Technology & Management Program Students Network with their US Counterpart

Sharing the same vision to bridge the gap between traditional engineering and business education, the Dual Degree in Technology & Management (T&M) Program at HKUST and the Hoeft Technology & Management Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have much in common. The elite students from both Programs took part in a stimulating exchange of ideas and insights at a Discussion Forum, and enjoyed a fun filled evening of social and cultural exchange at the Dinner Reception that took place on 25 of May at the Sheraton Hotel.

28 students and 9 faculty/staff members from the Hoeft T&M Program at UIUC participated in a China Trip from May 14-26, visiting companies, government organizations and education institutions in varies cities in Mainland China, with the final stop in Hong Kong. The group visited organizations including Motorola in Tianjin; Beihang University, and Dell in Beijing; Honeywell in Shanghai; the Hongkong International Terminals and HKUST in Hong Kong.

At the Discussion Forum co-hosted by the two universities, teams of UIUC students shared the eye-opening cross cultural experiences and business insights they have gained during the trip. They were excited by the rapid development, sparked by the many business opportunities, and challenged by the cultural complexity that China offers to the world. HKUST students echoed many of these feelings and shared what they have learned about doing business in China by presenting the findings of a recent Corporate Project that they have undertaken, i.e. offering a practical solution to a real life business problem of a multinational company in Shanghai.

To further stimulate the learning of students from both Programs, Mr. Scott Wilson, VP and General Counsel, Asia Pacific, of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was invited to speak on the topic "Developing Strategy in an Opaque and Evolving Legal Environment". As shared by Mr. Wilson in his personal testimony, "experience really counts!" It is his China experience more so than his academic qualification that lands him where he is.

Underlying all the efforts of the UIUC Hoeft T&M Program to organize the China Trip 2006 and the HKUST T&M Program to offer the Corporate Project and co-host the Discussion Forum and the Dinner Reception, the objective is to increase the international exposure and enrich the learning experience for students. It can be expected more exciting events of similar sort will be organized for the HKUST T&M students as part of their Enrichment Program!