UNIVERSITIES OF THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1484, 5 July 1912, Page 5

UNIVERSITIES OF THE EMPIRE.

A GREAT CONGRESS.

INTERESTING PROBLEMS DEBATED. i ■ EXCHANGE OF PROFESSORS. By Telograph— Pros3 Associntion-Copyrixlit London, July 3. Lord Rosebery, in opening tho Congress of tho Universities of the Empire, said the Empire was belted round,,with universities. Each part of the Empire had its owu problems, parliaments, and municipalities, but all looked to the universities to supply honourable, incorruptible, strenuous men. He hoped the congress would result in tho finding of a permanent chnniiel for inter-communica-tion that might result in the solving of theso problems. Tho congress debated the question of tho specialisation by universities of postgraduato study. Professor Allen, of Melbourne, UTgcd that the Homo universities "should modify their regulations and assist colonial graduates desiring to continue their researches in Britain. Tho Government entertained tho delegates to tho Congress at luncheon at tho Savoy Hotel. ' Many notables • were present. (Rec. July 4, 10.30 p.m.) " London, July i. Lord Curzon presided at tho morning session of tho Universities Congress, and introduced tho problem of universities and technical and professional education. He announced that Oxford University was framing a curriculum with a view to a mercantile career.' i

Dr. J. W. Barrett, of Melbourne, initiated a discussion on the exchange of professors between the various universities of the Empire. He advoca'ed a central bureau to arrange such an exchange, and suggested that English professors should visit Australia and deliver a year's lectures, and conduct an annual examination, and Australian educationalists meanwhile taking the visitors' duty in England.

Mr. A. J. Balfour presided in the afternoon, when the topic for discussion was the special difficulties of Eastern universities. He said tho introduction of Western knowledge was apt (o bring a catastrophic change, destructive to the traditions and moulding of Eastern life and character. PROBLEMS TO EE SOLVED. The Congress of the Universities of the Empire, uow sitting in London, ; s tho 'first attempt at federating tho universities of the Empire, and the first gathering of properly accredited representatives for which a comprehensive' programme of work has been prepared. Tho congress w : ll only last four daysJuly 2-s—but tho delegates will travel in ono another's company, visiting the varioM universities of Great Britain and Ireland for nearly a month,'thus having excellent opportunities of discussing Iho affairs of their own universities and comparing notes. Each of the universities to bo visited hag had its own problems, which, at great expenditure of intellectual effort, it lias solved with more or less success, yet in no two are the local conditions, tho opportunities of usefulness, and tho needs exactly similar. Among the cliairiiicn of the six sessions will bo Lord Rosebery, Lord Curzon, Lord Rayleigh, Lord Haldane, and Lord Strathconn, and tho subjects under discussion will embrace the following questions:— Specialisation among universities. Inter-nniversity arrangements for postgraduate and research students.

The relation of universities to technical and professional education and to education for the public services. Interchange of university teachers. Tho problem of the universities in the East in regard to their influence on chnracter and moral ideas. Conditions of entrance to universities; the mutual recognition of entrance tests. ■Universities and the after-careers of their students. University extension and tutorial classwork. The establishment of a Central University Bureau; its constitution and fuuehona. The position of women in universities. A very practical issue which has been pressed upon the attention of the congress by several colonial universities (says the "Westminster Gazatle") is the establishment of a Central University Bureau. Such a bureau might, it is contended, perform a large number of important functions. The Court of Governors and the Senate or Council of every university meet at regular intervals for the considera- ■ tion of questions of policy. They come to decisions which are embodied in (heir statutes and regulations, and are in many caniß reported in the press. It would help other universities and .save tho time of their officials if, when they find themselves faced by a similar situation, they could apply to tho bureau. Tho periodical publication of university information, of general interest has been suggested as a possible function of the bureau. It could act, in the strictest confidence, as an employment bureau, receiving the names of teachers who are seeking advancement or who for various reasons wisli to migrate, informing them nf vacancies and supplying to electing bodies names of possible applicants. At the annual meeting of Hip Boynl Photographic Society recently, Mr. H. (Jliaurnan Jones, lecturer on photography at the Imperial College of bcionce, was elected president in succession to Lord R?desdale. Mr. Jones was also awarded the progress medal of the society.