Speech by Dai Bin at the 2013 Work Conference of the External Device Research Institute

On December 28, 2012, Dean Dai Bin delivered an important speech at the 2013 work conference of the External Device Research Institute. The full text is as follows:

Social service is the necessary path for the growth of academic communities

Comrades: Since its official establishment in 2008, the China Tourism Research Institute has been embarking on a non-traditional path of exploring innovation. From the introduction of the discipline construction system guided by "serving the industry and serving the country" in 2009, to the "talent construction" in 2010, the "internationalization construction" in 2011, and the "academic achievement construction" in 2012, coupled with strategic interactions with local governments, academic institutions, corporate groups, and international peers in the practical process. Over the past five years, although I dare not say that I have fully understood it, I have basically outlined the development philosophy, internal and external structure, and operational points of the institution. Now is the time to discuss with comrades several fundamental issues related to the construction and development of peripheral research institutions. To be honest, the research institute cannot provide traditional resources within the system, such as funding, projects, or even a low-level "platform". It's embarrassing to even boast about it. Why establish these peripheral research institutions when there are thousands of tourism schools, tens of thousands of tourism education research institutions, and effective operation of tourism education branches? Or what are our vision and goals? What efforts should we make to achieve our ideal in our hearts? If there is no clear answer to these metaphysical questions, just hanging a sign and taking turns to gather once a year, I believe that over time, the vitality and energy of peripheral research institutions will gradually disappear. On the basis of emphasizing academic inheritance and innovation, we first proposed the concept of "academic community" at the 2011 annual conference, and last year made the cultivation of young academic talents the strategic mission of the academic community. Looking back at the past two years, this concept can still be recognized, and from the annual work summary, everyone has done a lot of effective work for it. Now it seems that we still need to explore the connotation of the academic community from the surface to the inside, such as how its tourism characteristics are reflected compared to other disciplines? What are its Chinese characteristics compared to other countries? I don't have a clear answer to this, but I would like to take this opportunity to share some ideas and ask for criticism from my colleagues. 1、 The practice of the tourism industry requires more social services from the academic community. Except for the Kunming branch, the other 11 branches and research bases are all established based on universities. Early universities focused on talent cultivation and teaching work, while Humboldt University, founded in 1809 and known as the "mother of modern universities", placed scientific research in an equally important position as teaching. In 1930, philosophy professor Gasset of the University of Madrid in Spain proposed in "The Mission of the University" to step out of the "ivory tower", open the school gates, enter society, serve the public, and promote social civilization. Then, the University of Wisconsin in the United States proposed the function of serving society, and education and society generally accepted the consensus that social service, talent cultivation, and scientific research together constitute the three basic functions of modern universities. In the World Declaration on Higher Education, Prospects and Action for the 21st Century, published by UNESCO in October 1998, it was explicitly stated that "we reaffirm the fundamental mission and important role of higher education, particularly in promoting sustainable development and progress for society as a whole, to be maintained, strengthened and further expanded. Starting from this, whether or not you are a member of the academic community of China Tourism Research Institute, social service is the essence of tourism colleges. From the beginning, China's tourism education and scientific research have developed synchronously with the tourism industry. Whether it is professional settings, teacher training, curriculum construction, or textbook construction, they have all responded promptly to the practical needs of the tourism industry's development. I still remember the first generation of scholars in hotel management sitting on the podium in formal attire, using a physical projector to teach hundreds of managers about Western etiquette. The second generation of scholars went deep into the hotel and taught supervisors and supervisors step by step how to develop service processes and technical standards, including taking the initiative to greet each other when meeting, answering the phone within three rings of the bell, and limiting the number of cigarette butts in the ashtray to no more than three. Going forward, we will provide consulting services for hotels in areas such as engineering management, marketing, and information technology construction. Don't underestimate these micro and even trivial knowledge and skills. It is precisely in the process of similar social services that university tourism education pragmatically and effectively serves the practice of the tourism industry, and has also won recognition from the industry and society for the university. This does not mean that the cultivation of more advanced professional theories and comprehensive qualities is no longer important. Later, scholars who received professional training began to engage in hotel development strategy consulting and more macro industrial economic research, making contributions to society. Our evaluation of the merits and demerits of our predecessors must be placed in a specific historical context. Each generation of scholars has a historical mission, and as long as they respond wholeheartedly to the demands of their time, they have reason to receive the respect that future generations deserve. Of course, we also need to understand that history is moving forward, and industrial practices and social development are constantly innovating. Our goals, levels, methods, and paths for providing social services must also keep pace with the times. Many times, it's not that we are too old to move, but rather that young people who are more suitable for the demands of the times have risen up. The current and future development of the tourism industry has not only not reduced the requirements for theoretical workers in higher education and research institutions, but also has a wider scope and more urgent demand. Starting from the first golden week of National Day in 1999, after more than ten years of development, national tourism has truly emerged. We expect the domestic tourism market to exceed 2.9 billion people this year, and the outbound tourism market may exceed 80 million people. In contrast, the proportion of 134 million inbound tourists in the total plate of the tourism economy is already negligible. More noteworthy is that since 1999, China's tourism service trade deficit has been expanding year by year. In this context, continuing to use the theories of inbound foreign exchange earnings, government leadership, and advanced development cannot implement national strategies, nor can it effectively guide the development of local governments and tourism enterprises. Therefore, it is necessary for the academic community to reconstruct the theory of contemporary tourism development, systematically answer questions such as why tourism development occurs, what tourism development relies on, and what tourism development does, and then use theoretical innovation to promote the transformation and development of tourism practices in major countries. At the micro level, there are also a large number of hot and difficult issues that require the wisdom contribution of contemporary tourism scholars. For example, the judgment of the operation cycle and development trend of the tourism economy, how to improve the individual guest reception system in tourist destinations, what kind of business model should be adopted by tourism investment and entrepreneurs, how to calculate the optimal capacity of tourist attractions, and so on, are all practical issues that the tourism academic community and theoretical workers must face. When conducting academic exchanges in universities, whenever asked how to find a good research topic, I am always confused: from the medium and long-term planning of the national tourism industry, to how travel agencies and stores can survive, and how community residents, especially those from ethnic, border, and impoverished areas, can effectively participate in the tourism development process, we all need to contribute our talents! Whether it is scientific research or talent cultivation, we cannot simply follow a closed loop path by burying ourselves in books and closing doors. We cannot only focus on macro narratives, but also pursue peer evaluations within the circle and personal academic achievements. In this regard, I am willing to share two things that left a deep impression on me during my official and academic exchanges in Taiwan. One is the resident artist system in mountainous indigenous areas, where they live with the villagers and study together with folk artists how to enhance the artistic taste of traditional handmade products, making them more in line with the aesthetic requirements of contemporary people, especially tourists. The modern dance troupe founded by Mr. Lin Huaimin, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, is well-known all over the world, but it still insists on going to the countryside and among the grassroots people. The second is the professional volunteer system, in which relevant departments subsidize professionals to "pair up" with small and micro enterprises and individual businesses in need, without having to talk too much about theory, but to help them do industrial design, cultivate brands, build market channels, and ultimately improve the ability of grassroots people to participate in the commercial system. I really hope to introduce these two systems into the practice of mainland tourism industry, and I also hope that the academic community of China Tourism Research Institute can lead the way. This is also the practical background for me to propose "social service" as the theme of the research institute's 2013 work. 2、 Effective participation in social services is a necessary path for the growth of a tourism academic community with Chinese characteristics. In the process of international exchange and cooperation, I consciously seek out academic institutions of the same type, especially tourism research institutions with government backgrounds, as well as universities with which government tourism administrative departments and tourism enterprise groups cooperate on a regular basis. However, so far, there are only two institutions available: the Korean Cultural Tourism Institute (KCTI) and the Australian Tourism Research Institute (TRA). Perhaps countries and regions with highly developed market economies and tourism industries such as Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea do not have as many problems as us that require policy research, so the government does not need to invest in specialized think tanks. But there is still a need for project research, mostly subcontracted to well-known comprehensive think tanks and commercial research institutions. The researchers from these institutions are also the ones we deal with the most outside. Professors in higher education institutions, on the other hand, basically do not have any dealings with the government or industry. They are more concerned with publishing papers in designated academic journals, applying for academic research projects from the Science Foundation, and then being promoted to a higher professional title to accumulate academic reputation. They then publish more papers and apply for more project funding. I once talked to officials from the tourism department about this phenomenon, and they said that those professors only criticize the government and enterprises, and do not provide constructive opinions and suggestions. It seems that the world is equally cool and hot, which is in line with the ancient Chinese saying, 'A scholar is useless.'. The different stages of economic and social development and academic environments in China and foreign countries are fundamentally the result of the refinement of social division of labor, which is why universities and professors in developed countries and regions are like this. From a global perspective, they have more academic discourse power and international influence. The construction of China's tourism discipline and academic community, which is still in the stage of exploration and growth, cannot take this path and is destined to be impossible. To truly establish theoretical confidence, especially to promote more theoretical innovation in the future development process, we can only take the path of combining scientific research with social services. Consciously accepting objective evaluations from service recipients helps to measure and verify the true level of academic community guidance for industrial practice. We often say that practice is the only criterion for testing truth. If we really want to test it, we also need to be mentally prepared, which may greatly damage our academic confidence. For example, it is easy for some local leaders to say "improve the cultural quality of the destination", and they will ask you in return: should we build a cultural center, museum, cinema, or grand theater, or build a citizen square where ordinary people can sing and dance freely? If built, when will it be built? What is the scale of construction? Where does the funding come from? After asking a few questions, I'm afraid I'll start sweating. When we do tourism planning, we also require local governments to protect cultural authenticity based on relevant theories. However, we do not know the true feelings of residents living in the original ecological environment, who also have the desire to pursue modern life! I remember at the academic seminar on ethnic tourism held in Qinghai, I gave a preliminary explanation on this topic under the title "Poetic Imagination or Walking with Reality". I haven't figured out how to solve this problem yet, but there is a general direction, which is to come from tourism practice, go to tourism practice, and confidently improve one's academic level through the interaction between theory and practice. Stepping out of the school gate to provide social services for the development of the tourism industry can truly connect contemporary tourism concept research with local characteristics, give innovative courage and confidence in dialogue. Theory is gray, but the tree of practice remains evergreen. Why do scholars in the humanities and philosophy and social sciences sometimes lack confidence compared to scholars in the fields of natural sciences and engineering sciences? Why do Chinese tourism scholars often appear less confident compared to their international counterparts, even if they speak English fluently and have published multiple academic papers in SSCI? I think the fundamental reason is that I didn't receive the local sentiment and didn't have genuine feelings. I just studied it for the sake of research, just to force myself to express my sorrow for writing new words. Comrades, you can take a look at the papers in current core journals. On the surface, the research methods and academic paradigms seem to have been solved. From literature review, research significance, hypothesis formulation, questionnaire survey, statistical tools, mathematical modeling, to conclusions and prospects, the whole set of actions is also very coherent, but it feels hollow. Because there is no truly touching theme or solid practical background, of course, it can only be a facade. When we engage in dialogue with international peers, of course, the prerequisite is that we must be one of them. If we have first-hand information, data, and relevant cases from the process of social service, we will have more confidence in discussing those profound theories. Using Chinese cases, contemporary cases, and personal experiences to test existing theories proposed by predecessors, and then revising and innovating them, until presenting one's own views and constructing a new tourism theory system, is an exciting thing to think about. Especially when these concepts, propositions, and theories carry a fresh scent of soil that can be touched and warmed, it can greatly promote pure scientific research and talent cultivation on campus. The reason is simple. The common people think that the theories we study come from practice, and the students we cultivate go to practice. Can they not welcome it? Father and brother welcomed, and the employment issues of students and the social influence of scholars were naturally resolved. Social service is not only a way for young scholars to grow, but also a necessary path for the tourism academic community to cultivate renowned masters. Wang Guowei said in his book "The Words of the Human World": "Those who have achieved great things and learned great things in ancient and modern times must go through three realms: 'Last night, the west wind withered the green trees. I climbed a tall building alone and looked out to the end of the world.' This is also the first realm. 'As my clothes gradually widen, I will not regret it, and I will be exhausted for the sake of Yi.' This is also the second realm. 'I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd, but suddenly looked back, that person was in a dimly lit place.' This is also the third realm." Buddhism and folk have similar sayings. The Zen master Qingyuan Xingsi of the Song Dynasty proposed three realms of meditation: at the beginning of meditation, I saw mountains as mountains, and water as water; When Zen is enlightened, seeing mountains is not mountains, and seeing water is not water; In meditation, one realizes that seeing mountains is still mountains, and seeing water is still water. Looking back at the path taken by our generation of scholars, there are always a few days when, for example, wearing a doctoral cap, being appointed as a professor, or receiving authoritative awards, we feel that we are amazing. Looking at the world, we can't stop thinking about who else is better than us. I don't know if everyone has it, but I do. But more often than not, there is a lack of confidence, because the more you know, the more you don't know. Dialectics is about this principle. What shall I do? I think we still need to step out of the study and polish our own frivolity in the process of social service. By being with millions of tourists, residents, and frontline employees of tourism enterprises, we will gradually learn to speak in the voice of ordinary people, in a way that the people can understand, while our academic background becomes more and more profound. You know, the old mother speaks everyday language, while the old monk speaks plain language. I always feel that our generation of tourism scholars have caught up with a good time. The industry practice in the golden development period requires us. The increasingly strict academic standards have strengthened us. The strength of the country and the development of outbound tourism have made international peers willing to listen to China's voice. What we may lack is the experience of social service and the need to improve ourselves in the process of social service