)是同在的。因此,一流學(xué)科與一流大學(xué)關(guān)系的討論更具有普遍意義。
一流學(xué)科是以一流師資作后盾的,亦必應(yīng)培養(yǎng)一流人才。如此一來(lái),一流師資、一流學(xué)科、一流人才、一流校長(zhǎng)和一流大學(xué)這樣五個(gè)“一流”就聯(lián)系起來(lái)了。
(責(zé)任編輯 黃建新)
Abstract:In August 2015, the Overall scheme to push forward the world first-class university and the first-class discipline construction approved by a central leading group for "comprehensively deepening reform" further defined the guidelines and concrete goals of the Party’s and the nation’s building world-class university, and explicitly proposed to construct world-class universities through building of world-class disciplines. In October 2015, the Thirteenth Five Year Plan approved by the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China put forward again that we should greatly improve colleges and universities’ teaching quality and research capabilities, and make a number of colleges and universities and some disciplines stand at or near the world top-class level. “Double world-class building” will be the central theme of China’s higher education reform and development for some time in the future. This overall scheme, together with major initiatives by the Ministry of Education, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance to guide the local undergraduate colleges and universities to application transformation, will reshape the landscape of China’s higher education.
To carry out the “Double world-class building” program with considerations of their local factors,Guangdong Province took the lead in formulating their plans of“7+7”regional high-level university construction and top disciplines building, as well as the plan of constructing the high level universities of science and technology. Under the stimulus of Guangdong province, other provinces quickly announced their construction plans of world-class disciplines. Beijing opened“construction plan of excellence innovation center of universities and colleges in Beijing”.Thirteen Beijing excellence innovation centers of colleges and universities were got firstly approved, like Tsinghua University’s future sophisticated chip technology innovation center. Shanghai officially started a peak-plateau construction plan for key disciplines, which would make an investment of 3.6 billion Yuan in the first phase, and strive to promote the overall strength of disciplines of Shanghai’s colleges and universities to a new level with about 20 First-Grade disciplines and a number of academic disciplinary sub-fields uplifted to the internationally first-class level in 2020. Zhejiang Province issued the "Notice of the Education Department of Zhejiang Province on the selection of the first-class disciplines", which planned to launch the construction of world-class disciplines in Zhejiang in the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan. Central and western provinces in China were vying with those leading provinces and municipalities for development in education. Shaanxi province launched the Shaanxi Discipline Construction and Development Plan (2016-2020) , which planned to build in the future five years a number of disciplines to the level of international fame and domestic advantage in a bid to enable them to have the right working and research conditions to produce research fruits and innovative talents. Henan provincial government also issued a notice of Henan Province implementing the program of building advantageous and specialty disciplines , which declared Henan would create a group of world-class advantageous disciplines and specialty disciplines of comprehensive strength among the forefront of the domestic counterparts. The common characteristics of these reforms are to develop world-class universities and high level universities by constructing disciplines. Driven by the “Double world-class building”, China’s higher education has entered a new era of regional development.
To build world-class universities and world-class disciplines in China needs to break through three barriers. The first is an institutional barrier, namely, the problem of "system and structure" at the macro level. Its core is how to deal with the relationship between the government and the university. The key is to implement the university autonomy. The second barrier is the management obstacle. The "organization and management" problem at the middle level. Its core is how to deal with the relationship between academics and university administration. The key is to implement autonomy of the grassroots academic organizations (institutes, departments, research institutes). The third is the technical barrier--the problem of "knowledge and the curriculum" at the micro level. Its core is how to deal with the relationship between teaching and research. The key is to promote the integration of discipline, specialty and course. We believe that the breakthroughs in technical and management barriers are based on the breakthrough of the system barrier. In the case of the external system is difficult to change, if we carry out the reform of University unilaterally, it is difficult to achieve the desired results, so it is necessary to leap beyond education to look at education. At the same time, we must give full play to the initiative of the organization. Even if the system is difficult to change, the university organization can still carry out technological innovation and management innovation.
Key words: world-class university; world-class discipline; university autonomy; autonomy of the grassroots academic organizations; integration of teaching and research
Abstract: In the process of the transformation from a country of massive higher education to one of powerful higher education, the appropriate separation of the academic power and the administrative power is the inevitable trend in higher education in China at present. National universities have made a lot of active attempts and exploration in this respect, which reflects the public expectation of the separation. And it indeed has pushed the appropriate separation of the two powers, and in many ways also achieved positive results. However, universities have vague and biased ideas and understanding of the separation in their practices. The first bias is that they think de-administration is to simply abolish administrative levels. Actually, de-administration is not merely about the abolition or cancellation of the administration, but about the rationalization of the relationship between the two powers, thereby effectively curbing the erosion and substitution of the administrative power to the academic power. The second bias is that they think the separation of the two powers is simply to exclude the group with the administrative power and to artificially divided the intrinsic relevance and interaction between the two groups. We believe that moderate separation of the two powers lies in whether the academic power is running in accordance with the principles of academic operation and whether the administrative power is operating in accordance with the principles of the administrative operation. The key to the separation of the powers is not the isolation of personnel, but compliance with their respective rules of operation.
For universities, cultivation of talents and promotion of the academic prosperity are the endogenous power of their development. Academics as its essential attribute also gives the university governance unique dual power structure which restricts and supports each other as well. The relationship between the two powers is not the absolutely opposite, but interdependently dialectically unified. Firstly, they are mutually independent and mutually contradictory. Administrative power advocates the promotion of the efficiency and the decrease of the cost, and it has formidable executive capacity which the academic power cannot reach. If its coerciveness cannot be appropriately restricted, it may jeopardize the freedom and autonomy of the academy. The academic power represents professional authority that seeks the truth. It has the power to influence and dominate academic affairs and it also has properties like fragilities, autonomy and democracy. Secondly, the powers are mutually connected and mutually unified. The development of universities relies on the support of the powers which always coexist inside the universities and are integral parts of a university. Even though the division of the responsibilities and specific interests are not the same between the two powers, the basic interest is the same and for that they are highly unified. Thirdly, “the operation rules of the two powers are different.” If the academic power and the administrative power represent pursuit of truth and of efficiency respectively, the substantive characteristics are widely different and the operation rule of the powers are different too.
At present, the crux of the relative separation between the two powers is to enact the basic principles of appropriate separation:(1)Reciprocity principle of power and responsibility;(2)Principle of power restriction;(3)principle of operation transparency.
In sum, the principles above do not mean to make the two powers contradictory. If we can only see the conflict of the two powers, we will go against the original intention of the separation. We cannot simply classify the administrative power and the academic power by personnel position. The appropriate separation of the two powers is to realize better cooperation between the two powers. And it can perfect the power governance system in the university and accelerate the return of the academic nature.
Key words: university governance; modern university system; Academic power; administrative power; power equivalence; power restriction
Abstract: The term, "higher education", is the combination of "higher" and "education". As a historical and dynamic concept, its connotation and extension changes according to the change and development of higher education and society. Up to now, researchers have not reached a unified understanding. Higher education has different definitions in different countries at different times.There are definitions of higher education from the perspective of the relationship between higher education and secondary education, and those in terms of the characteristics of higher education, as well as those from the perspective of the nature of higher education.
Higher education is an activity of teaching and learning of specialized knowledge on the basis of the basic education. Higher education is not only an educational activity based on the basic education, but also a professional education activity focusing on the advanced specialized knowledge.The extension of higher education has changed a lot with the transformation of higher education from elite education to popular mass education.
The characteristics of higher education are mainly manifested in the following aspects: firstly, the maturity of the receivers of higher education.The students of higher education are adults, aged over 18 years (including 18 years). During this period, the physical and mental development of individual tends to be stable and mature: students’ physiological development tend to be stable; their psychological development tends to mature; their character basically finalized; and their intellectual development is reaching its peak. Secondly, the advanced nature of higher education’s content. Higher education is the activity of teaching and learning centered on specialized knowledge, which is the logical starting point of higher education. Thirdly, the professionalism of higher education.This expressed in the professionalism of educators, education content and educated person. Higher educators have professional background, and they are mostly senior intellectuals who have a wide range of knowledge. The education content of the higher education is not the popularization of general scientific and cultural knowledge, but the profound knowledge. Educators of higher education are adults with physical and mental maturity, and they have the appropriate admission conditions before they can enjoy the higher education. Fourthly, the flexibility in higher education. This is embodied in the flexibility of the subjects setting of higher education specialty, the flexibility of the teaching mode of higher education and the flexibility of the mode of running a school in higher education institutions.Those who meet certain standards of higher education institutions, can set the appropriate specialty. The time, place and teaching method of higher education can vary from person to person, because courses are different, and the place is different. Institutions of higher education can combine the advantages of their own characteristics, according to the needs of the country, local characteristics of higher education. Fifthly, the synthesis of Higher Education. It is embodied in the comprehensive diversity of the level and structure of higher education, the comprehensive complexity of organization and management, and the synthesis of teaching. In addition to undergraduate education, higher education is undergraduate education as well as graduate education.
Colleges and universities should not only set up institutions of management and teaching, but also consider the institutions of scientific research and institutions of social services.To the point of teaching,the curriculum, teaching content, teaching methods, teaching power are comprehensive, the structure of knowledge and skills, ability are professional comprehensive knowledge.With the development of the times, the comprehensive performance of higher education is becoming more and more prominent.
Higher education and basic education, post secondary education, tertiary education, adult education,university education, continuing education, colleges and universities, university and other concepts are linked but different, which needs to be strictly distinguished.
Key words: higher education; concept of higher education; connotation of higher education;extension of higher education; characteristic of higher education
Since the opening-up, the college foreign language education in China has achieved great success,mainly in popularizing and satisfying the interests of foreign language learning as well as meeting the test requirements. However, there are still many open problems to be solved. First of all, more than 1100 undergraduate universities across the country offer the same English major curriculum, and the course content only lay emphasis on humanism, neglecting the function as an instrument. As a result, the enrollment and employment for the major (English) has met the “Red Card” (issued by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, i.e. majors with high unemployment and under risk)in recent years. Secondly, foreign language teaching (mainly English) of non-English majors only pays attention to spread western culture, rarely meet the demand of the language education for professional development. In addition, traditional foreign language teachers’ lack of subject knowledge, the relative monopoly of teaching materials with their uninformative contents also cannot meet the learning needs of different majors .
At present, the college foreign language education of China is experiencing significant transformation and reform period (i.e. the new normal). Under this background, this article attempts to explore the following reform strategies: first, strategically, there should be an enforcement of a supply side reform in national level, a macro-control of major setting and the curriculum reform of foreign language connotation. Second, the foreign language education should be interdisciplinary or offer interdisciplinary knowledge, in the form of “Foreign Language plus Profession”. Third, the foreign language education for non-English majors should pave the way for professional knowledge learning, focusing on the functions of both instrument and humanity simultaneously, and eventually serving the students’professional development. It also needs to strengthen the teaching of the knowledge of ESAP (English for Specific Academic Purpose) and eventually enter the ESP (English for special purposes) education. Fourth, the teaching staff development should change in accordance with the talent market demand and college orientation, implementing the cultivation of interdisciplinary, “double-qualified”, “dualtalented”and multidisciplinary background teachers so as to truly cultivate inter-disciplinary talents. Fifth, we should break the partial monopoly of textbook supply, all of which should be classified and used in accordance with professional needs of the school, avoiding “l(fā)arge-scale and unified, and the one-for-all ”textbooks. We should avoid using the so-called “planned” textbooks which are supported by the government or appointed by the Advisory Committee of English Language Teaching. As for the compiling of textbooks, the representatives from different industries and graduates from diverse universities should be involved besides the experts and professors. Sixth, teachers’research should not be confined to the traditional study of language, literature and culture, all editors in chief should respect the interdisciplinary findings and application studies of fashion language. Seventh, teachers’evaluation system should be diversified, the form of language teaching should respect the combination of guided study and autonomous learning. Foreign language education should not overemphasize full foreign language teaching process, a moderate, enlightening, proper interpretation in mother tongue should be respected. Eighth, language practice teaching needs to be diversified, the practice mode of “Internet+ offshore internship” should be advocated when practicing base is limited.
Besides the mentioned points above, the college foreign language education of China should also be geared to international standards, learning and borrowing the language policies of European and American countries to establish its own standards and certification institutions for language ability, while implementing national long - and medium - term language strategy and planning. It should launch both general and elite education. Also, majors in majority languages should not be added blindly,while minority languages should not be neglected which are urgently needed for political and economic development. Curriculum should have more flexible and elective courses rather than inflexible ones,which tends to enhance the development of students’ character and individuality. In foreign language teaching, cultivating students’ practical ability and bringing in teaching contents of Chinese traditional culture should be emphasized, helping students to build an overall view combining Chinese and western culture.
Key words: foreign language education; challenge; new normal; reform strategy; supply side reform
AThe college class, from the perspective of ecology, is essentially a microcosmic ecological space,in which the knowledge is transmitted through the interaction of the class ecological factors including teachers, students, class environment, and so on. The ecological space requires the interaction and balanced development between the spatial factors in a special space to produce the maximum of its value. Based on the feasibility of application of ecological space theory in the microcosmic class, the college class space in China has been in the state of ecological imbalance in structure, effect and behavior. In structure, the dense spatial scale due to overfilled students results in the silence of most of the students,the barrier for teacher-student relationship leads to the consequences of ill communication or even opposition between teacher and students and students’ nutrition of knowledge is insufficient because of inadequacies of teacher’s knowledge with the informationized society or teacher’s over-independence on information. The “flowerpot effect” is the reflection of imbalance of effect. On the one hand, the college students are used to studying passively and living in a limited space with lack of adaptability and competition, and the students with a heavy “flowerpot effect” results even in a psychological depression; on the other hand, teachers can not meet the demands of students’ knowledge due to the their outdated knowledge in the fast changing age. In behavior, the students’ spatial heterogeneity is blocked by teachers’ monotonous teaching methods and strategies. The class behaviors are “standardized”by “standard” requirements and answers. The behavior of students’ homogeneity leads to want of individuality and creative consciousness which further prophesies the non-efficiency of social behavior.
Accordingly, it is necessary to adjust the ecological niche of ecological factors. Under the macrocosmic educational policies. We should at first adjust the class space scale to keep the students’optimal density. In the case of the set number of enrollment, we can arrange the class space through frequent change of seats, different position of teaching tools and equipment and other measures to realize the ecological balance of class space and break the barriers of teacher-student communication to obtain the maximum value of class teaching. On the basis of unblocked class spatial scale, the substitution of the fresh-water effect for the “flowerpot effect” is the key of constructing the ecological class space. Fresh-water effect requires teachers, for one thing, to adapt themselves to the changing society, update their teaching methodologies and perform multi-actors in the class space, and students, for another, to change their study habits and be positive to study. Only under the conditions of cooperation between teacher and students can the fresh-water effect be ecologically established in class space. Finally, the regulation of class spatial behavior and establishment of dialogue mechanism is the guarantee of constructing the ecological class. The effective performance of Bakhtin’s Dialogue can fully activate the class spatial behavior and establish an active and orderly dialogue class, in which the students are encouraged to develop heterogeneously their individuality which paves the way for the further competitive social behaviors. Class spatial balance, like other ecological balance, is a dynamic one. Accordingly, we should frequently arrange the class spatial scale, adjust the class behavior and integrate all the class factors to produce the maximum usage of class materials to carry out, microcosmically, the maximum ecological value of college education through the research of the structure, function and its interrelationships between the parts of the classroom spatial ecology.
Key words: college classroom; spatial ecology; spatial structure; spatial effect; spatial behavior;imbalance; reconstruction
Abstract: From the logical deduction of the concept of power, all power relations have three basic attributes: extensiveness, comprehensiveness and strength. As a starting point, university student power,opposed to the administrative power and academic power,has special essence different from other powers. University student power has basic attributes of the generality of power qualification, the definiteness of domain scope and the external dependency of implementation effect. The generality of power qualification refers to the college students’ general power as the national citizens, the university subjects and education consumers in different social environment. The definiteness of domain scope refers to the college students’ power range limited in the power field of the administrative management, the educational management, logistics service and self management. The external dependency of implementation effect refers to that of the power of university students relies on the recognition, respect and acceptance of the legality of the administrative power and academic power.
Both logical reasoning, and the development of the evolution of history and reality, student power exists in university power structure and should constitute an important part of the power structure of colleges and universities. Respecting and highlighting students’ power is not only beneficial to exert students’ main body status, maintain students’ vital interests and realize the essence value of the student power, but also to balance the administrative power and academic power, promote the internal democratic management in colleges and universities and realize the added value of student power. But the power of university students faces some practical difficulties, such as lack of power awareness and system design, organization alienation and meeting with resistance in practice. Therefore, colleges and universities should ensure the recognition, respect and realization of the student power by strengthening ideology, perfecting the system design, strengthening the organization and building operation mechanism in the framework of the modern university system.
Firstly, strengthening the awareness of student power is the precondition. The organizers of universities should change their educational ideas and stick to the educational philosophy of “students’interests first”; the administrators of universities should enhance the awareness of respecting student power and establish the management philosophy of students’ self-management; the teachers of universities should recognize and respect the main body status of students, and safeguard the students’legal rights; college students should strengthen citizen consciousness and the concept of the rights protection. Secondly, perfecting the system design of student power is fundamental. The country should guarantee the students’ legal rights by formulating and improving laws and regulations; colleges and universities should provide feasible implementation path for effective operation of the student power by formulating and perfecting university statutes, and set up supporting systems which are mutually supportive with internal and external rules and regulations. Thirdly, strengthening the organization construction of student power is the guarantee. Universities should construct “co-governance” platform for students to participate in, and ensure students to participate in all the decisions related to their interests; universities should correct the alienated student union and student congress, and enhance their independence and autonomy; universities should create an operation platform of student power with organizational form of committee; universities should establish corresponding organization to guide and monitor the application of student power. Fourthly, building operation mechanism of student power is the key. Universities should establish authorities with student power, administrative power and academic power coexisting harmoniously; universities should build the mechanism of supervision and balance of the above three kinds of power to prevent students from lack of voice and conflict of collective action;countries should set up judicial intervention and review system of university internal management, and guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of students have the necessary judicial relief; universities should delimit reasonable boundary of student power, and ensure the correct exercising of student power.
Key words: power of student; power property; power value; perplex of student power; modern university system
Top Discipline and First-class University
PENG Dao-lin
If a university wants to be a first-class university, it is bound to have the top discipline,especially the major subjects in Liberal Arts and Science. The first-class universities are concerned about providing the students with advanced subject knowledge, and the high-level universities pay attention to the discipline construction. The high-level discipline is the pillar of many high-level courses, and an appropriate combination of courses is a specialty. Meanwhile, in the system of China, the firstclass universities need to have a first-rate president. Moreover, the top disciplines rely on the first-rate teachers, and it must cultivate first-class talents. As mentioned above, they are the connections between the five 'first-class'.
first-class university; discipline; president; teachers; talents;top discipline and firstclass university
"Double World-Class Building": System, Management and Technology
ZHOU Guang-li
Discussion about moderate separation rather than isolation of academic power and administrative power
HAN Xi-ping WU Qin-yu
Interpretation of Higher Education
HOU Huai-yin GUO Jian-bin
Challenges and Strategies for College Foreign Language Education Under the New Normal
LI Ming-qing
Imbalance and Reconstruction of Ecological Space: Microcosmic Reflection of College Class
NING Yun-zhong
Rational Thinking on University Student Power
ZHANG Jian-min NIE Yong-cheng
G640
A
1672-0717(2016)04-0119-03
2016-06-02
2015年度湖南省教育科學(xué)“十二五”規(guī)劃重大委托課題“湖南應(yīng)用技術(shù)型高校標(biāo)準(zhǔn)體系研究”(XJK015ZDWT001)。
彭道林(1969-),男,湖北天門人,教育學(xué)博士,湖南涉外經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)院副研究員,主要從事高等教育基礎(chǔ)理論研究。