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Chapter 779 Kyoto University Hengsheng School of Economics
Deafening applause echoed like a tidal wave across the sports field of Beijing University.

More than 10,000 teachers and students expressed their approval and admiration for Lin Haoran's speech with the most enthusiastic emotions.

Standing on the platform, Lin Haoran felt the slight vibration of the wooden planks beneath his feet and the sea of ​​young, enthusiastic, and eager-to-learn faces before him, and his heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

He bowed slightly, a humble yet confident smile on his face.

The principal and several white-haired economic giants stepped forward, grasped his hands tightly, and their excitement was palpable.

"Mr. Lin, brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Your lesson was truly enlightening, not only pointing the way for our students but also providing us educators with profound inspiration! Thank you!"

"You flatter me, Principal," Lin Haoran replied modestly. "It is my honor to have the opportunity to exchange ideas with elite students from Peking University and share some of my humble opinions."

I was deeply inspired by your school's academic atmosphere and the enthusiasm of your faculty and students.

"Mr. Lin, it's a rare treat for you to come all this way. I wonder if you have the time to show us around Peking University and extend a little hospitality?"

A vice-chancellor warmly invited, "Although Kyoto University has a long history, it has many new features, and we hope to receive guidance from you, an entrepreneur with an international perspective."

Lin Haoran glanced at Liu Xiaoli and Li Weidong beside him. Liu Xiaoli immediately understood and whispered a reminder: "Mr. Lin, there are no other important arrangements for this afternoon."

“Alright, then I’ll gladly accept your offer.” Lin Haoran readily agreed. “I have long admired Peking University, and this is a perfect opportunity to experience the splendor of this academic institution.”

In fact, even if the vice principal hadn't mentioned it, he had this plan in mind.

After all, it's not easy to come to the top university that you longed for most in your previous life. If you don't even visit it, wouldn't it be a waste of your trip?

Accompanied by the president, vice president, and several department leaders, Lin Haoran and his entourage left the still bustling sports field and began their visit to Beijing University.

Liu Xiaoli followed closely beside Lin Haoran, trying her best to play the role of "personal secretary," but she was still deeply shocked by the scene of thousands of people flocking to the streets just now.

As she watched Lin Haoran calmly converse with the school leaders, displaying an air of sophistication in every gesture, her sense of awe and admiration grew even stronger.

As they walked along the quaint campus paths, through lush tree-lined avenues, and past teaching buildings covered in ivy, students along the way stopped to watch, and then burst into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

"Hello, Mr. Lin!"

"Thank you, Mr. Lin, for your speech!"

"Mr. Lin, you are our role model!"

The young students' faces were filled with sincere smiles and admiration. They waved from afar or boldly took a few steps closer to express their respect.

Lin Haoran maintained a gentle smile throughout, nodding to the students from time to time. He even stopped to chat briefly with a few students who had mustered the courage to come forward and greet him, asking about their majors and aspirations and encouraging them to study hard.

This approachable and unpretentious attitude won the students' favor, and wherever he went, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

Liu Xiaoli was filled with emotion as she watched this scene.

In Hong Kong, Lin Haoran was a high-ranking business tycoon who frequented high-society venues, rarely seen by ordinary people.

Yet here, in this prestigious university, he was able to blend so naturally among these exceptional students, becoming their role model and idol.

This allure that transcends social class captivated her.

They visited the library's rare book collection and experienced the profound heritage of the century-old university.

Stepping into the physics lab, I witnessed a research atmosphere where, although the equipment wasn't top-notch, the teachers and students were full of dedication.
Strolling along the shores of Weiming Lake, one can appreciate the tranquility and poetic beauty of the autumn scenery, with the lake reflecting the pagoda.

At each stop, Lin Haoran listened attentively and observed carefully. Occasionally, he would raise questions about discipline development and international exchanges. His unique insights drew frequent nods from the accompanying school leaders, who secretly admired the young tycoon's extraordinary knowledge.

The visit lasted nearly two hours.

Beijing University is so big that if you don't often travel there by car, you could spend a whole day visiting it, let alone two hours.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the ancient campus in a warm golden hue.

Finally, the group arrived at a dignified and elegantly decorated conference room in the school's administration building.

"Mr. Lin, please have a seat." The principal personally pulled out the chair for Lin Haoran, showing the utmost respect.

After everyone was seated, staff served tea.

The teacup in front of me is quite interesting. The portrait of a great man is printed on the cup, and the five characters "Serve the People" are engraved below the portrait, giving off a strong sense of the era.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the principal's expression became serious.

"Mr. Lin, your speech today, especially your discussion on talent as the key to competition, was truly insightful and thought-provoking."

The principal remarked with emotion, "To be honest, our school administration, especially the colleagues in charge of the development of the economics discipline, has been under a lot of pressure and is deeply worried lately."

Lin Haoran picked up his teacup, gently blew on the floating leaves, and looked calmly at the principal: "Oh? Principal, please go ahead."

The principal sighed, his tone heavy: "The country's reform and opening up is a major strategy that benefits the country and its people. As the highest institution of learning, Beijing University feels a great responsibility."

The leadership has repeatedly instructed us to accelerate the training of high-caliber talent who are adaptable to the new era, understand economics, and are skilled in management. The economic aspect is of paramount importance!

He paused, glanced around at the vice-principal and several department heads present, and continued, "Our current National Economic Management major has limited faculty and a relatively traditional curriculum. In the face of the complex and ever-changing domestic and international economic situation in the future, it is really inadequate."

We urgently hope to expand the scale of the economics discipline, improve the level of teaching and research, and even... we have internally discussed whether we should spin off the economics department into a separate secondary college to concentrate resources and focus on its development!

In fact, the first college-level teaching unit of Kyoto University was indeed the School of Economics. The establishment of the School of Economics was a major move by Kyoto University to reform its management system and implement a three-level management system of university, college, and department. However, that was in 1985. In other words, according to the normal development trend, it would not have been formally established for more than three years.

Clearly, they had planned this long ago, but there were many difficulties along the way. Funding and faculty resources were major obstacles to the economics department becoming an independent college and developing into a key institution.

Lin Haoran put down his teacup and nodded seriously: "I strongly agree with the principal's foresight and wisdom. Establishing a dedicated School of Economics is indeed a wise move that is in line with the development of the times."

In my speech, I also mentioned that in the next ten or twenty years, the speed of economic development in mainland China will far exceed the imagination of many people, and with it comes a huge demand gap for professionals in the economic field.

Whether it's macroeconomic management, financial investment, international trade, or corporate management and marketing, all areas require a large number of elites who are proficient in theory and familiar with practice.

Now is the perfect time to start planning and cultivating a talent pool.

His tone was certain, carrying an undeniable sense of foresight.

The school leaders nodded in agreement, their eyes revealing the joy of finding kindred spirits.

“Mr. Lin is absolutely right!” a vice principal in charge of teaching chimed in. “That’s what we thought too, but…”

He changed the subject, a wry smile on his face similar to the principal's earlier one, "The idea is good, but the practical difficulties are too great."

"What is the biggest difficulty?" Lin Haoran asked, already having a guess in his mind.

"Talent! Money!" The principal said succinctly, getting straight to the point. "Mr. Lin, as you know, the mainland has just opened its doors to the world and everything is in need of rebuilding."

The number of economics talents we cultivate ourselves is small, and due to past circumstances, their knowledge structure and international perspective are greatly limited.

The most direct way to achieve rapid improvement is through recruitment! Recruit top international economists and experienced corporate executives to teach, lecture, and mentor graduate students.

He shrugged helplessly: "But it's easier said than done! Firstly, our country is currently facing a foreign exchange shortage and cannot afford to pay the same high salaries as our international counterparts."
Secondly, the living conditions and research environment are still far behind those of world-class universities.
Thirdly, factors such as language, culture, and family background also deter many top talents from pursuing this path.

We tried contacting some overseas scholars, but very few responded. Even those who were willing to come often set conditions that we couldn't meet.

Another economics department head added, "Besides bringing in faculty, training our own faculty also requires time and investment."

Expanding enrollment, adding specializations, and improving teaching facilities—which of these doesn't require substantial financial support?

The school's budget is already tight, and priority should be given to basic disciplines and key projects. What can be invested in the newly established School of Economics is just a drop in the ocean.

Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice, Mr. Lin!

There was a brief silence in the conference room.

The school leaders' faces were filled with helplessness.

They saw the direction and longed to move forward, but were firmly trapped by the shackles of reality.

Liu Xiaoli listened from the side and couldn't help but feel worried for the school.

She recalled the prosperity and efficiency she had witnessed in Hong Kong, and compared it with the current situation in mainland China, which made her understand the difficulties of this development even more.

Lin Haoran's fingers tapped lightly on the smooth mahogany table surface, producing a rhythmic, soft sound.

His gaze swept across the faces of every school leader present, taking in the expectation, anxiety, and a hint of barely perceptible pleading in their eyes. After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful:
"Principal, leaders, the difficulties are real, but they are not insurmountable."

Since your esteemed institution possesses such determination and vision, and is willing to cultivate urgently needed economic talent for the nation, I, Lin Haoran, as an entrepreneur optimistic about the future of mainland China and willing to contribute to the country's development, am willing to offer some assistance within my capabilities.

The school leaders perked up, their eyes all fixed on Lin Haoran, filled with anticipation.

Lin Haoran continued, "Regarding the issue of faculty, there are indeed many obstacles to introducing top international talent, but there are ways to work around them."

My Hengsheng Group owns three banks: Hengsheng Bank, Bank of East Asia, and Daoheng Bank. It is one of the most important financial institutions in Hong Kong and has gathered a group of economic, financial, and management talents with international vision and rich practical experience in their respective fields.

They may not be academic giants in the traditional sense, but they have a deep understanding of market dynamics and possess cutting-edge business practices, which greatly benefits the cultivation of application-oriented and interdisciplinary economic talents.

He paused for a moment, then offered a very attractive proposal: "If your esteemed university doesn't mind, I can coordinate with senior management personnel, experienced analysts, and strategic consultants from within Hengsheng Group and our close business partners to come to Peking University regularly or irregularly as 'guest professors' or 'specially appointed lecturers' to teach, give lectures, guide graduate students, and even participate in curriculum design and textbook writing."

They will bring the most vivid case studies and the most practical experience to make up for the shortcomings of purely theoretical teaching. I believe this will be of great help to students in understanding the real business world.

"Guest professor? Specially appointed lecturer?" The principal's eyes lit up; this was indeed a good solution to the immediate problem!
While it may not be as stable as a full-time professorship, it has the advantage of being able to quickly bring in high-quality, experienced faculty, and the costs are relatively controllable.

"Mr. Lin, this...this is truly a godsend! We welcome it, of course! We are very happy to welcome it!"

The other leaders nodded in agreement, their faces beaming with excitement.

"This is just the first step." Lin Haoran changed the subject and put forward a more important suggestion: "To truly support a high-level economics school and attract and retain more outstanding talents, both domestic and international, we need continuous financial support."

I have decided to donate HK$100 million to Beijing University in the name of my company, Hengsheng Group.

"One hundred million Hong Kong dollars?!" A collective gasp filled the conference room.

In the early 1980s, this was an absolutely astronomical figure!
The school leaders could hardly believe their ears.

This was truly unexpected; such a wonderful thing had happened to them.

One hundred million Hong Kong dollars was not a big deal to Lin Haoran.

But for Peking University, this money was like a timely rain after a long drought; it was a thunderbolt that could completely change the fate of the economics discipline!
Liu Xiaoli also covered her mouth in shock. She knew Lin Haoran was wealthy, but such a huge single donation still shocked her.

It's worth noting that Lin Haoran had just donated HK$100 million to the soon-to-be-established Pengcheng University not long ago, and now he's donating another HK$100 million!
So generous!

Lin Haoran spoke calmly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter: "This funding will be used to establish an independent, non-profit foundation. The name can be 'Beijing University Economics Discipline Development Foundation' or the university can decide on its own."

The foundation's sole purpose is to support the development and construction of the School of Economics or the economics discipline at Peking University.

He elaborated: "The principal of this fund will be managed prudently by personnel from Hengsheng Group, and the returns will be specifically used for several purposes:"

First, establish 'Chair Professor' positions to provide internationally competitive salary subsidies and research start-up funds for top economics talents introduced from home and abroad;
Second, establish a "Young Scholars" program to fund outstanding young economists from our university or those recruited from other universities, and provide them with good research conditions and living support;
Third, provide financial assistance to outstanding students, especially graduate students, to go abroad for exchange programs and participate in international conferences;
Fourth, improve teaching facilities and purchase the latest books, materials, and databases;

Fifth, support the hosting of high-level international academic conferences and cutting-edge lectures.

In short, everything revolves around improving the teaching and research standards and international influence of economics.

The foundation will set aside HK$100 million and invest it, using only a portion of the profits for funding. This will ensure the foundation's sustainable operation and long-term sustainability.

As for how to invest?

For Lin Haoran, this was far too easy in the early 80s.

By simply investing his principal in high-growth sectors he has already identified, he can not only achieve remarkable asset appreciation but also benefit the foundation, creating a virtuous cycle.

Looking at the excited and somewhat flustered school leaders, Lin Haoran emphasized in the end: "I hope this fund can serve as a 'seed fund' and a 'catalyst' to help your school overcome the funding bottleneck in its early stages, quickly attract talent, and enhance its strength."

Once the college's development is on track, its self-sustaining capacity increases, or it can obtain more social funding, the foundation's pressure will decrease accordingly.

"Mr. Lin! What... what are we supposed to say!" The principal stood up excitedly, walked around the conference table, and tightly grasped Lin Haoran's hand, his eyes even a little moist.

"You are not only helping Peking University, you are cultivating future pillars of the country and contributing to the great cause of reform and opening up!"

This friendship and sense of responsibility will be forever remembered by all faculty and students of Beijing University!

Other school leaders also stood up to express their sincerest gratitude to Lin Haoran.

The meeting room was filled with an atmosphere of emotion and excitement.

After the initial excitement subsided, the principal returned to his seat and chatted privately with several other leaders. The others all nodded firmly in unison, as if they had made up their minds.

He cleared his throat and said solemnly, "Mr. Lin, your generosity and strong support are beyond our ability to repay Peking University."

To express our respect and gratitude to you, and to ensure that future generations remember your pioneering contributions to the development of economics at Peking University, our university's Party Committee and administration, after urgent consultation, have unanimously decided:
The soon-to-be-established School of Economics will be named after you! It will be called 'Beijing University Haoran School of Economics'! What do you think?

The meeting room fell silent once again after these words were spoken.

Everyone looked at Lin Haoran, waiting for his response.

Naming a college after an individual is an extremely rare honor in Chinese universities, representing the highest level of recognition.

However, upon hearing this, Lin Haoran did not show any surprise; instead, he frowned slightly.

He was silent for a few seconds, then tapped his fingers lightly on the table again, as if he was carefully weighing his options.

The smiles on the faces of the principal and others gradually froze, and they became uneasy. Did Mr. Lin think it wasn't enough?

Or perhaps, they're unwilling?

Finally, Lin Haoran raised his head, looked at the principal with a calm and firm gaze, and slowly said, "Principal, leaders, thank you for your school's kindness and this heartfelt sentiment."

However, I cannot accept the name 'Haoran Economics Institute'.

"Huh?" The principal and the others were stunned, completely unexpected to be rejected.

Lin Haoran explained: "I personally strongly agree with and support the establishment of a dedicated economics school, and I am willing to provide assistance for its development."

However, I don't think it's appropriate to name the college after myself.

He paused, then clearly explained his reasons: "First of all, the construction and development of the college is a cause for the joint efforts of all teachers and students of Beijing University, especially the teachers and students of the School of Future Economics, and is the crystallization of collective wisdom."

I personally only provided some support in its early stages, and I really dare not take credit for it.

Secondly, naming it after an individual can easily lead to misunderstandings, as if the college is my personal 'private property' or carries some kind of commercial imprint, which may conflict with the independent and free academic spirit of a university.

Besides…”

Lin Haoran paused for a moment, then continued, "I established this foundation in the name of Hengsheng Group. Our support for education is not only fulfilling our social responsibility, but also cultivating and reserving talent for the long-term development of the group. This is a mutually beneficial cooperation."

Therefore, if your esteemed institution insists on reflecting this cooperative and supportive relationship, I suggest that the college be named 'Hengsheng'.

He proposed an alternative: "How about calling it 'Hengsheng Economics College of Beijing University'? This way, it reflects Hengsheng Group's substantial support for the college's development, highlights our cooperative model of enterprises and universities working together to cultivate talents, and doesn't overly emphasize my personal role."

At the same time, the name "Hengsheng" also implies the college's beautiful vision of pursuing academic excellence and having a lasting and far-reaching reputation.

What are your thoughts, leaders?

Lin Haoran's words were reasonable and persuasive. They not only politely declined the school's offer but also cleverly maintained the purity of academic pursuits. At the same time, they elevated his personal actions to the level of corporate strategy and social responsibility, and closely linked the "Hengsheng" brand with Beijing University, a top-tier institution of higher learning.

This foresight and wisdom in handling affairs once again impressed the school leaders present.

The principal exchanged a few quick, hushed words with the other leaders, a relieved and admiring smile appearing on his face.

He grasped Lin Haoran's hand again: "Mr. Lin, your considerations are so thorough and far-sighted, we are truly humbled and full of admiration!"
You are right. Naming it "Hengsheng" better reflects the essence of our school-enterprise cooperation and joint cultivation of talents, and is also more in line with the spirit of the university.

Okay! We fully respect your opinion! Let's call it 'Hengsheng Economics College of Beijing University'!

"That's great!" The other leaders also expressed their agreement.

Lin Haoran smiled with satisfaction: "Thank you for the school's understanding and support. Regarding the specific operational details of the foundation and guest professors, the representatives of Hengsheng Group can communicate with the relevant departments of your school in detail later."

I believe that, with the joint efforts of both parties, the "Hengsheng School of Economics at Beijing University" will surely rise rapidly and become a cradle for cultivating top-notch economic talent for the country's reform, opening up, and modernization!

"Definitely! With Mr. Lin's help, we are full of confidence!" the principal replied with great enthusiasm.

(End of this chapter)