政壇：睇社論學英文：大學排名又輸陣 知識經濟淪空談

大學排名又輸陣 知識經濟淪空談

研究機構公布全球大學最新排名榜，過去兩年均為「亞洲一哥」的香港大學首次被新加坡國立大學超越。其實這個結果並不令人驚訝，近年港星兩地多項比併，香港總是落於人後，大學教育質素此消彼長，不過是反映兩地競爭力差距擴大的終極一跌。

大學科研在在需財。新加坡大學排名得以超越香港，關鍵之一是政府近年致力擴充大學基金規模，鼓勵國民向大學捐款，港府也有類似資助大學教育措施，可惜論規模與力度都難望獅城項背。事實上，數據顯示，港府在研究與開發的投入，僅佔生產總值比重不足百分之一，在先進經濟體中叨陪末席，商界資助研發方面，也落後於大多數亞洲國家及地區。巧婦難為無米之炊，大學科研經費不足，質素下降在所難免，港府儲備豐厚，卻長期吝於對大學的資源投放，教育質素下跌正是當局缺少承擔的結果。

港府管治無能，香港優勢不保，近年在競爭力、營商環境和經濟增長等多個領域均每況愈下，如今連人才之本的大學教育也在倒退，等於失去翻身的資本。沒有人才，就沒有明天，要擺脫經濟發展停滯困局，重振綜合競爭力，也只是不能實現的空想。

Falling in university rankings, Hong Kong’s talk of knowledge-based economy is merely hot air

A research institute has released its latest world university rankings. In the past two years, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was number one among Asian universities. But it has now, for the first time, been taken over by the National University of Singapore (NUS). In fact this is not a surprising result. In a number of contests in recent years where Hong Kong competed with Singapore, Hong Kong has consistently lagged behind. On the ladder of education quality, one university rises at the expense of another. The new result of world university rankings is just the latest evidence of the widening gap between the two places’ competitiveness.

Huge resources are needed for university research. One of the key factors that helped NUS excel HKU is that, in recent years, the Singaporean government has been encouraging citizens to donate to universities so as to enhance funding for education. Although the Hong Kong government has similar measures for sponsoring university education, the extent and depth are a far cry from those of the Lion City. Statistics show that Hong Kong government’s investment in research and development (R & D) only accounts for less than 1% of the GDP, the lowest among all developed economies. As for the business sector’s sponsoring of R & D, Hong Kong is also inferior to most Asian countries. One cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. If universities do not have enough funds, their qualities are doomed to fall. While the Hong Kong government boasts a rich reserve, it has long been stingy with investing in universities. The drop in education quality is exactly the consequence of the government’s lack of commitment.

With such poor governance, Hong Kong will not be able to maintain its edge. In the last few years, Hong Kong has seen deterioration in competitiveness, business environment and economic growth. Now even university education, the source of talents, is retrograding. So even if the city were to stand up again, there would be no backing. The lack of talents will deprive us of our future. Our dream to emerge from the economic stagnation and restore our competitiveness will just be a castle in the air.

重要生字

one cannot make a silk purse

out of a sow’s ear 巧婦難為無米之炊

stingy with 吝於

castle in the air 不能實現的空想