Page 11 - Sphere No.7 (Oct 2002)

S PHERE
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known as Shanda). On its sixteenth
graduation day, it awarded its first doc-
torate in medicine, its 246th master’s,
and its 13,552nd bachelor’s degree.
Perhaps the most delighted of all was
Li Ka-shing who has been a driving
force behind the institution. Speaking at
the ceremony, Mr Li recalled “the dis-
tinctive scent of the fields on which our
university now stands. It is so remarkable
that today we gather here to witness the
conferment of our first doctoral degrees.
It fills me with an emotion that words
cannot express.”
A native of scenic Chaoshan district
in eastern Guangdong, Mr Li is among
the region’s most famous sons.
In 1940, the Li family fled from
Chaozhou to Hong Kong as Japanese
troops invaded China. Shortly after their
arrival, Mr Li began his career as an
apprentice at the age of 12. After his
father died, 15-year-old Li had to shoul-
der the responsibility of supporting his
family. He took his first job in a watch
strap company and set out on the long
road to success.
Armed only with a basic education
and the resolve to prevail, he rose to
become one of the world’s pre-eminent
businessmen at the helm of a business
empire that now spans 41 countries.
Through all the excitement and setbacks
and triumphs of his distinguished career,
he never forgot his roots.
He wanted to give something back
to his homeland and success in business
gave Mr Li the financial clout to
really make a difference. Twenty years
ago, there was no university serving
Chaoshan’s 10 million inhabitants. So
Mr Li set out to establish an institution
whose graduates could contribute to the
region’s economic progress and improve
the quality of life for its people.
But few people in those days shared
Li Ka-shing’s belief and commitment.At
times it seemed he was operating alone.
To many observers his mission to build a
top-rate university from zero seemed an
impossible dream. But Mr Li remained
focused and searched long and hard for
a suitable site on which to build his edu-
cational vision.
Finally, with the approval of the State
Council, he made a substantial donation
to develop a site on the outskirts of
Shantou, a picturesque seaport on
Guangdong’s East Coast, 43km from his
hometown of Chaozhou.
Mr Li’s dream had begun to take
shape at last.
For a man who has spent half a cen-
tury building a global business empire
establishing a lone school in his home
province could be perceived as a minor
point of focus. But Mr Li believes that
providing educational opportunities at
home is just as important as creating
wealth abroad. To date, he has donated
more than HK$2 billion (about US$256
million) to the University through the
Li Ka Shing Foundation.
Shantou University was officially
founded in 1981 and admissions began
in September 1983 with 103 students
enrolling in the first four-year under-
graduate class.
Since then, Mr Li has continued to
take a personal interest. As Honorary
Chairman, he never fails to attend the
twice-yearly University Council meet-
ings. He describes the institution as “a
commitment that transcends my life.”
Today, Shantou University over-
looks the booming special economic
zone. The 1.2-sq-km campus is fes-
tooned with palm trees and exudes a
quiet, elegant atmosphere. Its distinctive
architecture has earned it the reputation
of being one of the country’s best-
appointed campuses.
In just two decades, Shanda has been
transformed into a comprehensive seat
“A teacher
affects eternity;
he can never
tell where his
influence stops .”
— Henry Brooks Adams