Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) today (7 January) held its first “Talk of Metropolis” of the year, featuring a dialogue titled “Transforming the World through Education” between Dr Charles Chen Yidan, Founder of the Yidan Prize, and Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, President of HKMU. Dr Chen shared his vision for the future of education. Through the Yidan Prize, he hopes to recognise changemakers in education whose work are future-oriented, innovative, transformative and sustainable, and support their education research and development initiatives to create a better world through education.
Hailed as the “Father of China's Internet Philanthropy”, Dr Chen was one of the core founders of Tencent in 1998 before he stepped down at the peak of his career to devote himself in philanthropy. He established the Yidan Prize, the world's highest education accolade, in 2016. In the dialogue, Dr Chen shared his personal experience and journey to education philanthropy. He envisions the Yidan Prize as a beacon of hope in education, spotlighting bright ideas and practices and serving as a platform for exchange and collaboration.
Dr Chen believes that education has the power to change the world, and that prioritising education means prioritising socio-economic progress. He recognised that the pandemic and other disruptions have brought unprecedented challenges to education systems and family systems globally, affecting the mental health of many students. He emphasized that, in today's fast-changing world, education should innovate to keep up with change, ensuring that equitable access to quality education for all.
“Education is the cornerstone of civilisation and the driving force behind innovation, social progress, and equality,” said Dr Chen. “The Yidan Prize promotes educational advancement, encourages dialogue, and fosters collective efforts to drive lasting change progressively. The prize is a platform for educators worldwide to exchange ideas with a shared mission to create a better world through education.”
HKMU Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung expressed his gratitude to Dr Chen and Prof. Lam for their insightful dialogue. Ir Dr Wong noted that HKMU has been actively encouraging its staff to be innovative in teaching and learning. The University launched the “Teaching and Learning Research Fund” to promote research on effective learning methods and the adoption of technology in teaching. “In light of the vision of 'transforming the world through education', HKMU will amplify its impact by equipping students with the skills required in this era and cultivating their care for society, thereby influencing life with life,” he said.
Dr Chen has received many accolades for his philanthropic work. He was ranked at the top of the “13th China Charity Ranking” in 2016 and was China's top philanthropist on the 2017 Forbes China Philanthropist List. He was also acclaimed as the “The Most Compassionate Philanthropist”, one of the “Top Ten Philanthropists of China”, and “The Pioneer of China's Internet Philanthropy”.
The “Talk of the Metropolis” series aims to provide a platform for people from all walks of life to be inspired by the views of experts and scholars, thereby having a positive impact on social development. All talks in the series are broadcast on the University’s “Knowledge for All” programme on Sunday mornings on TVB Pearl. To learn more about the public lecture series and watch past videos, please visit https://www.hkmu.edu.hk/pao/talk-of-the-metropolis/.
