On 8th Nov. 2023, the 11th Tencent Business School Development Forum and Annual Summit on professional Degree Education was successfully held in Beijing. Under the theme of “Freshness and Integration”, the forum gathered experts and scholars in the field of business education.

As the only invited overseas institution, Ms. Sherry Fu, Founding Director of The University of Manchester China Centre was invited to present at the forum and received the “China Business Education Leader Award of 2023”. The University of Manchester China Centre has won the “China Business Education Benchmark Award of 2023”.

During the "Exemplar Dialogue" panel, Fu engaged in an insightful discussion with prominent leaders from Chinese business schools regarding the challenges and strategies in the face of new times and situations, as well as the future direction for development.

Fu believes that for business school leaders, the most crucial aspect is to lead both the academic and administrative teams in cultivating a digitally oriented mindset in students. This approach enables the refinement of the corresponding talent development system and facilitates the design and reform of course content. She emphasizes, "In the digital economy era, each business school should  deepen and strentgthen their areas of expertise. The University of Manchester, for instance, established international centres 30 years ago to align with globalisation strategies. As the first UK university to place 'social responsibility' as one of the core strategic goals, we were among the pioneers in integrating ESG concepts into our modules and integrating sustainability into various business school programs."

Fu mentioned talent development should be aligned with industry trends. Business schools should strengthen their interactions with industries and keep innovating teaching systems. By establishing close connections with industry partners, they can stay at the forefront of the era, engaging in deep discussions and collaborations with industry experts and businesses that are leading in digital transformation. This can be achieved through business projects and industry seminars, creating a strong foundation for practical teaching for students.

UoM China Centre

When discussing the "Chinese models" in the global business education sphere, Ms. Fu shared, "Over the past decade, the University of Manchester has collaborated and partnered with several Chinese universities and business schools. This has truly facilitated mutual learning, enabling us to glean unique Chinese experiences and wisdom."

During the interview with Tencent Business School, Fu emphasised，"we hope our students become versatile business talents, meeting the needs of the times, promoting economic development for the country, and assisting in the growth and transformation of enterprises.  UoM China Centre is committed to providing outstanding education for students in the Greater China region, cultivating their international perspective, cross-cultural communication skills, leadership abilities, and innovative thinking. UoM China Centre places social responsibility at its core value, actively encouraging students and alumni to engage in social charity and governance, contributing to the sustainable development of companies, communities, and the global landscape.

Tencent Business School interview Ms. Sherry Fu, Founding Director, UoM China Centre

The University of Manchester continually explores new methods of future education in our internationalisation process and has established an advanced model of future learning. This enables overseas students to complete their studies across global centres, transcending campus boundaries. Currently, UoM offers a "blended learning" model globally, featuring part-time programmes and master courses such as Global MBA, MSc Financial Management and MA Educational Leadership Practice.