Andrew C.F. Chan Associate Dean, Faculty of Business Administration Director, MBA Programmes The Chinese University of Hong Kong

A good degree is no guarantee of a good career. While better-educated executives tend to do better than the masses, there are plenty of corporate success stories from those who did less than magnificently at school or college. Most educators recognize this fact now and are keen to include practical skills as part of their course offerings, according to Professor Andrew Chan, Director of MBA Programmes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

"Soft skills are at the core of the MBA's mission," he says. "Academic skills account for perhaps one third of the program offering, but by no means form the whole picture.

"Naturally, an MBA graduate will have a good grounding in the main business disciplines. But we hope to also develop strong soft skills such as entrepreneurial ability, communications skills, a good work ethic, good citizenship, the ability to thrive under adverse conditions and what Li Ka-shing would call the 'spiritual quotient."

Downplaying academic ability might be an anathema to the millions of families and students who invest thousands of dollars in education hoping for a better future, but Professor Chan insists that techniques learnt in the classroom must be applied well if they are to succeed.

"Even if a student has plenty of academic ability, he will find it very difficult to get ahead if he has no soft skills; for example, if he has no drive, cannot motivate or manage others, cannot express himself or doesn't have a strong character," explains Professor Chan.

Such qualities are notoriously difficult to quantify, but a key part of the CUHK's pre-term session is its 'Outward Bound' course. The three to five day program is based on outdoors adventure situations designed to help build students' problem solving, team building, leadership and communications competencies.

The idea is to assess and build on interpersonal and group skills that are essential in management. Students write a report on their observations and experiences and create an action plan to improve themselves based on what they have learnt.

For part time students, there is the opportunity to take part in a one-week program at Tsinghua University to get a better feel for developments on the Mainland.

'It's not what you know, but who you know,' is a common enough cliche, yet many businesses and individuals stutter by not adhering to that adage.

"If an executive's networking capabilities are not strong he cannot do an effective job, especially in the oriental business world," says Professor Chan, adding that having good contacts can yield invaluable information, advice and content for tackling various problems. "Managers often don't know who to approach when they run into difficulties; we ensure that every full-time student has access to a mentor figure, a CUHK MBA graduate who can offer guidance and advice."

The university also plays its part in establishing a good network for its alumni, and Professor Chan maintains that the strong bonds of professional respect and friendship built up in these relationships often result in alumni getting together to start business ventures years after meeting at the university. Regardless, advice and encouragement are only a phone call away.

"The alumni association is a good resource for graduates," he adds. "We host regular talks and discussions given by senior industry figures, such as Hang Seng Bank's Managing Director and Deputy CEO Roger Luk, Linus Cheung, Vice President of PCCW, Aman Mehta, HSBC Asia-Pacific CEO, Alfred Chan, Managing Director of Towngas and Rebecca Lai, the Tourism Commissioner."

The number of MBA students enrolled at the CUHK has remained steady over the past few years, despite the regional economic woes, and Professor Chan puts this down to the fact that prospective candidates recognize that a well-structured MBA is an investment in their future.

"When selecting an MBA, a student must be very careful and be sure to choose a program that meets his requirements," advises the Shakespeare fan. "The actual title means nothing, as in Romeo and Juliet: 'that which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet'. An MBA graduate who has not become competitive and competent through his studies will be kicked out of industry no matter his grades."

Taken from Career Times 2002/06/14