Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma joins University of Tokyo as visiting professor

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founder Jack Ma will conduct research and lectures at the University of Tokyo’s Tokyo College between May and October of this year, according to a profile page on the university’s website.

Ma, 58, joined the school as a visiting professor on May 1 and is expected to contribute in several areas. He will provide advice on research topics and conduct research, especially in sustainable agriculture and food production, as well as give seminars about entrepreneurship and innovation, the school said.

One of China’s most recognizable business leaders, Ma largely dropped out of public sight after he criticized Chinese regulators in 2020 and Ant Group Co., an Alibaba affiliate he also co-founded had to pull its planned initial public offering. The billionaire resurfaced in Hangzhou, China in March, a rare appearance in the mainland. 

The Tokyo school did not detail what kind of lectures or seminars Ma would conduct. It wasn’t able to immediately respond to requests for further comment.