Tim Cook receives honorary degree from University of Glasgow
09 Feb 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook was yesterday conferred an honorary degree by the University of Glasgow, in the UK. In a brief interview after the ceremony, Cook described the institution as 'one of the finest universities in the world'.
Speaking on the ocassion, he slammed the immigration order by the Trump administration sying, "if we stand and say nothing, we become a part of it."
Cook advised aspiring graduates to not work with the aim of making money, "it will wear out fast, or never be enough." He added that there was a big difference between loving the work and doing the work.
On the Trump order imposing a blanket-ban on immigration from seven Muslim countries, Cook said Apple thrived on diversity and that doing nothing was not an option. Cook said he did not support the immigration ban.
He added, he did not view Apple as an 'activist' per se. He said Apple made its voice heard in areas where it had deep knowledge or a strong point view based on things Apple learned, not a general purpose professional activist.
Repeating his comments about the importance of coding as a skill, he said it should be required in schools. He added that Steve Jobs was the person that influenced him the most in life 'by far'.
Some commentators say that people might be inclined to believe that Apple's objection to the order was due to the foreign nationals it was able to hire on H1-B visas, which allowed the company to hire more cheaply than in the US and also keep the employee longer.
Apple is among the 90 tech companies that had signed a letter speaking out against the so-called ban on immigrants. Cook also laid out his opposition to the ban in a memo to employees.
Apple is among the most admired brands in the world and when the CEO takes a position on an issue, it makes a strong impression say commentators.
