第13任校長就職典禮致詞

陳美華校長2019.02.01

    感謝各位貴賓蒞臨文藻外語大學。

    這個講台不高，我的個子也有點矮但我知道所有的人都期待身為校長的我，視野必須要高。文藻，說大不大，但它多年來的榮譽跟傳統，讓我覺得自己的使命很重大──所以我現在已經感覺到自己很頭大了。

    站在各位眼前的我，很清楚地知道今天的主角，並不是我個人，而是文藻外語大學。大家是為這個我們共同的母校、這所這麼多年以來努力辦教育的大學，以及為社會培養了許多優秀學生的文藻而來。所以我摒棄這些日子以來的緊張，跟著大家一起迎接這個嶄新的日子。

    讓我引用美國現任總統Donald Trump 就職所講的那句話：“This is yourday: This is your celebration, And this, [Wenzao, is your school], “ So I invite everyone of you, to tremble with me so I won’t feel nervous in delivering my

speech, and I also invite you to trumpet with me for Wenzao, that we are launching a new page。

    藉著這個日子，我要跟各位分享我的心情，以及對於文藻的理念與想法。

    首先，我要感謝自己生長在一個天主教的家庭，從小，父母就提供了我在天主教學校就學的機會，讓我在至今的歲月裡，就算有了迷失，但仍然保有信仰；就算有時任性，但終究堅持正義；就算能力有限，但總是能再接再勵。

    其次，我要感恩文藻的修女、恩師、同學，以及同仁們。我很幸運，我的大半輩子都在文藻校園渡過，修女和師長們成了我的貴人，而同仁與三萬多位校友，則是我最堅強的後盾。這讓我知道，未來他們會捲起袖子、當然也期待大家拿起鞭子，來協助我、督促我。因為我的成功是大家的成功，而我如果失敗了，請放心，我要說的是：這一定是我個人的不足。但不管成功失敗，重要的是在我任內，我知道每一位文藻人，都一定會陪著我一起前進。

    我還要感念吳甦樂修會的教育理念給予我的啟發，讓我有幸能夠追隨聖安琪的腳步，在文藻的校園中耕耘砥礪。我有幸認識基督服務團，服務團以它執行力強、相互鼓勵結伴成聖的目標，讓我在追求天主的道路上更謹慎、踏實地活於基督。

    接下校長的重擔，我了解，我的所做所為如聖安琪遺訓所言：「所有的動機只為了愛天主。」所以我只是天主的器皿、工具，天主才是最終的目的。因此，未來在帶領文藻師生往前邁進時，我虔敬地祈求上主賜給我和團隊們：智慧、遠見、勇氣、堅毅、謹慎、清廉、平安，以及健康的恩寵。

    我承諾，大家的期待不會落空、聖安琪的理念我一定遵循、上主賜與的恩寵，必將開花結果。未來的四年裡，我們團隊會在歷任校長辛苦打下的基礎上，秉持「傳承精進」的信念，實踐We do ordinary things extraordinarily well～也就是「盡心盡力、出類拔萃」的誓言。而在未來四年的校務推動上，「整合、活化、創新」，則是我們提出的具體方向。

第一、 整合

    從我初入文藻的學生階段、成為文藻的教師、在文藻任職行政工作，一直到現在擔任校長的各個階段。這些階段不僅是我生命中的絕大部分，也幾乎貫串了文藻發展的歷史，我們必須整合這些由始至今文藻的各個階段，才能確實掌握文藻的核心價值和發展方向。

    文藻的定位很清楚，我們是一所「國際化天主教外語大學」，這是50年來的一貫堅持。從專科到大學、從外語專業到跨域整合是當前文藻的現況。從穩定招生到大學林立、從學術專精到產學接軌、從網路科技到人工AI 智慧，面對環境的動態變化，也許我們不能一直處於見招拆招的被動和治標。可能的話，我期許攜手每一個學院系所、每一位行政同仁，還有每一位師生、校友和伙伴，一起來打造結合外語教學、人文關懷、科技應用、在地服務、強調國際合作與行動力的學習和服務模式，讓文藻成為亞洲在外語實用人才和師資培育的標竿大學，用一種更有責任感的態度，為我們的國家、為高雄市，在外語專業的雙語教師、跨文化溝通、及文化與語言管理人才的培育志業上奉獻心力。

    如此，我們才能整合文藻的往昔與未來…

第二、 活化

    五十，算不算老？如果教育是百年樹人的志業，那文藻還很青春洋溢…重要的是，我們不可以失去年輕的熱情與活力。我想做的，是讓所有的文藻人意識到我們還年輕，因為我們沒有暮氣沉沉的本錢，如果號角響起，那麼我們應該是最驃悍的先鋒，而不是躲在後方的老弱殘兵。

    請容許我再一次提醒大家，文藻教育的核心價值是吳甦樂修會揭櫫的Life、Language、Leadership，它是LLL，不是LKK。我們以生命和靈性教育，全面性地陪伴和關懷學生的身心靈發展；以語言和專業教育，培養學生的中西文化底蘊，成為跨文化交流的窗口；但更重要的是，我們堅信吳甦樂教育SERVIAM 的理念，也就是「透過服務奉獻才能培養出真正的領導者」。所以，我邀請在場每一位師生和伙伴一起思考：用了五十年的教材，可以作出什麼樣的改變？從事了半輩子的教育工作，可以開創出什麼樣跨領域的可能性？象牙塔待久了，我們是否有更多機會與在地社區和國際產業、與非營利組織和弱勢團體有更多有效的連結？這些不僅能活化文藻師生在課程、實習、就業的教學和服務模式，更是我們實踐文藻大學社會責任的具體行動方針。

第三、 創新

    從女子專科到外語專科學校，從學院到外語大學，文藻這一路成長的過程，總共花了五十年。那未來的五十年，便是「新文藻」階段的來臨。新文藻階段的起點是大學，也就是說她長大了，所以她的任務不再是成長，而是成就。

    固然，成長也是一種成就，但橫在我們眼前的，已經不再是從專科到學院到大學體制的問題了，而是文藻如何發展與其他國內外大學與人類科技的新趨勢、與新新人類的觀點和行為、以及與社區環境間的嶄新關係。

    以文藻最大的榮耀－也就是我們的校友為例。校友們是文藻最寶貴的資產，多年來，文藻的校友們發揮著關愛與支持母校的重要功能。而如各位所知，世界各國不遺餘力透過語文教育來推動文化、經濟、人才的國際交流，厚植國家發展實力的目標。像德國設立歌德學院、歐盟設有ERASMUS計畫，大陸則在世界各地廣設孔子學院。秉持這樣的精神，未來的文藻校友總會便是一個最佳的國際平台，透過校友會的龐大網絡，建立一個傳承文藻精神、出類拔萃的「文藻校友國際講座學院」，不僅提供文藻師生們學習、進修、實習的機會，更鏈結校友在世界各國的力量，整合校友在各行各業的專長，為我們的城市、我們的國家，開創國際交流與合作的平台，這正是文藻在新階段的新使命。總而言之，這是文藻與新文藻該有的對話…

    最後，我要代表團隊，再次感謝各位貴賓、文藻的董事會、修女們、每一位師生、每一位校友、每一位家人，還有每一位好朋友的蒞臨。您們的臨在與支持，給予了我無比的信心，最後，就讓我們學台北市長柯文哲在就職典禮所說的那句話：「那我們就努力工作！」

    感謝大家、我愛文藻，祝福大家春節快樂！

President’s Inauguration Speech

The 13th Presdient-Prof. Chen Mei-Hua

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages.

Standing behind this podium, which quite matches my tiny figure, I understand clearly I have to fulfill your expectation for a university president with a vision from high.Wenzao is not great in seize, but its glory and heritage truly make me feel big in my mission, and not surprisingly, I’ve already felt big in my headache now.

Right in front of you is not the main focus of today’s ceremony but only a representation of Wenzao University. You have come here for the reasons that this is our alma mater, that this is a university fully dedicated to education over the years, and that this is a place where excellent students are nurtured for our society. Like you, I welcome this brand new day for Wenzao, suppressing my nervousness.

Please allow me to modify the words of US President Donald Trump in his inauguration speech, “This is your day: This is your celebration, And this, [Wenzao, is your school], …So I invite everyone of you, to tremble with me so I won’t feel nervous in delivering my speech, and I also invite you to trumpet with me for Wenzao, that we are launching a new page. On this special occasion, I would like to share my feelings and my thoughts on Wenzao’s mission.

First, I am grateful for having been born in a Catholic family. My parents offered such precious opportunities for me to study in Catholic schools ever since my childhood that the influence lasts till today. Although I may have lost my path sometimes, I still keep my faith. Although I may act recklessly, I still adhere to justice. Although I may find myself limited in capability, I am still able to regain my strength to continue.

Second, I would like to thank the Ursuline sisters, my teachers, classmates and colleagues. I am very fortunate that most of my years have been spent on the Wenzao campus with you all. The sisters and the faculty are my guardian angels, while my colleagues and the alumni, around 30,000 in number, are my strongest allies. I know in the depth of my heart you will roll up your sleeves to assist me in my work, but I also anticipate your supervising me with a whip of sincerity. If I succeed, it will be a success of joint efforts, but if I fail, I must say, it could only be my personal responsibility. Whatever the case, during my four years of office, I will have the comfort of knowing every Wenzaorian is on my side in my every move.

Also I appreciate the chance of having been inspired by Ursuline education, so that I have been able to follow the steps of St. Angela to cultivate the young people on campus. Blessed by the acquaintance with the Christian Service Community, which demonstrates efficient management, solid ties and mutual support to reach the sacred goals, I am able to act more prudently and live humbly in Christ in my search for the Lord.

Taking over the heavy load of the presidency, I will do all that is possible “to love the Lord” as instructed by St. Angela. To my understanding, I am only a vessel and a tool, because only the Lord is our ultimate goal. Therefore, when the time has come for me to lead our faculty and students, I devoutly pray to the Lord to grant my team and me the blessings of wisdom, vision, courage, perseverance, prudence, integrity, peace and health.

Here I make my promise that I will never disappoint you in my work as I will follow St. Angela’s teachings, and with the Lord’s grace, there will be thriving results. In the next four years, our team will continue on the foundation of our former presidents by both “inheriting and advancing” the development to realize the motto “we do ordinary things extraordinarily well”; namely, we vow to be “unreserved in dedication and peerless in excellence.” In our four-year strategic planning, we propose accomplishments through “integrating, regenerating, and innovating” as our substantial approach.

I. Integrating

Ever since I came to Wenzao, I have experienced different stages as a student, a teacher, an administrator, and currently as the President. These stages not only have constituted the major part of my life but also have been woven into the developmental history of Wenzao University. We must integrate the essential features of these stages in order to take hold of our core values and directions.

The role of Wenzao is clearly defined; we are and have been an international Catholic university of foreign languages for over 50 years. In our consistent development either from a junior college to a full university or from foreign language expertise to cross-disciplinary approaches, we have confronted fierce competition in student enrollment with the booming number of Taiwan’s universities, as well as challenges to switch from academic professionalism to fit into industrial tracks, or from IT to AI. Struggling with the drastic changes in the environment, we may no longer be able to stay passive or remain superficial in dealing with problems. If possible, I expect to work hand in hand with every college and every department, with every staff member in the administration, every faculty member and student, and with every alumnus and partner to forge Wenzao into a leading university in Asia for language application and teacher training, by providing a learning and service mode that integrates foreign language instruction, humanities and social care, IT application, community service, with features on international collaboration and mobility. We aim at a more responsible attitude to devote ourselves to our nation and our city by cultivating bilingual teachers in foreign language teaching, and talents in cross-cultural communication and management and cultural industry. In this way, we will be able to integrate Wenzao’s future with its roots.

II. Regenerating
 

Is a 50-year-old human being regarded as old? In our Chinese expression, education is a career of a minimum of a hundred years. By this standard, Wenzao is still brimming with youthfulness. More importantly, Wenzao should never lose its zest for life and vitality. What I have in mind is to raise the awareness that we are still young and that we have no right to remain in a state of inertia. When the bugle calls, we should be the pioneers, charging forward instead of lagging behind like the feeble or the senile.

Please allow me to remind you of Wenzao’s 3 Ls: Life, Language, and Leadership, adopted from the core values of Ursuline education. The first L is “life” referring to life education. We accompany students and care for their wellbeing in their physical, emotional and spiritual growth. The second L means “language” with which we nurture the cultural depth of students in western and eastern traditions and make them the interface for cross-cultural communication. Above all, the final L for “leadership” is modeled after “Serviam” of Ursuline education, a conviction in which we firmly believe, namely, to cultivate true leaders through service. Therefore, I invite provoking thoughts from every faculty member and student here. What changes can be made to the teaching materials that we have used over the past 50 years? What alternatives can be created out of and cross over the field of education, which we have indulged in for half of our life? Are we able to move out of the ivory tower to seek more links with local communities, international businesses, NGOs and organizations for the less privileged? These practices not only vitalize our modes of teaching and service in the perspectives of curriculum, internship, and employment but also consolidate feasible approaches to fulfill Wenzao’s university social responsibilities.

III. Innovating
 

Dating back to the early days of a women’s college, to a junior college of foreign languages, to a four-year college, and finally to a full university, Wenzao has actually spent 50 years in its growth. The next 50 years will be the stage of a new Wenzao, whose starting point is the current university status. In other words, its mission no longer aims at growth but achievements.

Nevertheless, growth is one of the achievements. Yet, what lies across in our front is not the structural change from junior college to university but developing solutions to collaborate with other universities, to meet the demands of technological trends, to inspire with a vision and empower the digital generations in their performances, and to form brand new bonds with local communities.

Take for example Wenzao’s greatest glory, our alumni. They are our most treasured assets. For years, they have cared about and supported their alma mater, performing all possible functional roles that most people expect. However, they can go beyond their current contribution. As we all know, every nation is endeavoring to promote international exchange in culture, economy, and talents through language teaching in order to strengthen national development. Examples include the Goethe-Institute of Germany, ERASMUS of the European Union, and the Confucius Institute of China. In light of this, the future Wenzao Alumni Association will be the best international platform for such exchanges. Through the global network of Wenzao alumni we will be able to establish an outstanding Wenzao alumni academy of international lectures
following the heritage of Wenzao’s spirit. Not only will it offer opportunities to Wenzao faculty and students for learning, for further studies, and for internship but it will also link the strengths of alumni around the world and integrate professionalism in various fields to create a platform for international exchange and cooperation for our nation and our city. This is exactly the new mission of a new stage. To sum up, this should be the dialogue between former Wenzao and New Wenzao.

Finally, on behalf of my team, I would like to extend my gratitude to our guests, Wenzao’s Board of Trustees, Ursuline sisters, faculty and staff, students, alumni, my friends and family. Your presence and support offer me the greatest confidence. To end my talk, I am going to borrow the words of Mayor Ko of Taipei City in his inauguration speech. “Now what’s left to us is to work hard!”
 

Thank you all. I love Wenzao and I wish you a happy Chinese New Year.