Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(8)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

Moreover, when it comes to class profile, apart from the Asian student dominant class, the number of non-Asian students is better to reach half. This is no exception to faculty profile. According to the 2009-2010 global MBA program of College of Business at Seoul National University, 48 out of 49 full-time professors are Western Ph.D. But to integrate East and West, around 30% should be Asian Ph.D. professors. 

Of course, Eastern-Western value integration is not enough to fully improve the quality of MBA education in Korea, Japan and China. We also need additional initiatives, to name a few, active globalization, regional cooperation, practical and timely education. Going without saying, more English class and profile diversity is a must to most Asian MBA schools for real globalization.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(7)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

Last but not least, inducing western applications to Korean, Japanese and Chinese MBA schools is of great significance. It is basically because Asian value needs be passed to Western students so that they can broaden or deepen their horizon in Asian context. However, it is also true that we still need Western value in many ways. 

Thus, the ideal model of Asian MBA education can be achieved by balancing Western curriculum with newly-introduced Eastern curriculum. For example, existing subjects such as international strategy, management information system and new subjects such as Confucianism and Buddhism, both of them should make their presence.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(6)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

Under this circumstance, integrating Eastern & Western values into MBA education through active Asian-value reflection should be done in no time. First of all, Asia-specific classes such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Asian language and history need be opened. In doing so, Asian MBA schools can deliver values such as social responsibility, ethics and community spirit. 

In addition, more case studies, especially about new and joint ventures that are so prevalent as China develops, are powerfully required. Students can learn Korean IT industry, Japanese management style and Chinese manufacturing sector in depth. Furthermore, faculty members with Asian backgrounds should be recruited to some extent. Without Asian Ph.D. professors, active Asian value reflection will be a wishful thinking.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(5)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

Thus, if timely and properly changed, Asian MBA schools can even suggest a new education model. Then, companies, one of the biggest stakeholders of MBA education, can place themselves in the high interest and high power square of Stakeholder analysis. In other words, corporate responses would be moved from the present 'Indifference' to the future 'Active Recruitment'. 

Contextual background of various countries by Geert Hofstede also implies that Korea, Japan and China, as the most high context nations which underline righteousness and strongly want their faces saved, desperately need different types of MBA education with remarkable emphasis on Asian value.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(4)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

In fact, general analysis of 13 Korean, 29 Japanese, over 45 Chinese schools (defined as professional schools with full-time MBA programs) supports our idea. SWOT analysis indicates that western-oriented curriculum such as marketing, financial accounting, organizational behavior and insufficient globalization and lack of practical education constitutes the weakness of Asian MBA schools. 

However, at the same time, Asian MBA schools also have a life-time chance. With the rapid growth of Eastern economy and subsequent highlights on Eastern value, they draw more and more attention from all over the world.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(3)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

In fact, deans of top Korean and Japanese business schools shared this idea when they discussed the future of Asian MBA schools last August. Taeshik Ahn, dean of the College of Business at Seoul National University of Korea said the desirable MBA education is to highlight both talent and co-existence. 

He added that a MBA school must be a place where students can learn not only knowledge but also life. Hirotaka Takeuchi, dean of the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy at Hitotsubashi University of Japan, showed similar opinions as well. 

He stressed that leaders should be equipped with ethics and cultural diversity. He further developed his argument that the core competitiveness of Asian business schools lies in delivering these values to students.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(2)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

Negative point of view is also found out even inside the academic field. For example, Ikujiro Nonaka, a professor at JAIMS and one of the most influential scholars in the management academy, claims that professors do not know the real business world. He went on saying that professors tend to focus on abstract theories and models without enough hands-on experiences. 

However, we insist that an Eastern-Western value integrated MBA education would be a competitive advantage to companies, particularly in Asian context. And the integrated MBA education could raise their value within companies consequently.

Enhancing the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China(1)

Improving the Quality of MBA Education in Korea, Japan and China - Integrating East & West

It is little doubt that MBA (Master of Business Administration) education is important to business people. It is because MBA education can help students develop career, expand network, go through global experience, start new business and broaden horizon. 

However, there is some criticism of MBAs from the corporate side, especially during economic downturns. Critics point out that most MBA education is not worthy of investing huge amount of money and time. 

They argue that MBA education fails to bring whatever value companies eagerly want to get although snowballing number of students fly to American or European MBA schools to study year by year.

Which Asian universities prominent in QS world rankings for engineering and technology?(2)

Which Asian universities shine in QS world rankings for engineering and technology?

This year' results for engineering and technology, to be released on 2 April 2011, will rank universities in computer science and these engineering disciplines - chemical, electrical and electronic, civil and structural, mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing. 

The new subject rankings will be based on established QS rankings methodology and on a combination of research citation and survey data from academics and graduate employers across the world.

Which Asian universities prominent in QS world rankings for engineering and technology?(1)

Which Asian universities shine in QS world rankings for engineering and technology?

Last year, the University of Tokyo (7th), Nanyang University of Singapore (9th), Tsinghua University (11th), Kyoto University (17th), Tokyo Institute of Technology (23rd), Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (24th) and Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (26th) were the Asian universities in the top 30 for engineering and IT in the QS World University Rankings. 

Come April, find out if these Asian universities will rank higher this year and if more Asian institutions will join the top 30. In previous years, QS ranked universities in five broad subject areas: Arts and humanities; engineering and IT; natural sciences; life sciences and medicine; and social sciences. From 2011, the rankings will cover over 30 individual subjects, thus offering the most wide-ranging comparison at the departmental level.

Asia's oldest university enjoys 400th anniversary(2)

Asia's oldest university celebrates 400th anniversary with fireworks display

The 400-year-old institution's Rector, Rev Fr Rolando V. de la Rosa, OP, became the youngest-ever rector of UST when he was elected in 1990 at the age of 37. As part of its celebration, UST formed probably the largest living rosary in the world with over 20,000 students, faculty members, administrators and employees participating. 

On Ash Wednesday in March this year, UST mobilised about 24,000 people to form a black-and-white Dominican cross in front of the UST chapel and grandstand (picture).

Asia's oldest university enjoys 400th anniversary(1)

Asia's oldest university celebrates 400th anniversary with fireworks display

Philippines: The University of Santo Tomas celebrated its 400th anniversary in January this year, starting with a formal Eucharistic celebration. This was preceded by a week of festivities and culminated with a dazzling fireworks display. 

The papal legate, nearly 200 cardinals, archbishops, bishops, more than 700 priests as well as dozens of government officials, university presidents, about 75,000 students and alumni from all over the world attended the celebrations.

How Korean colleges can internationalise their campuses to survive(3)

How Korean universities can internationalise their campuses to survive

From his research on Yonsei and Korea Universities, he found that internationalisation at these two institutions was overly programme-focused and lacked proper organisational strategies. 

He also noted that programme-oriented internationalisation involved mainly students, with very limited participation by departments. "It is therefore important to include all constituencies and departments through a comprehensive institution-wide process," Mr Cho commented in his book