UM DBA programme attracts CEOs and senior executives

The University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Business Administration (FBA) is dedicated to providing professional management courses. To keep pace with the needs of society, the faculty last year launched the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme, which has been very well received. Among the 83 applicants who are business executives of different nationalities, 20 of them were accepted by the doctoral programme. 95 per cent of the first cohort of students admitted last year are currently working in positions of CEO, director, general manager, business partner, or company secretary in various industries, such as banking and investment, hospitality and gaming, real estate, and manufacturing. They all have rich experience in business administration.

Among the students are Jay Chun, chairman and managing director of Paradise Entertainment Limited; Xie Shiling, director and founder of a law firm in Jiangsu province; and Lin Jianxiong, general-manager of direct banking services at the Bank of Jiujiang.

Chun has been working in the gaming industry for many years, but he still thinks that the knowledge he acquired in the programme will help him implement business reforms in his company. ‘The DBA programme offers an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas with top management leaders from Macao and the Greater Bay Area. Together we analysed the strengths and weaknesses of the business models used by different companies, in order to find management methods that suit our needs,’ says Chun. ‘The programme focuses on research analysis, which is very important to a company in terms of long-term development and risk management.’ Chun adds that he will definitely recommend this programme to his friends.

Xie has over 30 years of experience in management. According to him, despite being a young university, UM has a higher degree of internationalisation than most universities in mainland China. As China is striving to build an integrated economy in the Greater Bay Area, he believes UM will play an important role in training skilled workers for this economic zone. ‘I have absorbed new ideas and learned more about new business models through the programme, which will help me invigorate my team’s management methods and business strategies,’ says Xie.

Lin says that the DBA programmes has given him indispensable tools for business success in today’s corporate environment. ‘By gathering business professionals from different industries, the programme provides a platform for participants to inspire one another, expand their networks, and make plans for future collaborations as business partners. The DBA programme has brought great benefits to the overall development of my career,’ says Lin.

According to Raymond Loi Chi Ho, coordinator of the DBA programme and a professor in the FBA, in addition to attending lectures, students in the DBA programme have the opportunity to visit leading universities and companies in Asia, Europe, and North America. During the visits, they can learn about the companies’ history, entrepreneurial philosophy, and corporate culture, as well as how these companies pass down the torch of entrepreneurship. Courses in the programme are taught by teachers with international backgrounds and rich teaching experience, which will help to cultivate macro perspectives and innovative ideas among students. ‘

‘The students in this programme already have practical experience, but they might not had the chance to systematically analyse management theories from the West before. Our professors will discuss these theories in case studies to explain different management models and cultures,’ says Prof Loi. He adds that the programme encourages students to reflect on their current business models, summarise their experience, and develop critical thinking skills in order to make further improvements.

04 Jun 2020