Culture, Enterprise and Community: The Many Paths of CUHK Arts Graduate Mr Stanley Ng Chun-chiu
Talent Development and Youth Engagement
His interest in creativity and education has been put into practice through Academy INK, a training platform that designs innovative thinking programmes for corporate leaders and students.
For over 20 years, Stanley has also been active in youth and community work. As National President of Junior Chamber International Hong Kong, China (JCIHK), he led about 2,000 members in running more than 300 community projects each year. His youth work spans many parts of Asia, including Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, India and beyond, helping young people connect service, leadership and global awareness.
In 2012, Stanley was elected National President of JCI Hong Kong, China.
Stanley moderated La Violet Education’s 10th Anniversary seminar on building stronger ties between youth and the community.
Business, Anthropology and the Humanities
Stanley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Marketing and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) in Canada. He subsequently completed a Master’s degree in Anthropology at CUHK.
This combination of professional business training and an anthropological perspective shapes how he understands organisations, culture and society. His expertise in anthropology also equips him with a better understanding of the complexities inherent in diverse cultures and social dynamics. This knowledge greatly enhances his ability to contribute effectively to social projects and address community needs. By perceiving the world through an anthropological lens, he cultivates a deeper empathy for human behaviour, empowering him to drive meaningful and positive change.
In his recent Guest of Honour address at the Faculty’s Doctoral and Master’s Degrees Graduation Ceremony, he reminded graduates that generative AI can handle logic and analysis but lacks perception, lived experience and embodied understanding. Creativity, he emphasised, remains a human capacity.
Quoting a classic question in anthropology — “How is culture produced and reproduced?” — he offered a succinct reply:
“Culture is created by us, and the future is opened by you.”
Stanley shared that while disciplines such as engineering or business may focus on “making things work” or ensuring financial sustainability, the humanities have a distinctive role: to give meaning to what we do and to connect people at the level of values and hope.
Our work is to connect souls, so that everyone we meet can be a bit happier and have a bit more hope.
Stanley’s production of radio programme “Growth of the Minority” explored challenges faced by ethnic minorities growing up in Hong Kong.
Stanley was the Guest of Honour at the Faculty’s Doctoral and Master’s Degrees Graduation Ceremony 2024 – 2025.
Three Messages to Arts Graduates
In his address to Arts graduates, Stanley shared three key messages:
- Let Arts graduates be seen — He encouraged graduates to identify proudly as members of the Faculty of Arts and to share their journeys through digital branding and social platforms, so that society can better recognise and appreciate their contributions.
- Keep writing and creating knowledge — Graduates, especially at the doctoral level, are not only readers but also creators of knowledge. He urged them to remain engaged in building “meaning” in society, whether through research, public writing or professional practice.
- Return and contribute to your alma mater — He encouraged graduates to maintain a lasting connection with CUHK by returning to the University that nurtured them. In doing so, they can renew their sense of purpose while sharing their experience and insight to support and inspire future generations of students.
Shaping Futures Through Arts Education
With its rich intellectual and cultural resources, the Faculty of Arts at CUHK is committed to continuous innovation and to advancing the humanistic spirit in Hong Kong, across the nation, throughout the region and beyond. Stanley’s story demonstrates the values that define the Faculty of Arts: breadth of vision, flexibility in thinking and practice, and a deep sense of commitment to society. An Arts education equips graduates to create culture, forge meaningful connections and help shape the future in diverse and impactful ways.
