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I was delighted to learn that Hong Kong's Lingnan University came in second place worldwide for "quality education" in the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings for 2020.
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I should declare an interest here. I was chairman of the university'scouncil from 2008 to 2014, and I graduated from a liberal arts college - Pomona College in the United States.
The phrase "liberal arts" simply refers to a general sciences and humanities education aimed at developing overall critical and analytical thinking.
In Hong Kong, many students - and indeed parents - have typically not favored this wide-ranging approach to college-level education.
Our society has traditionally encouraged young people to study specialized disciplines that prepare them for specific professions and careers, especially prestigious ones like law, medicine, accounting, business or finance.
Over the years, Lingnan has helped change attitudes to college education in Hong Kong. Students appreciate such features as small-class teaching and out-of-class learning experience. And there is greater realization among parents and employers of the advantages of a multidisciplinary, liberal arts background. This is especially the case in today's increasingly tech-driven, multicultural and globalized world. More than ever, we need people who can think broadly, flexibly and across boundaries.
So I am very pleased about Lingnan's new rankings success. And yes, I do realize that rankings of universities should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, this is important not just for Lingnan but because it gives recognition to the whole concept of liberal arts education in Hong Kong.
Bernard Charnwut Chan is chairman of Tai Kwun Cultural & Arts Co Ltd.
