Three years ago, the university campus near my home was a popular place for citizens to enjoy their activities in the evenings. However, with the outbreak of the pandemic and the closure of the school gates, the once-anticipated reopening has not been realized. Despite the constant calls for reopening, some universities have insisted on lockdowns, sparking a series of controversies.
Before the pandemic, university campuses were open to the surrounding citizens and integrated with society. This model of openness has not led to security problems or crowding out of resources, on the contrary, citizens and university students live in harmony. However, with the advent of the pandemic, the "no entry for non-university personnel" policy has made the campus closed and strict.
Although the closure of schools was originally intended to fight the epidemic, as the pandemic passed, people who hoped that the gates would reopen faced setbacks. The school gate was not unsealed as scheduled, but witnessed the strengthening of the access control system. Despite the growing calls for universities to reopen and the Ministry of Education supporting universities to open their doors to society, there are still some universities that are closed and distancing themselves from society.
The main reason for this is that some universities are concerned that reopening will increase administrative costs and may lead to unclear boundaries of responsibilities. In their opinion, closing the door is a way to avoid trouble. However, this ignores the fact that universities are publicly financed and have an obligation not only to undertake higher education and research, but also to provide services to society. On the premise of maintaining the basic teaching order, it is the proper duty of the university to open the university campus appropriately.
It is worth noting that in some countries and regions, even in places with relatively chaotic social order, the campuses of world-famous universities are completely open, or even without walls. This begs the question: why are these universities so open and not worried?By contrast, some Chinese universities have been overly cautious about their resistance to openness.
The state advocates the construction of world-class universities and open universities, and many colleges and universities also declare that they want to build open universities. However, if the door is closed, how to achieve this goal becomes a question worth pondering. An open university should not only be open academically, but also open in terms of campus management and social interaction. Only in this way can we truly become a world-class university and be in line with international standards.
In summary, the phenomenon of closed university gate management stems in part from concerns about management costs and responsibilities. However, the nature of the university is publicly financed, and it should fulfill its role as a social service. On the premise of ensuring the order of teaching, the appropriate opening of the university campus is in line with the university's positioning. The advocacy of the state and the support of the Ministry of Education have provided the policy basis for the opening up of universities, and universities should be more responsive to the expectations of society, break down closed borders, and achieve the goal of becoming a world-class university.