Jack Ma takes up visiting professor post in Japan
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Tokyo College said Mr Jack Ma would “conduct joint research and projects” with faculty members.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
TOKYO - Chinese billionaire Jack Ma on Monday took up a visiting professor position at a Japanese university, another new academic role for the founder of tech giant Alibaba.
Tokyo College, part of the prestigious University of Tokyo, said Mr Ma would “share his rich experience and pioneering knowledge on entrepreneurship, corporate management and innovation” in seminars for students and staff.
The 58-year-old has kept a low profile since his fall from grace
But he recently accepted an honorary professorship from the University of Hong Kong’s business school,
On its website, Tokyo College said Mr Ma would “conduct joint research and projects” with faculty members, “especially in the field of sustainable agriculture and food production”.
As visiting professor, the magnate is also expected to “provide advice and support” on research topics.
Before launching Alibaba – whose operations span e-commerce, cloud computing, media and artificial intelligence – Mr Ma taught English for eight years at Hangzhou Dianzi University in eastern China.
He was one of the most high-profile targets of a crackdown on alleged anti-competitive practices by some of China’s biggest names in tech from late 2020.
Driven by fears that major Internet firms control too much data and expanded too quickly, regulators issued Alibaba with record fines and scrapped the initial public offering of Mr Ma’s Ant Group.
Mr Ma has largely been absent from public view over the past two years, but was spotted on a Spanish island and was reportedly living in Japan for much of 2022.
He made a rare public appearance in China in March,
