CUHK-Tsinghua FMBA 20th Anniversary Event Series: “Meet the Deans” Alumni Event
The inspiring “Meet the Deans” event offers lively, in-depth exchange among FMBA alumni and the deans of both schools
The “Meet the Deans” alumni event, part of The Chinese University of Hong Kong-Tsinghua University MBA Programme in Finance (FMBA) 20th Anniversary celebration event series, was held on 11 January 2020 at Tsinghua University’s Weilun Building. The afternoon offered a chance for FMBA alumni to meet and exchange ideas with Prof. Bai Chong-en, Dean of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, and Prof. Lin Zhou, Dean of CUHK Business School, under the same roof. Prof. Sean Xu, Deputy Dean of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, welcomed the audience with an opening address.
Prof. Lin Zhou began his remarks by applauding the FMBA team’s efforts to make the 20th Anniversary celebration a success. He then discussed the origins and development of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, an institution founded with three fundamental goals: promoting Chinese culture in colonial Hong Kong, bringing together China and the West, and innovating for progress. True to this spirit, the CUHK Business School BBA, MBA and EMBA programmes were all the first of their kind in the region, lighting the way for Asia’s business education. The FMBA Programme, jointly run by CUHK and Tsinghua University, was also one of the first educational collaborations between Hong Kong and the mainland. Not only has the programme nurtured a vast and outstanding talent pool for the mainland’s financial sector, it has also become an important link between Hong Kong and China. Prof. Zhou then expressed his hope that the FMBA Programme would enable even more opportunities for the two schools to jointly contribute to the development of mainland China and Hong Kong.
Taking the stage next, Prof. Bai welcomed Prof. Zhou and the alumni in attendance, and echoed the hope for deeper, broader cooperation between CUHK Business School and Tsinghua. He then presented his analysis of current opportunities and challenges facing China’s economic development. Prof. Bai believes that as a fast-growing economy, China enjoys a distinct latecomer advantage; and, fueled by advances in digital technology and education, China is poised to remain on top of global annual growth rankings. But that doesn’t mean there are no challenges. Expanding priorities outside of economic growth are presenting new challenges and necessitating urgent improvements to China’s governance. The current innovation-driven growth is raising the standard for a sound financial system. And the adjustment pain caused by structural transformation is testing the nation’s will for continued structural reform. All of these must be addressed, while we navigate a complex, ever-changing external environment.
Following the deans’ remarks, President of FMBA Beijing Alumni Association Wang Guangyu (FMBA 2004) hosted a dialogue session for the deans and the attending alumni. Together, the two deans discoursed on a number of important issues, such as China’s high-quality development era and its impact on the business environment; income inequality in the mainland and Hong Kong from the view of welfare economics, the current development and challenges in China’s financial and capital markets, and the economic forecast for 2020. The two deans also answered audience questions about the current state of China’s property market and innovative environment, leaving attendees with a host of enlightening new insights.
Held as part of the CUHK-Tsinghua FMBA 20th Anniversary event series, the “Meet the Deans” alumni event aimed to foster dialogue and in-depth exchange among FMBA alumni and the deans of both schools.
Following this event, the guests and alumni attended the 20th Anniversary celebration carnival and dinner.
Held in Tsinghua University’s Weilun Building, in the same classroom dated back to 20 years ago, the “Meet the Deans” event attracts a full house of FMBA graduates
Prof. Lin Zhou, Dean of CUHK Business School
Prof. Bai Chong-en, Dean of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management
Wang Guangyu (FMBA 2004), President of FMBA Beijing Alumni Association, hosts a dialogue session for the two deans