ABSTRACT
Hong Kong is not immune to a global trend of higher education reform which aim at improving the quality of education and maintaining its relevance to socioeconomic needs in the age of globalisation when market forces and competitions are the core values. While universities are expected to be more adaptive (Sporn, 1999), enterprise-oriented (Marginson & Considine, 2000) and entrepreneurial (Clark, 1998, 2004), both Lucas (1996) and Readings (1998) warn against a crisis looming in higher education for universities have been under growing political pressure for reform in face of more acute competition for public or government resources which have become more limited as a consequence of more stringent budgetary control. The traditional image of universities as ivory towers being immune from the world of commerce is no longer valid. In fact, as Kennedy (1997) stated, universities are controversial places, and they have drawn intense public scrutiny on their obligations and duties in order to regain public trust. Under such a circumstance, academics’ work seems to be more demanding for they have to teach, publish, serve and even risk change.
