U21 nets just one local student

Educators and business community cast doubt on usefulness of online MBA said to suit 'shy Asian learners'

Just one Hong Kong student has signed up to take the MBA course launched in June by the online education arm of the prestigious international university consortium Universitas 21.

The University of Hong Kong is among 16 universities that have invested a total US$50 million in the Universitas 21 Global joint venture. Since its launch in June, 55 0 applications have been received from around the world, according to figures supplied by its chief executive officer Mukesh Aghi. Forty students have been accepted, but only one from the territory.

Dr Aghi, who is based at U21's headquarters in Singapore, came to Hong Kong this week to head a new round of publicity to attract more applicants for the two-year MBA programme for middle and senior executives. Educators, however, cast doubt over the value of such a programme in Hong Kong. 'There is a whole range of live MBA programmes offered here,'' said Steve Dekrey, MBA programme director at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which received 600 applications for its full and part-time programmes.

'One of the benefits of an MBA programme is the training of soft skills required in the business world, such as communication, presentation and leadership skills. These skills can only be developed in a classroom environment, through live interaction with classmates and faculty. I never consider online MBA as a true MBA,' he said. Personal networks - a key attraction of an MBA - were also best developed in a face-to-face situation, he added.

But Dr Aghi defended the on-line concept. He said that students could develop global networks through its chatrooms.