Adelaide's five-star MBA offered in Hong Kong

Business

Hong Kong's Lingnan University has entered into a partnership with the University of Adelaide to provide an MBA program that combines the best of East and West business practices.

The partnership was formalised in Hong Kong with an official signing ceremony attended by high-ranking officials from both universities and a senior minister from the South Australian Government, the Hon. Paul Holloway.

The Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Professor James McWha, said Lingnan University enjoyed a strong reputation in economics and business, and was renowned for the quality of its teaching programs.

"Lingnan has excellent relations with the business community in Hong Kong and China, ensuring that our graduates will be highly regarded in the region, which is recognised as an international centre for business and trade. We will offer an MBA program with state-of-the-art teaching facilities, which meets the core needs of the market," Professor McWha said.

The President of Lingnan University, Professor Yuk-Shee Chan, said: "What we seek to impart among our students is not just knowledge and skills, but also creativity and wisdom in problem-solving, and the ability to handle various situations in life. I am certain that the MBA jointly offered by both universities will help students in these aspects."

The 18-month MBA program, to start in July 2008, will be taught through intensive lecture sessions by University of Adelaide academics as well as qualified specialists from around the globe.

The University's MBA program has been operating since 1963 and is offered in Adelaide, Singapore and Hong Kong. It carries a five-star rating within Hong Kong and is ranked by Singapore's Edupoll Education Guide as the Best Value Australian MBA.

"The University of Adelaide MBA is a world-class postgraduate qualification that prepares students to lead and succeed in the global business world," Professor McWha said. "Students undertaking the Hong Kong MBA program will acquire skills in contemporary business perspectives that will stand them in good stead anywhere in the world."

Lingnan University is the youngest tertiary institution in the territory, yet has a long tradition of higher education in the region. The University was incorporated in 1999 but its history dates back to 1888 when its forerunner, the prestigious Lingnan University in Guangzhou (Canton), China was founded.

It is one of the eight government-funded universities but the only liberal arts college in Hong Kong offering bachelor programs in Arts, Business Administration, Social Sciences, and postgraduate studies to over 2000 students.

The South Australian Minister for Police, Mineral Resource Development and Urban Development and Planning, the Hon Paul Holloway, said education was now South Australia's fourth largest export, valued at close to $650 million per annum. He said Adelaide had become an internationally recognised education centre and gained a reputation as Australia's Learning City.

"The partnership between the University of Adelaide and Lingnan University is an exciting development and yet another example of the importance we place on the international education sector," Mr Holloway said.

Story by Candy Gibson