选择与调适：西方大学理念在近代中国

Abstract

In the process of the educational modernization in China, foreign educational theories have played important roles. Modern university and university concepts are introduced from Europe and America. The spread of the western university concepts provided Chinese universities new ideas and elements, which influenced the latter greatly including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Southeast University and Nankai University. The paper aims to reveal the changes of modern Chinese universities in the process of the introduction of the university ideas in German and America. It proposes two views. One is that university concept is always changing and developing. The transition from German classic university concept to American modern university concept is a continuous and interactive course. University makes progress in the tension forces between classic and modern university concepts. The other view is that after classic and modern university concept had been channeled into China, modern university concept played a prominent role, which was decided by Chinese tradition rather than the university presidents. American modern university concept includes non-utility academic research and practical technology research. Just like a coin has two sides. But Chinese people only focused on the latter respect and they engaged in the utility and practice. So Chinese universities are lack of both classic and modern concepts. Therefore, our top universities construction is facing two major tension forces between classic and modern university concepts and the one between classic university concept and the Chinese traditional culture.