Highlighted Events

Study Tours to Taiwan and Shanghai

	Taiwan	Shanghai
1. Date	April 20-26, 2014	May 4-31, 2014
2. Duration	7 days	4 weeks
3. Target students	MAIA	AC3252
4. Cohort	2013	2012 Cohort (3 years)
5. Leader	Stephanie	David
6. Activities	Guest lectures and group discussions at two universities, exchanges with Taiwanese students, company visits, sightseeing	Course on Accounting and Taxation Systems in the Chinese Mainland, group activities with Chinese students, company visits, cultural discovery activities, sightseeing
7. Number of participants	45	40

As noted in the Department’s intended learning outcomes for students, the Department endeavors to create a discovery learning experience for students by organizing study tours. Our hope is that students will be molded into all-round professionals through cultural immersion and overseas business education.

Led by members of the teaching faculty, two groups of students visited Taiwan and Shanghai in 2013-14 . As academic study is a major component of the overseas experience, students on the study tour to Taiwan attended guest lectures at National Taiwan University (NTU). They also met student representatives of both NTU and the Chinese Culture University. Similarly, those who headed to Shanghai spent a month at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics because they are taking a course entitled “Accounting & Taxation Systems in the Chinese Mainland” (AC3252).

Studying on an overseas program can be both challenging and inspiring. Such programs broaden students’ horizons, widen their perceptions, and hone their discovery of business insights, all of which help them to develop an international perspective and the ability to work in accordance with different standards, rules, and practices. Human interaction is a core component of the accounting profession. Accordingly, students on the two study tours also visited a number of professional firms and business organizations to get a taste of various corporate structures and work atmospheres. They also met with a diverse range of Taiwanese and Shanghainese, developing cross-cultural friendships through group tasks and social activities. Students also visited well-known cultural attractions and scenic spots during their respective stays.

These two tours have benefited the Department as a whole. They have strengthened trust and rapport between students and faculty, as everyone was forced to live in and adapt to a new culture together. The Department waived some of the costs for those taking part in the Taiwan tour to encourage participation.