Professor Way Kuo, President of City University of Hong Kong (CityU), emphasised the importance of learning through practice at two recent talks to high school students, teachers and family members.

He delivered his talks on 9 and 10 December to 300 students and teachers at an Education Enhancement Lecture Series at Pak Kau College, and to 250 teachers, family and students at an awards presentation ceremony of the Ninth Highwise Service Foundation Award for Exemplary Hong Kong Teachers, respectively.

Professor Kuo encouraged students at Pak Kau College to strive for success by following their aspirations. In his talk, entitled “Ways to Success”, he pointed out there were many different paths to success.

“While some people succeed by seizing opportunities; some have the blessing of timely help; others depend on their own talent; and still others have success thrown at them, the result of pure luck,” Professor Kuo said. “But hard work and perseverance are the key factors for sustained success.”

“If we look at the stories of successful people, we will find that they all possess some common attributes, which can be summarised as discipline, passion and perseverance,” Professor Kuo added. “With such attributes, you will all realise your dreams in the end, though the ways you take to reach your destination may be different.”

Professor Kuo also urged the students at Pak Kau College, which upholds the Confucian motto that “learning is open to everyone”, to have self-belief. “If you aim high and hit the middle, it’s still nicer than aiming too low and missing the mark,” he said, quoting the Analects of Confucius.

At the awards presentation ceremony organised by Highwise Service Foundation of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong at Kwang Hwa Information and Culture Center, Professor Kuo emphasised that real learning through practice was more important than getting a degree. “Follow your heart and pursue what interests you, and reap the rewards later in life,” he said. “If we are to improve people’s lives and society as a whole, you need something deeper to aim for, more nourishing, and more meaningful than simply financial security. Teachers serve as the bridge to real scholarship and as mentors for your success.”