Bulletin Issue May 2012
城大商學院
Beta Gamma Sigma Awards The College of Business has presented the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) Chapter Honoree award to two top Hong Kong business executives, Mr Albert Ip and Ms Dilys Chau. The two chapter honorees gave inspiring addresses at a media luncheon, sharing anecdotes and key moments from their life stories, and giving advice to recent graduates. Dean Wei Kwok Kee, and Dr Dou Wenyu, Associate Dean (Undergraduate), also gave updates of recent College of Business news to the assembled media.
College of Business
A Key Business Education Hub – in China for the World
Mission Accomplishing
th in the UTD Worldwide Rankings
The College is fast fulfilling its mission to offer globally-oriented teaching and research at the forefront of business knowledge. CB now stands at 69th in the UTD Worldwide Rankings (based on 2007-2011 business research contribution) - and we are spreading our international wings. Two new joint programmes have been approved: BBA Accounting with the National Taiwan University, and IEMBA with Fudan University, Shanghai.
CB plans gigantic admissions interview exercise A College Retreat on HKDSE Admission Interviews was held in the salubrious surroundings of the Clear Water Bay Country and Golf Club at the end of last month. Faculty learned of – and helped work out – details of the new College level admissions process. The stats alone are staggering: the College aims to interview some 12,000 applicants in June this year. The philosophy behind the new interviews is to go beyond HKDSE exam scores and give students a chance to demonstrate their unique qualities. We hope to capture a more holistic assessment of the applicants and better understand their interests and attitudes. At the same time we will be demonstrating the College’s human side - as well as our proven professionalism in dealing with large numbers. Besides gaining first-hand experience of applicants, the process will help CB design appropriate student recruiting strategy in another exercise: the upcoming Major Selections.
Banking and real estate expert, Mr Albert Ip, has served leading international companies such as Citigroup, Bank of America Merrill Lynch for more than thirty years. He advised youngsters that focus is vital in developing a career. Mr Ip Mr Albert Ip (left) and Dean Wei at the Honoree presentation suggested that job seekers choose the industry and companies they are most interested in and focus on that during initial stage of career preparation. He also stressed that corporations expect candidates to have broad horizons and see beyond their particular specialism. Fellow Chapter Honoree, Ms Dilys Chau, a partner of the global professional accounting firm Ernst & Young, commented that some young people nowadays are unwilling to take on challenges. For Ms Chau perseverance is the key to success. As a top business executive she looks for candidates who stand out during interviews - rather than simply those with the best excellent academic results. “It’s not important whether you are from the best universities with best academic results,” Ms Chau said, “what is important is to demonstrate good communication skills and a humble and positive attitude towards work during the interview.”
Dean Wei presents the Honoree award to Ms Dilys Chau
Dean Professor KK Wei described how the College works closely with business executives to fine-tune and tailor the business administration programmes. He stressed that CB goes further than providing core professional training, to emphasise soft skills such as group work and communication skills. CityU is also set to provide broader learning contexts in undergraduate education through the Gateway Education programme. Professor Wei concluded, “We believe this will make our graduates more competitive in the local and international employment markets.”
School Principals and teachers briefed on HKDSE admissions
Discovering the DEC
The College has contributed to a University Information Session on HKDSE admission for School Principals and teachers. The session, held in late April, went beyond the minutiae of selection criteria and interview arrangements, to showcase what discover@innovate means to different colleges and schools. College-related topics covered include the grand challenge of energy and environment, nurturing new science and engineering talents, the humanistic spirit in practice, and, closer to home, ‘Care and Chances in the College of Business.’ Some 250 principals and teachers attended - so news of our new curriculum approach is getting around town.
CB held a Sharing Session in April 2012 on Discovery Enriched Curriculum (DEC) integration into the OBTL. DEC has the ambitious goal to let every student ‘have the opportunity to make an original discovery while at CityU’, and to give our students the opportunity to create new knowledge, communicate it, curate it and cultivate it in a way that benefits society. Discovery and innovation is to be embedded in all CityU courses.
World Navigation The World Navigation@City Expo held in November 2011 demonstrated CB's continuing commitment to cultivating a multi-cultural campus and promoting internationalization. The event attracted over a thousand participants, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from both local and international students. Participants shared experiences through booth exhibitions; and enjoyed performances such as singing, catwalk shows, and games designed to enhance understanding of countries and cultures around the world. As a significant spin off, the Expo helped promote CB’s Student Exchange Programme to BBA students and encourage them to study abroad. World Navigation was an idea inspired by the life of explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus. The CB Exchange Student Club, formed by returned exchange students, brought the participants together at CityU “to navigate to places around the world”. CB has a thriving Student Exchange Programme where approximately 400 full time BBA students - 50% of the cohort – travel overseas annually for studies at partner institutions worldwide.
What will DEC mean in practice? In class we will likely see more independent study, research experiences, some student teaching, mentoring opportunities, and a greater emphasis on tutoring rather than lecturing. Out of the classroom it will see greater emphasis on internships, overseas study, and practicum. And final products will be various - including research papers, theses, reports, essays, exhibits, portfolios, oral presentations and media presentations.
EMBA Annual Dinner The EMBA continues to thrive and held its Association Annual Dinner in late April 2012 at The Excelsior Hotel. The Dinner featured an eye catching address from Dr Allen Lee CBE, JP: ‘From an Engineer to a TV Programme Host’ as well as the presentation of the EMBA Association’s “The Most Valued Learning Partner Award” and “Progressive Achiever Award” to students of Cohort 2009 by Dr John Leung, EMBA Programme Director.