Prof Chau: We teach students how to learn

Widely regarded as one of the best academic institutions in the territory, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) boasts an excellent Faculty of Business and Economics, which provides courses at all levels from undergraduate degree to MBA and PhD. Proof of the school's success really can be found in the pudding with a remarkable employment rate of graduating students. The undergraduate class of 2001 contained 311 students, only three of whom were not either working or engaged in further studies six months later.

Students

The Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) was born in 2001 from a merger between the existing School of Business and the School of Economics and Finance. Today it is one of the leading centres for the study of business and economics in the region.

The FBE possesses a student-centric attitude with the focus on development rather than teaching. Prof Patrick Chau, associate dean for undergraduate programmes and director of bachelor of business administration programmes, says, "Our aim is to train students to have an international outlook. Our English-language curriculum familiarises students with the inner workings and corporate culture of global companies, while our teaching faculty's regional expertise provides specialised know-how on doing business in Hong Kong, China and East Asia." He continues, "We don't want to produce a generation of bookworms. We want to teach students how to learn."

The FBE accepts approximately 400 students every year. Dr PS Tso, associate dean and director of undergraduate admissions, says, "We place great importance on our students. You have to have a great student body before you can have a great university."

Programmes

In addition to seven undergraduate programmes, the faculty offers an excellent MBA course, which can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. The programme is designed to train and nurture the business leaders of the future.

While the course is largely modular, there are four main themes that identify the various challenges faced by firms in Asia. Market globalisation, modern technology and China's accession to the World Trade Organisation are all critical factors that will bring long-term change to the way the region does business.

Among others, the wake of the Enron scandal has left serious concerns among governments and regulatory bodies, which are reexamining the issue of corporate governance. The second theme of the MBA focuses on this topic and also covers accounting and financial control.

Few can have missed the explosion of Internet technology over the last few years and the FBE has been quick to include this in its syllabus. The information technology and e-business theme discusses the impact of developments on companies.

Many Asian companies have experienced comprehensive restructuring since 1998, and managing people and change is now a fundamental part of both corporate life and the MBA programme.

In addition to this, students must complete the five core courses of accounting and business decisions, business data analysis, managerial economics, human behaviour and organisation and marketing management. They must also choose six elective modules covering a wide range of hands-on topics, including business ethics and entrepreneurship.

Who should apply?

Dr Tao Zhigang, international MBA programme director, explains, "The MBA is a boutique course designed to cater to a small group of high-quality professionals. Successful candidates for our programme are analytical, intelligent, intellectually curious and creative team players."

Admission requirements are tough. Candidates must possess a degree from a recognised institution, have at least three years of post-graduate work experience and achieve a high score in the Graduate Management Admission Test, which is required of all applicants.

Dr Tao continues, "We have had MBA students who have gone on to occupy high-level positions with major corporations such as Hang Seng Bank and NEC Technologies, among others. We believe that, by acquiring the up-to-date knowledge and analytical and management skills that our MBA provides, graduates are well prepared for a career in senior management in Asia."

Course information

The golden triangle Few would dispute the fact that Shanghai is booming right now. The city has emerged as one of the great success stories of China over the last few years and provides an exciting backdrop against which to do business. Always on the pulse, the FBE was quick to recognise this and responded by introducing an innovative new programme. The HKU MBA is now also offered in Shanghai and is the first officially recognised MBA (International) programme delivered in the city from Hong Kong. The course is offered in conjunction with Fudan University, which is one of the leading institutions for further education on the mainland. The MBA (International) programme is comprised of the same themes as its Hong Kong counterpart, with students completing 12 core courses and four electives. It is designed for full-time executives and can be completed within the same timeframe as the Hong Kong degree. It offers flexibility in terms of course scheduling but maintains a similar structure. Students are taught by experienced faculty members both from Fudan University and the FBE at Hong Kong University. They graduate with an MBA (International) degree. The programme is being hailed as a pioneering initiative that will go far to help develop business education on the mainland. In order to ensure the quality of learning and teaching, an academic committee has been formed between the School of Management of Fudan University and the FBE at Hong Kong University, to regularly review all matters relating to the curriculum. The course has been fully approved by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council of China. Dr Tao says, "We believe Shanghai and Hong Kong are the two most important cities in Asia and our MBA offers students a unique learning experience and presents them with invaluable networking opportunities. It provides an unparalleled understanding of operating between the two markets." He continues, "We have further plans to extend the programme to Beijing, and in six months' time we will be the only business school that operates between the three cities."

Taken from Career Times 2003/03/28