For most people, a commute to school simply involves a short drive, or hopping on the bus or train. Nowadays, however, it is not uncommon for students to travel greater distances to attend classes.
At the Richard Ivey School of Business in Hong Kong, a number of students fly in from across the region to attend regular weekend classes. These students, on the executive MBA programme, add a truly international feel to the already broad mix of students on the course.
Typically, these students need to attend classes for two weekends every month. The programme includes a two-week residence in Hong Kong at the beginning of the 18-month course, and one week in Canada the following year.
One such student is Duan Changsheng, assistant to the general manager and general manager of the nitrogen fertiliser department at the mainland's biggest manufacturer of fertiliser - Sinochem Fertilizer. He began the Richard Ivey School of Business EMBA programme in August last year and, although based in Beijing, he manages to attend his weekend classes by flying to Hong Kong on Friday and back home on Sunday.
He has been working at Sinochem since 1993, and during his career there he decided that he wanted to take a course of study, especially related to management.
His first thought was that he would look for a relevant course close to home, but his boss suggested to him that he take a programme with a more international flavour.