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Crystal Tai

HOW DO YOU get businesspeople, bureaucrats, social activists, politicians, journalists and publicists to attend the same lecture?

The best way is by giving them the chance of a postgraduate education that is wide-ranging in content but also applicable to each of their respective fields.

Such an education is offered by the Master of International and Public Affairs (MIPA) programme at the University of Hong Kong, which has been catering to the educational needs of high-flying professionals for the past three years.

The MIPA is an eight-module multidisciplinary programme with special reference to the Asia-Pacific region. It provides conceptual knowledge and in-depth understanding of regional and world affairs, needed to meet the career challenges of globalisation and changes in the modern workplace.

The programme's international focus attracts seasoned professionals with diverse experience and multicultural backgrounds.

Current students include Hong Kong-born Canadian Vicky Cheng, Anais Kedgley-Laidlaw of Australia and Nicholas Yek of Hong Kong.

The three students agree the approach of their professors and the overall structure of the programme creates a stimulating environment for learning.

Ms Cheng works for the public service sector in Ontario, Canada as a government policy letter-writer. She said that, although her job had taught her a lot about politics, it also meant she took a bureaucratic approach to things, which gave her limited insight into public opinion on issues.

'Now [in the MIPA programme], my views have become more international because we focus so much on current affairs in class,' she said.

Ms Cheng hopes to return to her post in Canada with a clearer, broader understanding of public affairs.

Ms Kedgley-Laidlaw, who trained as a lawyer, put her career on hold to live in Hong Kong for the entire duration of her graduate studies. She works in litigation with a commercial law firm and believes the programme will be very useful.

'I guess you could consider this a career move as well,' she said, adding that she hopes to move into international law.

Though officially retired, Mr Yek has kept himself hard at work with his studies for the programme. At one point, the former bureaucrat worked as the Hong Kong representative of the European Committee. But, before signing on for the MIPA programme, he had never received any formal training in international and public affairs.

'I am not doing this for a future career,' he said. 'I just want to know how things work and what goes on in other countries.'

He said the classes not only covered current affairs but promoted a better understanding of modern history and different views on contemporary issues.

The programme tends to focus on topics relating to China and Asian trade, including the ongoing exchanges between the mainland and Japan, and the possible ways to move forward.

The students have grown closer discussing such topics.

'There is a lot of group work involved,' Mr Yek said. 'I have made a lot of new friends and worthwhile connections.'

AT FIRST GLANCE, it might seem a questionable idea to bring together professionals from many fields in the same learning environment but, in reality, most students find it provides them with unexpected insights and a range of enlightening experiences.

Richard Hu Wei-Xing, director of the University of Hong Kong's MIPA programme since it began three years ago, attributes much of its success to the diversity of the students, which he sees as a way of generating new ideas and fresh perspectives throughout the course.

The programme offers modules focusing on political topics in the Asia-Pacific region, and presents contrasting views of governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), legal experts and economists.

'As the world becomes more globalised, economic ties are becoming closer and more important,' Dr Hu said.

One of the aspects he concentrates on is how politics and economics intertwine.

'Students will learn how economic decisions are influenced by political factors,' he said. 'This will also give students a better idea of how the global economy works.'

Another notable feature of the MIPA programme is its flexibility. Students are required to take eight courses to graduate and can choose to complete their studies full-time by taking four courses a semester over a year, or they can opt for a part-time programme spread over two years.

There is also an option to study overseas at any one of the partner universities.

'We offer courses at Peking University, George Washington University and Johns Hopkins University in the US, and Sciences Po - Institut d'Etudes Politique in France,' Dr Hu said.

When it came to accepting applicants for the programme, Dr Hu said there were no fixed criteria, though certain factors were important.

'We look for candidates with solid experience, but our choices depend on the competition that year,' Dr Hu said.

He added that there was strong demand for the course, with up to 180 people vying for the 30 to 35 positions available at each intake.

About a quarter of the students are civil servants, and another quarter work for commercial enterprises. The remainder work for local media companies or NGOs, or they are professionals from overseas who want to learn more in a Hong Kong academic environment.

Dr Hu said the style of teaching used for the MIPA programme differed from other further education courses because the professors encouraged interaction.

The objective was to get students thinking for themselves and to see things from an international perspective.

'The programme is special because it also has real substance,' he said.

Despite the diversity of backgrounds and individual points of view found in each class, there have been no lasting conflicts arising from clashing opinions.

'In our classroom, even potential enemies can talk,' Dr Hu said.

'There is a lot of debate, but no one gets emotional.'



Diversity fosters fresh ideas