教授终身制 is to protect Academy/Science Freedom and should exist forever to prevent the professors with power (Dean, President, et al) of universities use his administration power to involve to academy discussion, etc. In 1960s/70s, Li SiGuang (Minister of Dept of Geology of China) made order to use his theory to explain the geology in whole China, and everyone had to follow the rule otherwise their papers can not get passed.