世界一流大学的成本与收益

The Costs and Benefits of World─Class Universities

只有少数大学能处于全世界优秀大学的最顶端。这些”世界一流”大学引导着其它大学、提供了办学范例。”世界一流”有一些特有的属性─拥有建设学术设施与聘任最优秀教授的雄厚财力，充分的学术自由，注重开展前瞻性研究，坚持科研与教学的最高学术标准。从许多方面来说，对”世界一流”理念的强调有些过了头，毕竟只有极少数大学有望达到这一水准，过分强调建设世界一流大学会导致许多大学失去国家的重视和必要支持。考量”世界一流”院校的概念是重要的，而对此要有一种现实而实用的眼光也是同样重要的。

Only a small number of universities can stand at the very pinnacle of academic excellence worldwide. These “world class” universities provide leadership and are examples to the rest of academe. “World class” universities have special characteristics─great wealth to build academic facilities and employ the best professors， a high level of academic freedom and a focus on important research， and a strong sense of their commitment to the highest academic standards in research and in teaching. There is in some ways an overemphasis on the “world class” idea─only a few institutions can aspire to this status， and this overemphasis about the concept of a “world class” academic institution， but it is just as important to have a realistic and useful perspective.