On October 13th, Media briefing on Tongji-Case MBA/Finance Double Degree Program is held in Yuntong Building,
School of Economics and Management (SEM), Tongji University. Reporters from 10 major news media in Shanghai, including Shanghai Morning Post, Shanghai Evening Post, Global Times, Shanghai Times, Youth Daily, Labor Daily MBA China.com, News Eastday.com and Edulife.com attend the media meeting. Prof. Mohan.Reddy, Dean of
Weatherhead School of Management, Dr. Liming Zhao, Special Advisor of Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (CRWU), Cleveland, Ohio, US, Prof. Jiazhen HUO, Dean of SEM, Prof. Shumin YAN, Director of MBA Program of SEM, Dr. Yibin LI, Director of Tongji-Case MBA/Finance Double Degree Program, Ms Grace Shou, Vice Director of International Office of SEM, Tongji University present at the media briefing and are jointly interviewed by the reporters. The meeting is hosted by Prof. Shumin YAN.
Dean Mohan Reddy gives an overview of the general information of Weatherhead School of Management, its strength in the education of Finance, and the latest trend of demand on talent in Wall Street financial market in the US after the global financial crisis. In his view, the explosion of financial crisis disclosed that the financial industry was facing a lot of challenges. While the main challenge lay in the limitation of financial talent’s knowledge structure, which resulted in decision errors and difficult situations. According to his opinion, financial analysts are usually well trained in the fields of modern technology including financial modeling but short of macro vision and managerial skills and experience; while managers may be good at management and communication, but poor in understanding of increasingly complex financial models and tools, and thus they could not interpret technical analysis report correctly, which would cause decision errors. Therefore, comprehensive managerial talents mastering finance and management theories are greatly in need in the Wall Street market. Based on this broad background, the MBA/Finance Double Degree Program collaborated between CWRU and Tongji is designed and geared with a purpose to break the boundary between MBA professional degree and Master of Science in Finance degree, and to combine the broad theories of Management Science with the focused in-depth knowledge of Finance discipline, so as to cultivate a new generation of talents with both financial and managerial knowledge, and to provide a powerful talent team and intelligence support for Shanghai international financial center.
Dean HUO makes an introduction to the internationalization of SEM and Tongji, and emphasizes SEM’s advantages in interdisciplinary cultivation of financial and economic talents. SEM combines the two disciplines of Economics and Management, and thus enjoys the strengths of both disciplines and granting students with more resources in faculty and research. In addition, as a comprehensive university, Tongji boasts the multi-disciplinary advantage, providing strong industry resource for graduates seeking for recruitment in capital markets. When answering reporters’ question on
How to Balance Theory and Practice in MBA Education, Dean HUO points out that management is a kind of practice, whose essence not only lies in knowing, but also in practicing. A successful professional education should integrate theory with practice. Therefore, SEM insists experiential-oriented learning by using case study and lab simulation. All the knowledge learned will be applied in simulated action plans and solutions. In respect of faculty, SEM puts great stresses in their industry experience. A Program Education Steering Committee together with
GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals) Tongji Chapter have been established in order to create great opportunities for program candidates to communicate with experts in financial industry. Moreover, SEM’s close partnership with
the Talent Development Center of Shanghai Lujiazui Financial City will provide internship and employment chances for graduates of the program.
After the media briefing, the two Deans continue their discussion further regarding long-term collaboration in other fields, such as Master Program of Science in Operations Research and Supply Chain Management, Master Program of Non-profit Organization, and Master of Accountancy. PhD student Exchange and Faculty Exchange are also brought onto the agenda of our bilateral cooperation. In the afternoon, Dean Reddy meets with directors and department heads of relative programs mentioned above to further explore potential collaborative modes.
Tongji-Case MBA/Finance Double Degree Program is jointly established by Tongji University and renowned US CWRU. It’s the first time for such first-class universities in the US to grant Master of Science in Finance Degree in mainland China, and it’s also the first double degree program to combine MBA professional degree with Master of Science in Finance Degree in China.
Established in 1826, CWRU is the largest private research university in Ohio, USA. CWRU is located in the city of Cleveland around Lake Erie (one of the Great Lakes in North America). There are 16 Nobel Prize winners graduated from CWRU since its founding. CWRU is among the most popular universities in USA due to its research-oriented style and outstanding research achievement. CWRU is ranked 14th for its MBA program and 21st for its EMBA program according to Business Week’s latest ranking of MBA Program in 2009; it is ranked 1st in the US for its financial management program according to Business Week’s latest 2010 ranking of Finance specialty.
