Creating Change through a PhD

When Dr Rizwan Ullah completed his PhD dissertation at HKU in 2012, he made a mark beyond contributing to academic knowledge. Dr Ullah undertook a critical analysis that revealed major gaps in the Chinese language education provision for ethnic minority students in Hong Kong. The topic was gaining traction in the government at the time, and his findings were read by the former Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet Ngor. The government’s 2014 Policy Address included specific recommendations that echoed Dr Ullah’s work.

It was a proud achievement for Dr Ullah, who is currently Vice-Principal – Student Affairs of Law Ting Pong Secondary School and has received several honours for his work to support ethnic minorities, including appointments to the Youth Development Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission and a Medal of Honour in 2021. But it was just one step in his career that marked both unique opportunities and daunting challenges.

“I’m a resilient person, and I believe that once you have an opportunity, you should seize it,” Dr Ullah said, “I’m also not the type of person who does things only for personal gain. If it’s a society gain, then it’s my gain.”

Dr Ullah’s first opportunity came in 2003 after he completed a business correspondence degree and joined the retailer city’super. Miss Leung, former Vice Principal of Dr Ullah’s alma mater, Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo), saw him by chance and suggested that he should apply for an urgent teaching vacancy there. At that time, Dr Ullah did not hold a conventional degree nor equivalent qualification in Chinese language education (he learnt the language on the sports ground and later on the job). However, against the odds, he landed the position – provided that he obtained a qualification, which he did in spades.

He passed the Postgraduate Diploma in Education at the Faculty, acquired a Master of Education (English Language for Teaching) from Hong Kong Baptist University, and then his PhD again from the Faculty – all before the age of 30. His entry to HKU was typical of the confident way he operates. He just showed up at the Faculty Office one Saturday morning knowing nothing of the procedures, was invited in to chat with former Dean of the Faculty, Professor Stephen Andrews, and within a couple of months had a supervisor and was on his way.

Dr Ullah does not stop his contributions to several research projects as a co-investigator and hopes one day to join academia. But first, he desires to advance his career in local education. He left Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo) a couple of years ago to make his mark beyond a school catering to ethnic minorities. “If I can be doing this, I’m sure the next generation will achieve even more than I did,” he said.

Dr Ullah is Vice-Principal – Student Affairs of Law Ting Pong Secondary 
School, and he believes that a society’s gain is also his personal gain. 

Dr Ullah receiving a Medal of Honour in 2021 in recognition of his dedication and valuable community service, particularly his contributions to youth development in Hong Kong.