[photopress:HuDayuanbejing_university.jpg,full,alignright]An important article in the International Herald Leader. It is an interview with Hu Dayuan, seen here, who presides over the Beijing International MBA at Peking University (part of it shown in the illustration below.)
The interview starts with a question by the interviewer: ‘With the training and enrolling advertisements of MBA posted like scabies on the street wire poles and in the alleyways of China, there is bound to be criticism and qustions about the MBA in China.’Hu Dayuan was asked whether there were any changes in this year’s MBA enrolment as against last year?
His answer was ‘no’ but business colleges are considering their position, their reputations. They are trying to develop unique characteristics which will give them supremacy in one of the many divisions of the business college market.
He also said in China the demand of MBA education does not respond as it does in other countries to boom and bust. Overseas, when the economy is booming, the enrolment application decreases; when the economy is in depression, the application for MBA study increases.
In China there is no obvious indication of prosperity or depression of economy in China. For example, is the Chinese economy in prosperity or in depression now?
[photopress:beijinguniversity.jpg,full,alignright]The purchase of cars and houses is up, investment in certain areas is very heated. But in some other areas the reverse applies.
In the USA business college students typically pay their own tuition fee. In China the fees are often paid by companies.
Hu Dayuan said, ‘When the economy is in depression, companies often cut down on expenses and reduce training opportunities; and while in prosperity, they make provisions for the future and pay for the senior staff for MBA education.’ Which means that China has a contrary reaction to other countries.
Hu Dayuan was asked if the was any possibility of Chinese MBA institutions competing with internationally renowned ones.
His answer was quite firm. ‘China’s business colleges cannot compete with internationally renowned ones. . . they are not on a par with the American ones, and it is impossible for China’s business colleges to attract excellent American students.
‘We must clearly realize this gap. We Chinese people call Peking University “China’s Harvard”. Americans would not call Harvard “America’s Peking University”.’
However he added the purpose of China’s MBA education is to cultivate talents that specifically fit China’s needs.
His views on the EMBA were interesting. Hu Dayuan said that in the USA, EMBA is a kind of “make-up lesson” for people who missed an MBA education. It is different from the MBA in its structure, and is designed for a different group of people. ‘In China, EMBA is misinterpreted as “advanced MBA”, which is really leading students astray.’
He allowed that some MBA granting institutions are not as good as they might be. He said, ‘There are indeed some cases of some places earning money regardless of the quality of learning.’ He did not, however, excuse students. He said, ‘Nevertheless, it also has something to do with students’ attitude. Some people, once they have paid the money, take it for granted that they will get the degree.’
He believes these problems will be resolved and the poor colleges will not last long.
How should China improve the situation? Hu Dayuan said, ‘MBA education has developed for 100 years in the USA. What we should do is very easy: bring in the standard courses of the USA, and add China’s “situation courses”. Take, for example, the basic courses of Beijing International MBA at Peking University. The Management Science is the same as the USA, but more stress is placed on courses like Human Resources Management as Chinese enterprises are in greater need of this kind of expertise.’
He finished, ‘There is now a surplus of poor-quality MBA programs. For business colleges the aim must be to turn out a good product — well-qualified students. China has a huge demand for MBAs. What counts most is that colleges make sure they are good ones.’
Source: China Daily
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