By John Cairns

Editor's Note: The writer graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1980. Twelve years later, he moved to Hong Kong.

WAN CHAI, Hong Kong Island – Although coming from a much-smaller place, Canadian provincial premier Robert Ghiz and university president Alaa S. Abd-El-Aziz couldn't resist doing a little boasting recently when they visited Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

They led a 10-day trade mission to Asia to “strengthen business relationships and educational partnerships”. Ghiz holds the highest political office in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada's smallest province. Its foremost educational institutions are the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), led by Abd-El-Aziz, and nearby Holland College, whose president, Brian McMillan, also joined the mission.

“I don't think anyone will get a better chance to study than at UPEI,” said Ghiz, who visited Hong Kong for a second time as premier (previously in 2008). “It's recognized all around the world. UPEI graduates do well probably on a better ratio than those from any other school around North America.”

As for the province, “we're had one of the highest growth rates in the country over the last number of years. PEI did better than most provinces during the recession, and I'm extremely optimistic that we'll do even better into the future.”

The visitors joined a UPEI-alumni-and-friends reception at the Novotel Hotel in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district. “This is a huge family here – it's exciting,” said Abd-El-Aziz.

He praised four UPEI business students (Jordan McNally, Jingshu Zhang, Kristina MacLean and Janell MacDonald) who traveled to Hong Kong last month and won the Hong Kong Baptist University’s IIBD International Case Competition. They defeated 32 rival teams, including finalists from the United States, the Netherlands and the Philippines.

Just as tiny dogs bark loudly for attention, so do small provinces and mid-sized universities. PEI has just 142,000 residents, a tiny total versus Hong Kong's seven million people and China's 1.3 billion.

Worldwide, political and academic leaders have good reasons to take an interest in Asia. The most populous region, it has rising wealth and materialism, strong economic prospects and many youngsters needing education. The PEI mission attempted “to stimulate economic growth, trade and international investment”.

“Part of the reason why I'm here is that we're looking for new markets for our products,” Ghiz said. The mission included business people, suppliers of ice cream, raspberries, oysters and more.

The mission also helped to launch a Chinese edition of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic 1908 novel about a red-haired orphan-girl in rural PEI. “We all know the impact that Anne of Green Gables had in helping Japanese people to realize what PEI has to offer,” Ghiz said. “If it can do the same here in China, it'll make PEI that much better in the long run.”

The premier urged people with links to PEI to consider moving back. “We always try to get Islanders to return,” he said. “Our economy has transformed. Agriculture, fishery and tourism remain our largest industries, but aerospace, bioscience, IT, renewable energy and back-office supports are growing.”

Still, “it's a great testament to you folks to live here. Gaining worldly experience is an education that you won't get anywhere else, not even at UPEI.... Actually, I believe that leaving PEI makes people better Islanders when they do return.” 

Some UPEI graduates from Hong Kong told of their mostly fond memories about life in Charlottetown, the PEI capital. “Everybody was very friendly there,” said a 1962 grad. “PEI always will be my second home.”

“I miss the Island very much,” added another.

A third agreed: “I loved that university. My parents told me to change to the University of Toronto after my second year, but I didn't go. I loved the Island and stayed at UPEI. Those four years on PEI were the greatest time of my life.”

Abd-El-Aziz, originally from Egypt, promoted UPEI as “a destination for student success”. His international background adds credibility to the university's pledge to “help students discover their place in the world”.

Nostalgically, some UPEI grads recalled their favorite professors. Others mentioned breaking the rules by cooking in their on-campus rooms. A few spoke of nearby businesses, like an A&W restaurant and a K-mart store, both long-gone from near the campus.

One graduate said he used to attract attention in Charlottetown in the late 1960s because so few Chinese people lived there. “When I walked past, many people would come to their windows and look out at me,” he said.

Ghiz responded: “Now 10 per cent of UPEI's enrollment is foreign students, mostly of Chinese descent.”

The graduates recalled long journeys to reach PEI. “I took a flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco,” one said. Then he passed through Chicago, Toronto and Montreal.

“Ha!” scoffed another. “At least you arrived by plane. In those days, I had little money so I took a train from Montreal. It was so funny that we had to get off the train, get on a bus and then a ferry took us to PEI. Another bus took us to Charlottetown.”

In the spirit of boasting, an aging graduate cited his academic achievements. “It makes no difference if you graduate from the University of Toronto or the University of Prince Edward Island if you're smart enough,” he said.

For decades, many Hong Kong students have studied in Canada, including at UPEI. That trend should continue. As one grad declared, “PEI is a great place, and UPEI is a great school.”

As for doing business with Asia, Ghiz and his fellow Islanders face global competition. For a full slice of the action, they must visit the region more often.

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