The presence of specialists and celebrities at workshops and seminars organised by the Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA) is one of the attractions of the educational body's training programmes for executives. Distinguished names on the guest speakers' list have included conceptual thinker Edward de Bono and Tony Buzan, a leading writer on the human brain and learning, and also known as 'a mind magician'. The HKMA is promoting its programmes and management services at the Education and Careers Expo. The association mainly provides management education and training programmes, ranging from short courses to doctorate programmes catering to various levels of expertise. Most courses are offered in Hong Kong. The HKMA has provided Hong Kong with programmes to improve management training, skills and experience for more than 40 years. Each year, it offers more than 2,400 training programmes to more than 61,000 participants. This makes it one of the biggest providers of management training and education in Hong Kong. The association says its most popular training courses are degree programmes, diploma courses and HKMA workshops and seminars run by overseas experts. Often, it co-operates with overseas universities offering bachelor, master and doctorate degree programmes. The aim is to enhance the qualifications of local business executives and equip them with the knowledge required to survive in a dynamic business environment. Qualifications supported by various courses include Doctor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration and Master of Management from Macquarie Graduate School of Management in Australia, and a Master of Business Administration (distance learning) from the University of Warwick in Britain. The HKMA's two most popular programmes are the Diploma in Management Studies (DMS) and the Diploma in Business Management (DBM). The association attributes the popularity of these courses to their practical content and flexible modular system, which allows students to complete the course in a minimum of 12 months or maximum of four years. Both courses enjoy a long history and good reputation in the job market. The DMS was established in 1975 and the DBM in 1982. About 5,000 students are studying for the diplomas, and more than 15,000 have graduated since the programmes began. In addition, the HKMA offers more than 40 professional diploma programmes, covering a wide range of management areas. Popular programmes include marketing management, inventory and logistics management, financial management, human resource management, disciplinary force management, and property and facilities management. At the expo, the association will be highlighting its Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) Master of Management and MBA programmes. This is an intensive 18-month, part-time programme comprising 10 course units. The Master of Management programmes include seven areas of specialisation: general management, information technology management, marketing management, financial management, human resource management, international management, and logistics and operations management. Face-to-face lectures are conducted by academic staff from MGSM.
