By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese tech giant Alibaba, has been made an honorary Professor of Business at a leading university in Hong Kong, the school announced on Friday.
The University of Hong Kong on Friday said Ma had accepted an honorary professorship from its business school.
A spokesperson for the institution said it welcomed Ma sharing “his rich knowledge and experience in business innovation and development”.
The professorship carries a three-year term ending in March 2026, according to local media.
The school’s website now contains a profile of Ma highlighting his expertise in “management and strategy”.
In 2018 the same university awarded Ma an honorary doctorate.
The appointment comes weeks after the billionaire made a rare public appearance in China after a government crackdown on the tech industry over two years ago that affected its fortunes.
Ma has kept a low profile since late 2020 when a speech he made attacking Chinese regulators was followed by Beijing pulling the plug on a planned IPO by Alibaba affiliate Ant Group.
A record fine of $2.75 billion was later imposed on Alibaba for alleged unfair business practices.
However, Ma has “no plans for public lectures or speeches”, according to the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper wholly owned by Alibaba.
The Jack Ma Foundation, a charitable organisation set up by the billionaire in 2014, told the Post that “after a hiatus from the world of education, Mr Ma looks forward to returning to campus life”.
