Chapter 437 Professors run the school?

money! ?

Liu Tao suddenly laughed.

Panshan Group is short of money, but what Panshan Group lacks is big money, not small money.

The construction costs and annual operating expenses of the Southwest Associated University can only be covered by the huge Panshan Group with a little squeeze every year.

But Liu Tao is even happier. Yang Zhenning can consider so much, which shows that Yang Zhenning is very serious about rebuilding the Southwest Associated University.

"Professor Yang, please don't worry about money. We have already designated the campus of Southwest Associated University, which covers an area of ​​6,000 acres. It is right next to Dian Lake. Yunnan Province will build a university town around Dian Lake, with the name of Southwest Associated University "As the center, we will form a cluster of universities and scientific research institutions and become another university and scientific research center in China," Liu Tao introduced.

"The construction cost of 'Southwestern Associated University' is 1 billion yuan, and the annual cost will be no less than 100 million yuan in the future, depending on the actual situation each year." Liu Tao said slowly: "'Southwestern Associated University' is managed by our Panshan Group. It belongs to our Panshan Group, not the Provincial Department of Education or the Ministry of Education. The higher authorities attach great importance to the reconstruction of the Southwest Associated University and allow the Southwest Associated University to implement professors' governance and will not interfere with the Southwest Associated University easily! "

"Professors run the school? Is the state providing such great support?" Yang Zhenning was shocked.

Two university management models, professors running the school and directors running the school, exist in Europe and the United States.

But as far as Yang Zhenning knows, in China, the party leads everything. In universities, the president, senior school party officials, vice presidents, etc. are actually state cadres, and the president even has to listen to senior school party officials.

"Does the domestic education community now know that professors govern schools?" Yang Zhenning couldn't help but ask.

Germany is the birthplace of modern universities. It gave birth to the first university of modern significance, the University of Berlin, and established many systems that have had a profound impact on the operation of modern universities, including the "professor-run" university teaching management system.

Under Germany's "professor-run" system, the number of professors is very small and they are tenured. Professors have a high status in the university, have great power, and also have a high social status.

Under such a system, professors have played a huge role in the construction of German universities, promotion of scientific research, and technological development.

‘Professor governance’ has also been practiced in China. It was first seen at Peking University during the Cai Yuanpei period. It aims at all professors participating in the negotiation and decision-making of the school’s constitution through an elected council. In the mid-1920s, in response to the political turmoil, universities called for the establishment of a "professor-run" system to resist the invasion of political forces. However, with the end of the Beiyang Era, the Jinling National Government adopted a policy of restraint on the education sector. Tsinghua University, which was not part of the education system, was accepted by the people. Taking advantage of the "replacement of subordinates and abolition of Dong" controversy, not only the "professor governance" that had not been implemented originally was The school bucked the trend and was confirmed at the institutional and charter level, and under Mei Yiqi's leadership, it became a model of "professors running the school" in the education sector. After Jiang Menglin took over again, it became "principal running the school and professors running the school" in line with the National Government. 'The Peking University is in stark contrast.

But after the founding of the Republic, the educational community was unified.

Liu Tao nodded and said: "Yes, the country is undergoing reform and opening up, and education is also undergoing reform. The Southern University of Science and Technology in Pengcheng was donated and established by Mr. Huo Yingdong from Xiangjiang. It implements 'school directors governing the school'. Rebuilding the 'Southwestern Associated University' ’, the state has also given great support and used Southwest Associated University as a pilot unit for higher education reform to explore reforms in higher education.”

"Education is a national matter and is not suitable for large-scale expansion, so as not to cause confusion in education and affect national development. Choosing the Southwest Associated University as the reform pilot unit is just a point that can make everyone see clearly that there are problems. It will not affect the whole country." Liu Tao introduced, "Of course, Professor Yang, you travel frequently in Europe and the United States, and you should also know that Germany's 'professor-governed school' system has obvious disadvantages today, even to the extreme. There is no reform stage, so we can’t copy it completely.”

In Germany, as the representative of ‘academic figures’, professors’ status is so high that it goes without saying. Professors in German universities generally have tenure, and until the professor retires, he is succeeded by other professors.

Not only that, these professors can enjoy generous treatment, enjoy a high social status, be at the top of the German higher education system, and even enjoy the status of "life-long national civil servants". Universities are not allowed to fire professors at will. Professors form the senate, council or academic senate of the university, and the decision-making power of the school, including the selection of the school principal, is carried out by these institutions composed of professors.

As the core force of teaching and scientific research in German universities, professors’ main responsibilities include organizing teaching and scientific research activities. Professors are usually the only chair holders in a certain subject field in Germany. They lead the research direction of the entire department, are responsible for raising funds, supervising doctoral students, and even have the responsibility of hiring teaching and scientific research personnel. As for other people in the university teaching and scientific research system, including lecturers, teaching assistants, students, non-scientific researchers, etc., they must accept the leadership of professors and collaborate to complete various tasks of the school.

Germany’s ‘professor-governed school’ system has obvious advantages, but it also causes obvious disadvantages.

For example, for professors themselves, due to the advantage of the "lifelong system", some professors, while enjoying this supreme honor, also develop a slack mentality due to the lack of pressure. Although most professors cherish this hard-earned title, in the absence of an assessment and elimination mechanism, there are still some professors who are satisfied with the status quo and do not make progress.

For example, for other teachers, due to the limited number of professorships, many talented young scientists do not have the opportunity to show their talents. In German universities, the research work of scientific researchers is often restricted by professors. It is very late to be able to truly conduct scientific research independently. It is often a feeling of "a daughter-in-law who has been working for many years to become a mother-in-law". This system is not conducive to the development of young scholars.

For students, due to the small number of professors in universities, it is difficult for ordinary students to get the opportunity to receive guidance from professors. Compared with the number of professors, the number of students is large, and the ratio of students to professors is very high. Students have few opportunities to communicate directly with professors, which is not conducive to the development of academic careers.

Yang Zhenning nodded. He had been exposed to these things and naturally knew the advantages and disadvantages of "professor governance".

"And the implementation of 'professor governance' by 'Southwest Associated University' does not mean that the Youth League and the Party organization no longer exist. The Party's leadership over everything cannot be shaken. The Youth League and the Party organization are to ensure that the school is consistent with the Party and the country." Liu Tao emphasized, "After the establishment of 'Southwest Associated University', I concurrently served as a senior Party official of the school. Unless it is a major event or necessary, I will not easily interfere with the operation of the school."

Rebuilding 'Southwest Associated University' and implementing 'professor governance' by 'Southwest Associated University' does not mean copying it completely. Appropriate adjustments should be made, and those who need to be tightened should be tightened. At critical moments, the situation can be reversed.