At the age of 18, back in 1986, Professor Li was faced with a choice between following in his father’s footsteps in medicine or his mother’s in kindergarten education. “To my surprise, they both recommended each other’s career!” he chuckles. However, his passion for early childhood education (ECE) and desire to shape young minds from their very first years led him to choose this path.

Professor Li began his career as a lecturer of early childhood education at EdUHK – then the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) in 2000. “I really enjoyed it. I had opportunities to work elsewhere, but HKIEd was dedicated to teacher education, had a flagship department in ECE, called the School of Early Childhood Education, and was on a beautiful campus,” he says. After five years, he left HKIEd to work more on the research side. He spent 13 years at The University of Hong Kong, where he became Programme Director (MEd) of the Faculty of Education, and then four years in a similar role at Macquarie University in Australia before returning to EdUHK in 2023. “It feels like I’ve come full circle,” he says.

Professor Li (left) with President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin and other members of the Senior Management at the 2024 Spring Media Reception

Nevertheless, EdUHK has changed dramatically since 2005. “While we’ve always excelled in educating future teachers, EdUHK is now a comprehensive university,” says Professor Li. Evoking the three key dimensions of observation and analysis in Chinese philosophy – time (天時), location (地利), and human factors (人和) – he believes the timing is right because the local and national governments are very supportive of education. Geographically speaking, Professor Li recognises Hong Kong as a major connection between China and the outside world, and thus, it is a global centre of education, research and academia. Also, EdUHK’s campus is very close to the rest of the Greater Bay Area, so cooperation and integration are easier. “Regarding human elements, we have a host of promising, prolific, productive and passionate scholars,” explains Professor Li. “And our President John Lee has been at EdUHK for over 10 years, so he knows the University well. He is also a visionary leader and passionate educator at heart. This is a perfect combination for the position,” he adds.

Looking ahead, Professor Li sees the current challenges in ECE in Hong Kong, such as the low birth rate and the closure of kindergartens, as opportunities for growth and innovation. “This situation prompts us to reevaluate the role of ECE in our society and learn from other countries. For instance, we could draw inspiration from Australia, where ECE services are available for up to 13 hours a day, benefitting both parents and the economy,” he suggests.

Professor Li (back left), when lecturer at HKIEd’s School of Early Childhood Education, at the school’s first symposium (2000s)