LettersHong Kong graduates should realise that university is not all about learning job skills
- The primary purpose of an university education has more to do with fostering an intellectual mind, rather than enhancing employability or vocational training
With the proliferation of tertiary institutions, receiving higher education is no longer the privilege of the elite. Yet, a more educated population does not necessarily come with more employable jobseekers – because the primary goal of university education is never about vocational training.
The association between the two is naturally formed because, for many, university education marks the end of their academic career and heralds the beginning of their work career.
Plus, most universities are increasingly commercialised, as is evident in their perpetual pursuit of ranking in league tables published in university guides. The authorities join in the chorus and misconstrue universities – and indeed education as a whole – as the answer to the social demand for human resources.
If students aspire to acquire only vocational skills from skilled professionals, they will realise that university is not the ideal place for this purpose
The Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors is a prime example of this pragmatic thinking. All these trade away the soul of university education.
Universities should be distinguished from secondary schools and vocational training colleges, in that universities inspire new thoughts, advance our understanding of the world and, most importantly, foster an intellectual mind.