Ma & Morley Scholars return to China
More than forty years since the chance meeting at West Lake in Hangzhou, China that sparked the friendship between Jack Ma and the Morley family, a new generation of globally-minded aspiring leaders from the University of Newcastle visited China for a unique cultural exchange.
Students from the 2021 and 2022 cohorts of the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program travelled to China in June for a long-anticipated visit to Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou. The 32 scholars toured fascinating sites including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China, shared cultural exchanges with local students and families, and gained valuable insights into life and work in China.
The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program was established in 2017 following a generous US$20 million philanthropic commitment by the Jack Ma Foundation. It aims to inspire the next generation of globally aware and socially conscious Australian leaders through lifechanging leadership and educational opportunities.
The Ma & Morley story began in 1980 when Ken and Judy Morley took their three children to China on an Australia China Friendship Society tour. Mr Morley became a highly influential figure in Mr Ma’s life, inspiring his yearning for social change. The China immersion aims to emulate the eye-opening and transformative experience Jack Ma had when visiting Newcastle for the first time in 1985.
For me, this 12 day China immersion to Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou was completely transformative. A recurring theme across all aspects of the trip for me was ‘connection to people’. From the moment we got on the plane, or stepped foot on the Great Wall, to the time we visited Alibaba, everybody was so open, welcoming and friendly towards us scholars.”
-Keely Dunning, 2022 Ma & Morley Scholar
Click here to see behind-the scenes of this life-changing trip.
To find out more about the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program, please visit here.
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