Local MBA participants urged to give helping hand in mainland

The Richard Ivey School of Business/Asia is considering a five-point plan to enhance higher education in both Hong Kong and China, the school's Asian Advisory Board chairman Henry Cheng Kar-shun says.

Under the plan, the school would conduct case studies of industries in China after its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), co-operating with mainland students on projects, and encouraging Hong Kong MBA graduates to train students across the border.

'We will also consider training Chinese professors who can in turn train students and improve education standards in the mainland,' he said.

In his role as chairman of the School's Asian Advisory Board, Mr Cheng had to co-ordinate proposals to improve the school's development so that it could perform better.

One of the objectives of the school, headquartered in Canada, is to meet Hong Kong and China's growing demands for skilled manpower once the mainland joins the WTO.

Mr Cheng noted that the total number of working people in their 20s continuing with higher education was lower in Hong Kong than it was in Britain and other developed countries.

He said the school encouraged local professionals to upgrade their knowledge by taking the quality programmes and courses available.