The University of Hong Kong has appointed Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, as an honorary professor of business, as announced by the school on Friday. This comes after Ma’s rare public appearance in China weeks ago, following his fall from grace during the government crackdown on the tech industry two years ago.
Ma has maintained a low profile since his speech attacking Chinese regulators in late 2020, which led to the cancellation of Ant Group’s planned IPO by Beijing.
The professorship has a three-year term until March 2026 and the university welcomed Ma’s “rich knowledge and experience in business innovation and development.”
While Ma has “no plans for public lectures or speeches,” according to the South China Morning Post, he looks forward to returning to campus life after a hiatus from the world of education, according to the Jack Ma Foundation.
