Tycoon Walter Kwok sponsors four students to read public policy at top British institution
BEN WESTCOTTben.westcott@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Monday, 14 September, 2015, 12:00am
UPDATED : Monday, 14 September, 2015, 12:00am
This year's scholars gather in Wan Chai.Photo: K.Y. Cheng
A scholarship programme to one of the world's leading universities aims to cultivate future local leaders as the recipients pursue public policy studies.
Four students will be heading to Oxford University. The two undergraduates and two graduate-level students received scholarships from the Walter Kwok Foundation, sponsored by local businessman Walter Kwok Ping-sheung.
Since 2012, ten students from the mainland and Hong Kong have been awarded the prize, which previously included a chance to study a master's degree in public policy at Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government. Next month the two undergraduate students have the opportunity to study a three-year philosophy, politics and economics degree at Oxford.
Charlie Wang Luo-dan, 18, originally from the mainland, is one of the two undergraduate scholarship recipients.
Wang, who moved to Hong Kong at 14, said while he intended to make a difference through public policy work with the Hong Kong or mainland governments, he was not certain what awaited him beyond his studies in Britain.
"Just look at Hong Kong's political landscape one year ago. No one would have anticipated Occupy Central at all, so how could we anticipate what we'll do after three years if you ask us now?" he said.
He will be joined by 17-year-old Brian Wong Yue Shun, a native Hongkonger who studied at Island School. Wong said he was keen to improve local civic and political engagement.
"It's all about giving back to Hong Kong and facilitating a better political interaction between the increasingly economically interconnected China and Hong Kong," he said, adding that it was important for Hong Kong to consider what consequences introducing democracy would have for its relationship with China.
The two other students, Tong Jingwen and Ankie Ng Hay Mun, from the mainland and Hong Kong respectively, were granted scholarships to study a master's degree in public policy.
Kwok, the programme benefactor, said the city needed new thinkers for a more democratic government and society.
"We need more young people to serve Hong Kong," he said. "One of the best ways to improve future leaders in politics, government and public service is to have a good academic background."
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1857878/bright-minds-bickering-city-hong-kong-students
