Battle to the Death: From a Textile Mill Worker to a University President

Author: Kong Xianduo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Born into chaos, the author led a nomadic life in his youth. At the age of fifteen, he illegally crossed into Hong Kong and worked as an apprentice in a textile mill, working from 6 PM to 6 AM the next day. On days that seemed bleak to others, he found hope. He worked and studied part-time until he was nineteen, eventually earning a spot at National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan without a formal education. In 1962, he pursued a master's degree at the University of Guelph in Canada and later obtained a doctorate from the University of Toronto. In 1971, he became a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, and was later hired by the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland. He held positions such as acting department head, vice-dean, and acting vice-president. In 1991, he joined the founding team of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, serving for ten years as the head of the School of Science and vice-dean for academic affairs. After retiring, he actively promoted the development of education in mainland China, serving as an honorary or visiting professor at over ten universities, including Peking University and Fudan University. Under his advocacy, his hometown university, Linyi University, has broken ground. He believes: "Effort yields results; if I work harder than others, I will have a brighter future."