Bulletin Number Three 1985

quizzes are conducted to test the students and the successful completion of courses depends on the results of the quizzes. This University has combined the credit unit system and the degree examination system. As for our curriculum, I think it is quite good, except that we may be asking student s to learn too much — mainly because we have adopted the credit unit system. I also think the standard of our programmes is fairly high on the whole, for our students have little problem i n studying for higher degrees abroad . Q. How about our MBA programme? A. We can look at our MBA programme from another angle. Our university has an exchange programme with New York University under which four students are exchanged every year. The students we send out, mostly second year students, find it rather easy to follow the N.Y. U. curriculum and the students from N.Y.U. are satisfied with the courses we offer. This clearly speaks well for our standard. Recently many American and British universities have offered to exchange students with us. However, it is unlikely that we can accept their offer as our annual intake of MBA students is very limited. I don't think a university with inferior standards would attract so much interest from overseas universities. Q. Are the graduates of the MBA Division considered experts in the field of business administration? A. In the MBA Division, we offer a General MBA Programme and a Specialization Programme. Students of the General MBA Programme are mostly graduates of other Faculties; therefore, it is very difficult to turn them into expert s in the field of business administration in two years' time. Taking a few more courses in a particular field in which they are interested will not make them experts. The Specialization Programme, which is meant for graduates of Business Administration, is research-oriented. There are five students taking this Programme this year and they are all very keen on research. However, it is hard to say now what they will do in the future or whether they will proceed to read for a doctoral degree. Q. For admission to the MBA Programme ， students are required to attend an interview in addition to taking the entrance examination. To what extent is the selection of students based on their performance at interviews ？ A. The interview is very important. During the interview, we usually ask students why they apply for admission to the Programme. Applicants with working experience are admitted only if what they expect out of this Programme is in fact what we can offer. Q. As the Professsor of Accounting ， could you please tell us the difference between our Accounting programme and professional training in accountancy? A. The University programme is an academic programme which provides students with the general principles o f accounting and theoretical knowledge in the field. We do not provid e professional training for accountants. Q. In that case ， why did the University introduce the Internship Programme in Accounting in 1984-85? A. The Internship Programme is designed to give students a chance to gain some practical experience to complement their theoretical knowledge. After completing the thir d year, students participating in the Programme will receive twelve months of formal experimental training as interns at Certified Public Accountant firms, where they will be assigned different jobs, such as accounting and auditing. However, to qualify as an accountant, students still have to take the courses offered by the Hong Kong Society of Accountants and sit for professional examinations. Q. I remember that when the three-year MBA Programme was introduced in 1977, the number of applicants was astonishingly large. How is the situation now? A. When the part-time MBA Programme was introduced, we intended to admit thirt y students only, but we unexpectedly received seven hundred and fifty applications. As a result, we decided to increase the intake to forty-five. In recent years, the average number of applicants each year is three hundred. We plan t o admit sixty students next year and if the number of applications remains more or less the same, one out of five or six applicants will gain admission. Q. What are your expectations of the students 14 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS