At the recent graduation ceremonies of Peking and Tsinghua universities, the speeches delivered by the two institutions' presidents drew the most attention of the graduates because they were peppered with cyber terms. Though the speeches were good, their importance as a lesson should not be exaggerated, says an article in Yangtze Evening Post. Excerpts:

No matter how lively, practical or even rich in cyber words a graduation speech is, it has no relation with the quality of education of a university or its students' success in the future.

Even if a university president's graduation speech is full of cyber words, it is not expected to have an everlasting inspiring effect and educational value for long.

Such a speech is not likely to make a difference to universities' efforts to break the administration's hold over education, either. The style used in a speech depends on the individuality of the person delivering it. The real problem with higher education is not professors and presidents or lack of knowledge about the Internet but the dearth of values, innovativeness and guidance.

Apart from offering better quality education, Hong Kong universities remain a great attraction for Chinese mainland students because of their advanced educational concepts. The education mechanism and academic atmosphere in Hong Kong universities offer students a larger space to hone their knowledge, talents and skills, and a bigger stage for individual development.

Irrespective of being traditional or modern, the essence of education is the opportunity it can offer to broaden the mind, pursue a cause with passion and cultivate talent.

Whether or not a university president is adept at using cyber terms is of minor consequence with no real value in the big, wide world outside campuses.

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