Page 9 - Sphere No.5 (Feb 2002)

S PHERE
7
W HEN MY COLLEAGUES
learned of today’s topic,
they offered an abundance
of diverse opinions. Some thought 5Qs
would be more encompassing than just
3Qs and some said an infinite number
of Qs would be required to cover
everything.
Well, everybody knows that I am
neither a scholar nor am I presenting a
paper today. I just want to share some
of my observations and knowledge,
drawn from reading and filtered through
my experiences in life.
Is there a QED (quod erat demon-
strandum) formula for success that holds
true everywhere and always?
Each and every one of us may have
grandiose visions and dream great
dreams. The demarcation, of course, is
whether we are able to turn our
dreams into reality.
When we triumph, will we continue
in our pursuit of excellence? When we
fail, will we become fixated by nostalgia
and fall into a dark abyss of despair?
In life we all have to face tough impo-
sitions that at times cut right through us
like chilling winds. That goes for the
most learned and the most successful,
and likewise for me. Like everyone else,
I also have my share of unfulfilled
dreams, disappointments, disillusion-
ments and anger. And I have wept when
sadness has taxed my soul.
Life, with all its complexity and ever-
changing nature, is a perennial challenge.
Our IQ helps us gauge problems
cerebrally, logically and analytically,
enabling us to acquire the technical
skills and professional expertise that
helps us navigate our course.
Our EQ (emotional quotient) guides
us through self awareness and empathy,
strengthening the “esprit de corps” in the
family and in school as well as at work.
Our SQ (spiritual quotient) is the
compass that guides our quest for
values and beliefs as we encounter life’s
qualitative differences with indepen-
dence of mind, critical thinking and
creativity. SQ transforms experiences
into sagacity, empowering us with
perseverance and countenance.
For me, all three Qs are equally
important. Together they add up to
much more than the sum of their parts.
Today, the global economic outlook
is certainly not encouraging. This
downturn makes life more difficult.
Unfortunately there is no perfect
solution in such times of change,
which adds to the hardship, and there
is no reassurance that our problems
will ease shortly.
The wise have long realised that
today is no longer yesterday; change,
whether desirable or not, is inevitable.
Even if devoid of immediate solutions,
these wise individuals will not be para-
lysed into malady and inertia.
Their focus is not myopic; they
seek out the positive over the petty
and paltry. They know that facing
life’s vicissitudes proactively is part of
what makes life worth living and that
accumulating experiences fortifies the
foundation of success. Even if their trials
and tribulations persist they will prevail,
because they are enterprising and ready
for all possibilities.
Dear friends, we all at times wish for
a magic wand that will bring us success
by a mere wave of our hands. Some are
totally consumed by this thought, yet
the best of what we are lies in what we
hope to be. In the book of life, each of
us is the author of the chapter of our
success.
Thank you very much.
THE 3Q S OF SUCCESS
University President Professor Poon
Chung-kwong said Mr Li was well
known for his views that education and
a society’s economic development are
closely linked. “His donation is a
demonstration of support for PolyU’s
goal of forging ‘dedicated partnerships
with business and industry’ and its
motto ‘to learn and to apply, for the
benefit of mankind’.”
The working class of Hong Kong
previously had few opportunities to
continue their education. The financial
support provided by Mr Li Ka-shing is
a donation not only to the PolyU, but
also to Hong Kong as a whole,
Professor Poon added.
“With the donation going to life-
long learning and the development of
small- and medium-sized enterprises,
we believe the community will benefit
both directly and indirectly.”
The HK$100 million from Mr Li—the
biggest personal donation ever received
by PolyU—came as a godsend to the
University’s ongoing, self-financed initia-
tives to provide education opportunities
for mature and working students, as
well as to enhance the competitiveness
of business and industry.
The money will directly benefit the
University’s School of Professional
Education and Executive Development
(SPEED) and the Institute for Enterprise
(IfE), which together offer over 1,170
programmes each year to more than
26,000 working adults.
SPEED is taking steps to expand its
Associate Degree programme offerings
and has submitted a proposal to the
Government to establish a Community
College, which, if approved, will be able
to draw on the donation to assist stu-
dents whose tuition is not subsidised.
The IfE offers professional services
to enhance the competitiveness of
business and industry. It provides a
self-financed one-stop-shop for com-
panies and organisations wishing to
make use of the University’s prof-
essional services in new technology
Mr Li Ka-shing’s Naming Ceremony Speech
and product development, manage-
ment and executive training, and
enterprise and business development.
Professor Poon said Mr Li’s support
was particularly meaningful in a
changing economic environment.
“As Hong Kong heads towards a
knowledge-based economy, Mr Li has
enthusiastically donated towards the
development of higher education to
help strengthen its pool of talents. His
vision and support for us thus means
much more than sponsoring PolyU
and tertiary education, it is about
enhancing the competitive edge of
Hong Kong as a whole.”
COURTESY HK POLYU (2)