(Translated from Portuguese)
SPEECH OF THE SECRETARY FOR .....
Speeches
......
Ladies and Gentlemen
On this occasion when a new institution for university education
begins its activity, it is important to express in unequivocal
manner the support of the Administration and the trust we endow
to its capacity to fulfill the important mission which it has
taken upon itself.
It is not too much to reiterate the great objects pursued in the
creation of this University, which Rectors ..and ...have just
pointed out: the development of knowledge, offering new opportunities
of access to education to the youth of [country] and the community
in general; increasing the room for dialogue, a very necessary
factor in this transitional period when the communities must prepare
together undertaken projects that belong to everyone; the increase
in cultural values of the community; and finally, as Professor
.... pointed out, the training of officers and civil servants.
Our greatest investment for the future shall effectively be in
human resources, the preparation of new generations to fully undertake
the challenges which we are already facing and want to overcome.
In the several posts I have held in these last years and in various
circumstances, I have had the privilege of following the process
which led to today's inauguration of this University. I was able
to follow the long search for means, the research for solutions
to the problems this new experience would certainly bring to the
Territory, as well as the positive contribution of the Open University
of [country], essential to give this institution scientific qualities
and necessary international recognition.
This University is born at the precise moment when good wills
are met and the founders obtained consent from the Administration
of the Territory. We always wanted a [country] University to have
a decisive role in defining the structure and in the functioning
of this new institution. Fortunately for [country], the Open University
went much further than expected. It was an engagement which meant
full commitment to a project accepted as its own, offering in
this manner sufficient guaranty for the institution's continuity,
recognition and scientific capacity so necessary to accompany
the efforts of the Government of [country] in these trying times
of transition. To be able to grow, a large amount of understanding
on the part of the local community and the follow up of the Administration
will be required, aside from the active cooperation from other
institutions namely: the "....", which holds great responsibility
in the development of high education in the Territory; the University
of [country], which Professor .... knows quite well, therefore
knowing where to obtain the necessary support; the "........",
which can have an important role in the cultural development of
[country]; and other public and private institutions, so many
of them in conditions to contribute to the right affirmation of
the University in the [country] and in this region. The University
must keep a strong connection with the secondary schools of [country],
and it is encouraging to see in this room so many school directors,
especially those who direct their students towards entering high
Education.
Since this University is based in [country], an efficient cooperation
with the institutions of the People's Republic of China is necessary,
which is already coming along in a very positive manner. I, myself,
in a recent trip to Beijing, had the opportunity to obtain the
support from the authorities of the People's Republic of China,
through the State Commission for Education, for the founding of
this University in [country]. This support was well expressed
in a document handed to me the day before my return, which reiterated
unequivocally the cooperation the People's Republic of China shall
continue to give to the development of education in [country],
in every area and in this area, of course, for the role an Open
University can have in the transition period.
Aside from a Scientific Council of great quality, which Professor
...... was able to bring together,. the Open University counts
with a Rector who knows [country] as very few people do, He has
followed the development of education in the [country], aside
from the fact that he was the first Rector of the then called,
University of East Asia. ..., as mentioned by the Rector of the
Open University, was chosen because of his experience, his knowledge
of [country] and his personal qualities. A choice of a person
who gave a lot to [country] and who, in his own words, is prepared
to give all his knowledge, enthusiasm and faith in the future
of [country], and to keep on being an active element of its construction.
I also want to use this opportunity to express publicly our trust
in those associated with this project and wish that we can all
continue to work together, so that both the University and the
Administration may reach their common goals.
On this occasion we must not forget another fundamental aspect
for the success of any institution: its administrative structure,
required to be well organized and efficient. Leading that structure
is a personality many of you may not know yet, however, for many
years he was a key figure at the University [country], with great
management capabilities and today is the Chairman for the Board
of Directors of the International Open University of Asia. In
this capacity he can continue to contribute all his knowledge,
as an academic which he is as well, and as a very competent manager,
to this new University. I am talking about Dr. ...., to whom I
give my respects. He was indeed one of the great workmen behind
the foundation of university education in [country].
Professor.... with whom we have ties of friendship and great respect,
has mentioned the significance of this project which goes beyond
[year]. It is obvious we do not start a University to go for 5,
6 or 7 years; it must continue here for generations. It must begin
in a solid foundation with international recognition which the
[country] Open University assures, and it must succeed to attract
the youth of [country] and therefore assure continuity to the
project in the future [region], contributing to the maintenance
of the identity we wish to preserve.
[country] will not survive if its identity is not solidly founded,
if those that are born here or who have chosen [country] as their
home land do not believe in its future and do not assume a cultural
legacy created through many generations by the diligence of men
and institutions, of which I may mention, for example, the Catholic
Church, represented in this ceremony by His Excellency Reverent
D. ....., who himself has dedicated so much of his work to education.
We would like this University to be one more instrument, amongst
others at our disposition today, to reinforce the identity of
[country]. The ......
....
To finalize, on behalf of His Excellency [...], I wish to this
institution, now attempting firm steps to consolidation, the best
wishes of success for its academic activity and proper functioning
of its management and financial systems. As Administration, we
hope to be able to count on the full cooperation the University
will certainly give us. Jointly we shall accomplish our mission
for the good of [country] .......
To the members of the media present here today we ask you to follow
up the development of the International Open University of [country],
making the connection between such and the public, to help with
a better understanding of its objectives and the work to be carried
on by this institution.
I did not want to bring a written speech. I rather let the words
pour out of my heart at a moment that with joy and emotion we
see an old aspiration being concretized and we feel another duty
being fulfilled. With success and at the right time.
Speech by the Rector of the Open University of [country]
....
Ladies and Gentlemen
The founding of a new University is an important and solemn act
because these institutions are destined to train new officers
and functionaries, new specialists, new scientists, new teachers,
new qualified professionals in the realms of knowledge, know-how,
creativity and thought in each phase of history. The life of Universities
is not measured in years: they are considered new when they have
already operated for decades and solely mature when they have
accumulated centuries of life. To set ourselves into perspective
let us remember that the first University was founded in the remote
VIII century, at Fez, in today's Morocco; there Philosophy, Mathematics,
Astronomy, Languages and Poetry were taught. Only 500 years latter,
in the XIII century, Europe founded its first Universities of
Bologna, Paris, Coimbra and Cracovia.
They are all still in existence: Coimbra just celebrated its seventh
century anniversary, as it was founded in the remote year of 1291.
The secret of their survival was to learn to be at all times the
repository of wisdom and knowledge in each epoch- and to be able
to transmit that knowledge to each of the new generations that
use them.
As time went by, the Universities began to enlarge the base of
recruitment of their users: where at first only the youth connected
with the civil, religious and military aristocracy had access,
also began to have access the children of the high bourgeoisie,
literate and intellectuals, and only recently the members of the
less privileged classes have found their place there, completing
what we could consider a long and slow process of true democratization
of education.
The process encountered new strength after the middle of the present
century with the development of the so called distance training
methods and technologies, bringing the opportunity to acquire
new knowledge and new qualifications to remote areas, far from
the great urban centers, to people that by impediment of family
or professional nature, or by simple loss of opportunity, didn't
have the opportunity to carry on their studies in a classic manner.
With the arrival of the so called Open Institutes, education now
goes after the people when they are not able to move towards it
permanently.
Practically all countries in Europe today have their own distance
teaching systems, many other are found in Asia and the Americas
and practically in every region of the Globe. In Bangkok, for
example, about a thousand specialists, responsible for over two
hundred institutions will meet next week.
The founding in Macau of the International Open Institute of Asia
(Macau), is the answer to a lack encountered in this precise region:
shall serve the student population of Macau, Hong Kong and People's
Republic of China, offering courses according to the guidelines
of the Portuguese, English and Chinese university education. It
will count on the experience and resources of the Open University
of Portugal and the Open Institute of East Asia, founding entities;
but our performance shall count also and above all with the cooperation
of the Universities of Macau, Canton, Beijing and Formosa and
the support of the Open Universities of the United Kingdom, Canada,
Australia and many others.
This means, Ladies and Gentlemen, that the new University is making
what I would call a strong investment in education and training
in this region of the world; we intend to train people in all
possible qualifying degrees, and not merely until 1997 or 1999,
actually much beyond then - one must remember that a prestigious
University must be projected to last centuries and not only a
few years.
So it was decided by the authorities of the [country], to whom
we are grateful and give our respects for their vision of the
future. May this land of [country], that has always been a place
of encounter of cultures be more and more a center of excellence
for all human knowledge.
The difficult task of making this project, this challenge, this
dream a reality is vested on Professor ..., chosen to the highest
functions of Rector of the International Open University [country].
We believe in him, because he is the right person, in the right
place at the right time.
To him our best wishes for the performance of his duties.
[date]
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