The College of Business's innovative collaboration with the Fudan Business School, Shanghai has produced its first graduates. Completing their doctoral studies in just three years, Mr Yi-liang Tan, Chairman of the Board, Jiangsu Zhongda Real Estate Group Ltd, and Mr Jianrong Luo, a Senior Partner of Allbright Law Offices graduated from the DBA programme in November 2013.
The two outstanding graduates came to the CityU-Fudan DBA programme with contrasting backgrounds. Mr Tan, with a professional career in real estate, established an elderly home care services business start up four years ago, whilst Mr Luo has a background as a senior legal partner in construction and real estate. Both graduates found that studying on the DBA programme has proved invaluable in enhancing their respective careers.
Mr Yi-liang Tan's aspiration was to develop a sustainable business model for his new elderly care services company. He felt a need to enrich his business knowledge and management skills through advanced studies. "I'd sought advice on running the elderly care business from overseas experts and research agencies, with a view to turning overseas experiences into useful models for our mainland operation. We'd even set up an R&D department to support our business development," Mr Tan remarked.
But with limited experience in applying research results to business, he found exchanging ideas with overseas experts challenging. This triggered the idea to undertake a DBA course to develop his research skills and modes of thinking with the hope of becoming a more effective manager. "I am now able to analyse social phenomena using research methodologies. With an enhanced business model, I hope that my elderly home care business can set a paradigm for social enterprises on the mainland."
Mr Jianrong Luo came to the programme as a senior partner of a law firm specializing in construction and real estate legal issues, and already held a law degree. The emphasis on data analysis in business management studies was new to him. The joint DBA programme was his gateway to this new academic area. "The collaboration of CityU and FudanU puts the DBA on the cutting edge. I have had the opportunity of experiencing a very different teaching approach used by CityU faculty. The programme places great emphasis on research methodology which strengthens the professionalism of business management."
The joint CityU-Fudan DBA programme was launched in 2010, offering a curriculum tailored for senior executives from both the business and industrial sectors. For more information: https://www.cb.cityu.edu.hk/dba/fudan/
