OPINION> Commentary
Right role for university heads
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-24 07:43

The recent appointments of new university heads in China provide a good opportunity to resolve the current conflict between administrative and academic powers, says an article in Guangzhou Daily. The following is an excerpt:

Last week, a survey that polled 5,358 respondents found that 70.5 percent believed that the head of a university should be an educator. As for who is suitable to be president of a university, Chen Pingyuan, a professor with Peking University, believes it need not be top scholars.

"I oppose the practice of appointing top scholars to be leaders. Some of them continue to conduct academic research after being appointed, which turns everything upside down," Chen said.

Based on the survey's results, we find the academic world and the public agree that the president of a university should not be too bureaucratic and money-minded, and the position should be held by genuine educators. In addition, if we really want educators to head universities, a professional system must be put in place.

Currently, the head of a university engaged in both research and administration, could interfere with the academic evaluation system because of his or her power.

Reality shows that the president of a university is usually a mix of a government official, an academic researcher and a supervisor of PhD students. Administration and academic research is not separated.

It is time to boost the professionalism of university heads. Once a new president is appointed to the administrative post, he or she should give up teaching and research work. The reason is simple: That is the price university heads must pay, and only by doing so, can we effectively prevent the intervention and influence of administrative power in academic research.

Some people pointed out that university heads should be selected in an open and fair manner with the names of short-listed candidates submitted to education regulators for appointment. Getting rid of bureaucracy at universities can begin with the appointment of professionals.

(China Daily 11/24/2008 page4)