Top scholars also have a duty to teach

FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES Wuhan University in Central China’s Hubei province has hired six academicians and four professors to teach a basic course. Guangming Daily commented on Monday:

Having six academicians and four professors teach a basic course is an enviable privilege for those students taking it. Even more so given that the 10 prestigious scholars have been teaching the course for 20 years and will continue to do so in the coming years, which has led to debates over whether their academic talents are “wasted” or “well spent”.

Some universities such as the National Southwest Associated University (1937-46), built their reputation hiring top scholars to tutor undergraduates, many of whom later managed to achieve academic success thanks to the quality teaching they received.

Tradition aside, according to a guideline issued by the Ministry of Education last year, distinguished scholars including professors and associate professors are required to teach more undergraduate courses and focus on teaching. That is a laudable move, and more has to be done to reform the academic evaluation system to which scholars are subject.

Some researchers find teaching less appealing because their academic credentials are largely built on how many essays they have published in top academic journals and whether their research projects have borne fruit. So the education authorities should make teaching part of the assessments of how good a scholar is.

It is the college freshmen that are in need of guidance from a seasoned professor since their knowledge about higher education and future career options is limited. Having veteran scholars in an elementary course could help students make the right decision regarding their majors, if the scholars take the class seriously rather than using it as a springboard for elevation.