Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Congregation Remarks for PolyU Dept of Computing Graduation Ceremony 2011

Professor Surya, guests, members of the Faculty, parents and most of all, the graduates,

It is my distinct honor today to make this congratulatory remark to you, the graduating class from the Department of Computing, on this special day of the Congregation ceremony.

Today is the day that your hard work and dedication have finally paid off, as you receive your degree in Computing. The Congregation ceremony should affirm your search for knowledge, confirm the effort and the achievement by each of you, and hopefully, inspire you to continue to make yourself a better man or woman, to contribute to society, to your family and to your country.

No doubt, you have chosen and will be entering one of the most challenging and rewarding fields in our rapidly-changing globalized world of today – information and communications technology. In the last twenty years, as entrepreneurs in providing Internet and mobile technology and services have changed our lives, many ICT companies around the world, including in China, and including many startups, have become greatly influential in their own ways, contributing significantly to the world's economy.

But in addition discussing to the challenges and reaping the rewards in the field of profession you have chosen to enter, I would like to take this occasion to remind you of your new role and identity as an ICT professional, and the core values of being professional.

Upholding professionalism is definitely much more than just “doing a good job.” A professional must look beyond politics to maintain an independence that is based on a respect for scientific evidence, and putting the interest of the public ahead of private, personal or commercial gains. A few years ago, a number of core members of The Professional Commons, a cross-sectoral group of professionals in Hong Kong, proposed the “New Professional Core Values,” which are summarized as three basic points – independence, responsibility, and foresight. Let me tell you what we proposed.

First, professional independence and integrity – which means professionals must “speak truth unto power.” In circumstances where political and economic pressure are rampant, speaking up for what is right and speaking out against what is wrong, on the basis of one's professional judgment, require great courage. Professionals would change the culture so that speaking the truth becomes the norm in society.

Second, commitment to put the responsibility to the public good first. Professionals are often accountable to their clients or their teams. Yet when public interest is at stake, professionals must act in the interest of the public first, not just our own private interest, or our employer's commercial interest. Of course, it is also our responsibility to try our best align these interests, so that we can contribute our professional knowledge to enhance the public good.

Third and finally, having the foresight to embrace a global vision. By keeping ourselves abreast of the latest international trends, professionals are in the best position to promote community understanding on the global risks and challenges that society faces, and to explore new local opportunities. This is where professionals can contribute the most by injecting new energy into the community and by preventing close-minded thinking in society.

While only a great man like Steve Jobs can tell graduates to "stay hungry, stay foolish," a simple, average but hopefully decent fool like me can just ask you to remember about these values: Integrity, independence, the responsibility of putting public interest first, and having the foresight to embrace global vision. It is with these core values of professionalism that I want to leave with you – the unchanged value against a sea of ever-changing ICT trends and opportunities.

I thank you, the Computing Class of 2011, in advance for the contribution you will be making in the years to come for the ICT industry, for Hong Kong, for China and the world, and being a professional of whom your peers will be proud of. I wish you every success and congratulate you again on your graduation.


徐教授、各位嘉賓、工程學院仝人、各位家長及畢業生︰

在今天畢業典禮的重要日子,我能夠有機會為各位,尤其為今屆電子計算學系的畢業生致祝賀辭,是我莫大榮幸。

今天,你成功獲得你的電子計算學系學位,正是你的辛勞和努力的美好結果。這畢業典禮,當能為你們追求學問以及種種努力成果作出肯定,也勉勵你們繼續努力,做好自己,為家庭、社會和國家作出貢獻。

無疑,你選擇了現今這快速轉變的全球化世界中,最具挑戰性和最令人滿足的領域之一 – 資訊及通訊科技。在過去二十年,當創業者以互聯網和流動科技改變我們的生活時,全世界不少的資訊及通訊科技公司,包括來自中國的公司和很多的新創業公司,都已經變得非常有影響力,為全球經濟作出巨大貢獻。

不過,除了討論這行業的挑戰和回報,我希望利用這機會和你們談一下你們今天以後新的角色 -- 資訊及通訊科技的專業人士,和專業的核心價值。

恪守專業肯定不是只「做好這份工」。一個專業人士必須摒棄政治立場,保存以科學為根據的獨立,並把公眾利益放於任何私人、個人或商業利益之先。幾年前,公共專業聯盟的一些核心成員,共同推動「新專業核心價值」,總結來說,就是以下三點:獨立、責任,和先見。讓我解釋一下。

首先,專業獨立和誠信,也就是說專業人士要敢言。在政治或經濟壓力下,專業判斷是其是、非其非,需要極大的勇氣。專業人士要改變大氣候,使講真話重新成為社會的常態。

第二,以公眾利益為先的承擔。專業人士的工作往往需要向客戶或團隊負責,但當任務與公眾利益有所衝突時,以公眾利益先行就是對社會最高的承擔。當然,我們也有責任透過我們的專業知識以促進公共事業的發展。

最後,第三,就是擁抱全球視野的前瞻。掌握國際趨勢,促使社會了解全球化的風險與挑戰,從而在本土發掘新的發展機會,正是專業人士為社會注入新動力、防範自閉思維的重要貢獻。
敢言、專業獨立和誠信,以公眾利益為先的承擔,和擁抱全球視野的前瞻。我希望把這些核心價值與你們共勉,希望它們能成為你們在我們資訊及通訊科技行業不斷變化的環境下,堅守的不變價值。

二零一一年電子計算學系的畢業生,日後你們將為改變香港、國家以至世界的未來作出貢獻,在此我要感謝你們,並恭祝各位鵬程萬里,令你們的專業同袍都為你們自豪。

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