City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and Fudan University have teamed up for a new Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme, one of the few jointly administered by local universities and leading tertiary institutions on the mainland.

The aim is to meet the demands placed on today’s senior business executives by encouraging the students to combine practical experience with innovative management concepts. The curriculum will draw on the strengths of both universities in the teaching and learning spheres.

An orientation ceremony and a workshop entitled “Breaking New Grounds: A New Way of Thinking” from 11 - 13 June launched the new programme. Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, gave a welcoming speech at the ceremony, and Professor Wei Kwok-kee, Dean of CityU’s College of Business, and Professor Lu Xiongwen, Dean of Fudan University’s School of Management, outlined their expectations.

Professor Kuo said that while Hong Kong is not short of resources it needs to generate more creative ideas and nurture more talented people, adding that he wished the cooperation every success in the future.

Professor Wei said that he hoped the concerted efforts of the two universities through this DBA programme will contribute to the development of Hong Kong and the mainland.

Professor Lu explained that CityU and Fudan are good matches for each other because they have many similar strengths. He wished that, by supplementing each other, the two universities can create a DBA that has long-term influence in the Asian region. “You have completed a degree in the basics, developed your education after your MBA. So what will you be after getting your DBA? Upon completion of this programme, you should position yourself properly to become a creator of knowledge and ideas, and develop a more academic approach to management with greater vision and insight,” he told the attending students.

The overall design of the joint DBA has been shaped by the need for senior executives to understand China’s unique business context and culture if they are to take advantage of the market’s vast potential.

The DBA also aims to enhance the competitiveness of senior managers involved in strategic decisions at international corporations, medium and large state-owned enterprises, leading private organisations, consultation firms and other professional service companies.

“The curriculum design and the teaching and learning modes of this programme are based on CityU’s current DBA programme,” said Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on, DBA programme leader and Associate Dean of the College of Business at CityU.

“Through stringent applied research, the programme aims to help students consolidate practical experience and professional knowledge acquired over the years, and then further develop their abilities to devise innovative business solutions to solve strategic management problems for their corporations, or even for the whole industry. In addition, we hope that the programme will inspire a new management mindset among students, encouraging them to rise above competition in the global market.”

Professor Lee added that students may also choose their research areas according to their interests and fields of work.

Classes will be conducted in both Hong Kong and Shanghai. Putonghua will be the medium for teaching and learning, and English for CEO forums, workshops and seminars.

The diverse learning mode will help students develop an international outlook through meetings and exchanges with scholars and industry practitioners from around the world. And to enhance interactions and sharing, two professors - one from CityU and one from Fudan - will supervise the students’ theses.

The DBA will appeal to senior government officials and business executives in different industries across the region, who require a superior understanding of the economic and social conditions in Hong Kong and China.