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Hong Kong newspapers carried a rare
picture recently – two men for whom
the hard knocks of life didn’t allow them
to finish high school – who have been
spectacularly successful. Mark Wahlberg
is a huge Hollywood star with producer
credits on one of the smartest TV shows
of the last decade: the multi-award-winning
Entourage, a cutting inside look at his own
industry. He sat down with Mr Li Ka-shing
during a break in filming of Transformers 4
in Hong Kong.
Mr Wahlberg and Mr Li discussed the
tough circumstances of their lives that
caused them to leave school early. Mr
Wahlberg did eventually – in September
of this year – receive his high school
equivalency. Quoted in
People
: “I didn’t want
the kids [his children] saying, ‘You didn’t do
it, so why do I need it?’” he said. “They are
all wanting to do things in their future that
require an education.”
Mr Li has a deep commitment to education
that is manifested through the Li Ka
Shing Foundation (LKSF). The LKSF has
the means to support a broad range of
charitable causes – and does. But education
is, in particular, of interest. And not just
education, but the exchange of knowledge
through cross-university cooperation.
The recent contributions to bring Israel’s
Technion to Shantou University (STU)
and the McGill-STU exchange are only the
latest in a long series of supporting cross-
university connections. Details about these
gifts are detailed in this publication and beg
the question: why cross-university tie-ups?
The connections promoted here come
with no guarantees of success. Israel’s
extraordinary creativity and technology
is legendary. Matching Israeli tech verve
to China’s deep academic tradition may
produce rapid progress and insights in
the area of Big Data, life sciences, health
systems and mechanical engineering.
The McGill-STU exchange connection
might produce understanding and
innovation in the area of law, liberal arts
and business education.
However, the fact is that no one really
knows exactly what benefits will arise
from these liaisons. It requires the type of
informed risk-taking that HWL managers
must take when outcomes are uncertain.
We may not know what the results will be,
but we know nothing ventured, nothing
gained. The LKSF is in the rare position of
being able to initiate education reforms
that others cannot.
Mr Li understands this responsibility to
support mankind’s higher endeavours: “In
this new world of fluid boundaries, the fast
changing, fascinating, and transforming
power of technology sometime does seem
to wave like a magic wand, bringing new
models and opportunities to many frontiers
and generating new solutions to entrenched
problems at a pace that is often hard to
keep up with. Our responsibility is to invest
in reforms in education that unlock that
genius and enable the continuing realisation
of human potential, building a knowledge
rich society and securing a sustainable
quality of life for all. Failing to do so
amounts to a crime against the future.”
Both Mr Li and Mr Wahlberg appreciate that
their circumstances are extraordinary – and
not easily imitated. For most, education is
the key. Mr Wahlberg demonstrated this by
going back to school to set an example for
his children. The LKSF shows commitment
by connecting the world’s best centres of
learning around the globe. What exactly will
arise from the liaisons cannot be known –
but it is certainly worth the effort.
The LKSF has repeatedly backed global university connections.Why?
IDEA
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Mark Wahlberg
meets Mr Li Ka-shing.
