The new four-year higher-education structure presents universities with an opportunity to offer students a more flexible and broad-based education. The College of Business at City University (CityU) is cherishing the chance to expand its curriculum, and has developed some courses and majors that are unique to the Greater China region.
'We want to develop business graduates who are not only interested in business, but also know about social values, and have a comprehensive understanding [of society], and perform at their utmost for it,' says Dr Dou Wenyu, associate dean at the college and associate professor with the department of marketing.
For example, in marketing, a new course on community relations will provide students with practical knowledge with a marketing dimension, such as strategies to reduce poverty.
Dou has also developed a general education course on ethics and the application of business skills to solve social problems and protect the environment, such as consumer welfare and micro-finance. 'We are the first business school in the Greater China region offering this course.'
The college has also developed interdisciplinary courses. For example, e-business lessons will integrate knowledge gained in information technology (IT), managing operations, e-marketing and new finance models.
Unique majors include marketing and information management, and sustainable business. The objectives and methods of teaching have also come a long way. Dou adds that the school's motto - Discover & Innovate @ CityU - covers its approach to teaching through a discovery-enriched curriculum.