Victoria degree to be taught in China

Victoria breaks new ground with degree to be taught in China

A groundbreaking new venture with one of Asia's leading business schools will allow students in living in China to complete a Victoria University Master of Business Administration degree without leaving home.

The International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) degree will be taught in Hong Kong by Victoria Management School academics in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business (APIB). It is one of the first New Zealand university qualifications to be wholly taught in a foreign country using traditional face-to-face lectures and will be launched in Hong Kong tomorrow (September 13).

Victoria Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon hailed the relationship as yet another sign of Victoria's growing international links.

"This programme will further increase Victoria's presence in Asia, one of the most vibrant economic regions of the world and one that is increasingly relevant to New Zealand's economic future. As New Zealand's leading exporter of education services, having been named by Trade New Zealand as Education Exporter of the Year, it is a logical step for us to move from educating overseas students in New Zealand to wholly educating them in their home country.

"The qualification will allow our academics to develop research links with colleagues in one of Asia's top business schools as well as providing greater experience of another culture that will further enhance their teaching in New Zealand."

Professor McCutcheon said it also allowed Victoria to meet its targets for internationalisation without the additional challenges of finding accommodation for international students. A full range of student services will be provided for Victoria's Hong Kong students by arrangement with APIB.

"For the students who complete this exciting option, they will gain a degree that shows they have the intellectual ability, analytical rigour and strategic acumen to advance into senior management in the competitive world of global business. Victoria has been successfully running its own MBA programme for almost 20 years."

From November 1, Victoria academics will travel to Hong Kong to teach students in the IMBA programme. The competitively priced programme will be taught in weekend lectures to ensure minimal disruption to students' local work and family commitments. All courses involve 24 hours of teaching contact time spread over two visits with four weeks between lectures for student reading and assignments. Between sessions, students will keep in touch with lecturers through email and Victoria's internet-based academic portal, Blackboard. All students will have strong English language skills and will meet Victoria's requirements for admission to University.

Victoria's Academic Board, the Committee on Academic Programmes (CUAP), part of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellor's Committee, and the Hong Kong Government have all approved the Victoria IMBA degree.

APIB is the external arm of the Faculty of Business Administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and one of Asia's premier business schools. APIB produces hundreds of graduates from its rigorous graduate diploma programmes each year. The overwhelming majority of the Institute's graduates already hold undergraduate degrees and have also been working for several years.

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