Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1998

H e a d of the E d u c a t i on a n d Science D e p a r t m e n t o f t h e H o n g K o n g b r a n c h o f t h e X i n h u a N e w s A g e n c y , M r . C h u Z h i - n o n g, c a l l e d th e p r o g r a m me a p i o n e e r i n g a t t e m p t a n d w i s h e d t h e s t u d e n t s success i n ' b u i l d i ng f r i e n d s h i p t h r o u g h i n t e r a c t i o n, f i n d i n g c o m m o n g r o u n d s i n e x c h a n g e , s e e k i n g i m p r o v e m e n t t o g e t h e r i n l e a r n i n g ' . T h e m e a n i n g of t he p r o g r a m me lies n o t o n l y i n w h a t is t a u g ht d u r i n g class b u t i n t he i n i t i a t i on of e x c h a n g e b e t w e e n o u t s t a n d i ng s t u d e n ts of t he t w o places. A t t he e n d o f t r a i n i n g, t h e m a i n l a n d students s h o u l d u n d e r s t a nd w h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l s o c i e ty expects of y o u n g a n d a s p i r a n t m a n a g e rs w h e r e a s t h e l o c al s t u d e n t s s h o u l d h a v e a b e t t er u n d e r s t a n d i ng of t h e i r peers f r o m the m a i n l a n d. A n e t o f y o u n g C h i n e s e m a n a g e m e n t elites is b e i n g w e a v e d as t h e y c o n t i n u e t o i n t e r a c t i n m o r e l e a d e r s h ip t r a i n i n g p r o g r a mm e s of t h is sort . • Students' Impressions 'I was impressed by Hong Kong's impeccable and modern transportation network...it is the hardware underlying Hong Kong's rapid economic development.' 'From acquaintance to friendship, our understanding of each other grew. We were also exposed to knowledge we couldn't have acquired in the classroom.' 'A cultural encounter duel in Hong K o n g . ' 'The management concepts of Hong Kong and the mainland are influenced by the discrepancy in technological capabilities between the two places. IT-oriented Hong Kong needs the experience and theory of mainland management to complement it and vice versa.' Mainland Students on CU Campus 4/