LIU'S FAMILY FOUNDATION
U.S. - CHINA BUSINESS EDUCATION INITIATIVE
The Liu's Family Foundation U.S. - China Business Education Initiative, the newest and largest international program in UTSA's College of Business, was established following a $1 million donation from Chinese businessman Richard Liu in 1998. In August 2003 Mr. Liu broke his own donation record by giving UTSA $2 million to further the initiative.
The key components of the Liu's Family Foundation U.S. - China Business Education Initiative include supporting student and faculty exchanges, executive education, research collaboration and joint programs between the College of Business and top universities in China.
This semester-long program offers MBA and EMBA exchange opportunities in August and January of each year, and visiting scholars and research fellows on an ongoing basis. The first exchange began in August 2000, and the program has supported the exchange of over 150 students, faculty and scholars since inception.
LIU MBA FELLOWS
Liu MBA Fellows enroll in full-time business graduate coursework. In addition to this coursework, all participants attend a cultural enrichment course to learn about American business, culture and values. The curriculum is enhanced by weekly cultural activities, business site visits and instructional seminars. Liu MBA Fellows also have UTSA Graduate Research Assistantships. This allows each student to work individually with a UTSA faculty member. The experience and knowledge gained from working in academic departments has proven to be of great benefit to the students as well as to the academic departments.
Past cultural experiences have included trips to the San Antonio Stockshow and Rodeo, the State Capitol, a San Antonio Spurs game and visits to government offices, hospitals, nursing homes and elementary schools. Previous business site visits have included Tandy Brands Accessories in Yoakum, Texas and local businesses such as Goodwill Industries, Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp., Altria Corporate Services, and Time Warner Cable. Examples of instructional seminars include resume writing, social and business etiquette and WTO instruction.
While at UTSA, the students live on-campus in the University Oaks apartments. They are placed in two- and four-bedroom apartments with other exchange participants and UTSA students. At the conclusion of the semester participants are recognized at a completion ceremony and receive a certificate in "Studies in American Business".
LIU EXECUTIVE MBA (EMBA) FELLOWS
In fall 2002, another component was added to the Liu's Family Foundation U.S. - China Business Education Initiative at the executive education level; the exchange of six executives from Shanghai to join the new EMBA class for the first semester of their program. This program was developed in cooperation with the Shanghai Education Centre for Administrators. Participants are drawn from a group selected by the Administration Bureau, and based on personal interviews with UTSA administrators and faculty. They represent a diverse cross-section of business sectors in Shanghai. The program continues to support 6 executives from Shanghai each fall semester, and has expanded to sponsor 4 executives from the Tianjin municipality each spring semester.
The core of their educational program at UTSA has been the first semester of the Executive MBA curriculum. Their EMBA coursework has included Introduction to Business Foundations, Accounting Foundations, and Management and Behavior in Organizations. Their inclusion in the EMBA program has been very well received by their fellow students, who have commented on how much they have learned about Chinese business practices from having a Chinese team involved in their projects and activities. It is the goal of the Liu's Family Foundation U.S. - China Business Education Initiative not only to provide education on American business to Chinese students, but also to educate American students and executives in Chinese business practices.
The classroom experience of the executives has been supplemented with many of the same activities undertaken by the MBA students, described earlier. They have visited a number of San Antonio area businesses, across a wide variety of business sectors, and they have shared in a number of cultural experiences.
Some of them have also had the opportunity to participate in activities of local organizations consistent with their individual professional interests and to attend meetings of professional organizations in the United States in their area of expertise.
LIU FACULTY FELLOWS
The early years of the program focused primarily on student education, preparing the youth of today for the fast-paced, ever-changing global business world. Then the executive component was added, helping executives to widen their perspectives, for themselves and their companies, at the same time broadening the University's perspectives.
The Liu's Family Foundation U.S. - China Business Education Initiative at UTSA has hosted Chinese Visiting Scholars, or Liu Faculty Fellows, since the fall 2000 semester, the first semester of the initiative. Their numbers have been few, but their impact has not. The scholars work closely with UTSA faculty on numerous research projects, with many collaborations continuing long after their return to China.
Liu Faculty Fellows have come from a variety of educational and business backgrounds. Previous scholars have had educational interests ranging from information systems and marketing, to accounting and finance, with their backgrounds being from both academic and the private sector. We have hosted Visiting Scholars from Shanghai and Beijing, as well as Tianjin.
PARTNERSHIPS
Richard Liu's donations have allowed the college to build culturally enriching partnerships with educational institutions, faculty, students, businesses and the Government in China.
MBA educational exchanges have been established with 6 of the top universities in Beijing and Shanghai - Renmin University of China and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing; Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Maritime University and Tongji University in Shanghai. Links to the University websites are listed below.
In addition to the University partners listed above, educational exchanges have been established with the Shanghai Education Center for Administrators of Shanghai Municipal Government and the Tianjin Municipal Government.
RECRUITING TRIPS
Each spring a delegation of UTSA faculty and administrators travel to Beijing and Shanghai to interview prospective participants at each of the 6 exchange universities and governmental agencies, and to further cement exchange and research opportunities between our respective institutions. During the interview process, each university presents 10-12 top candidates to be interviewed. Competition at each school is demanding and the selection of participants for the program is very hard. UTSA faculty and administrators traveling to China for recruiting have included President Ricardo Romo as well as numerous College of Business faculty and administrators. For more information regarding UTSA trips to China please click here.
The Liu's Family Foundation U.S. - China Business Education Initiative, together with UTSA, the College of Business, and the San Antonio community, look forward to continued growth and success in the exchange of students, executives, faculty, and ideas.
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