Ivey Business School EMBA Program Integrates
Theory and Practical Skills

Two-week leadership training program introduces
new interactive study mode to new participants for 2006

Thirty-three world-class senior executives and entrepreneurs who enrolled for this year’s Ivey Business School Hong Kong Executive MBA program have just completed an intensive two-week leadership program that familiarised them with its interactive study mode and helped them prepare for its renowned and innovative Cross-Enterprise Leadership™ learning concept. The participants come from Mainland China, North America and Europe, representing 11 nationalities, their average age is 39, and have an average of more than 15 years of working experience.

Unlike traditional EMBA courses, the 18-month Ivey EMBA program stresses integrating the study of business principles with practical application techniques. Combined with an interactive format, this approach helps participants to enhance their leadership skills and professionalism. It aims to broaden their horizons, enhance their competitiveness, and prepare them to manage the changes that are continuously being created by the latest developments and trends in the regional and global business world.

The leadership training program was designed to prepare the 2006 Ivey Hong Kong EMBA programme participants for the challenges and opportunities they will face in their individual careers as a result of these changes. Its courses in Managerial Accounting and Control and Leadership gave the participants opportunities to take on decision-making roles and formulate appropriate and practical action plans as they dealt with real-life business cases. Besides the two core courses, the program included an outdoor adventure course that encouraged participants to develop their potential and teamwork skills through climbing, giant ladder and team wall challenges.

Vincent Lam, Director of Quam Asset Management Limited, one of the 2006 Ivey Hong Kong EMBA participants, said afterwards: “The adventure course not only helped us explore our potential, it also enabled us to develop our collaborative skills and enhance our ability to respond to changing situations. It gave us valuable experience that we can apply in our ever-evolving working environment.”

The School hosted a dinner to celebrate the completion of the two-week leadership training program on August 18. Professor Kathleen Slaughter, the Ivey Business School’s Associate Dean, Asia; Professor Jane Howell and Claude Lanfranconi joined the new participants and their family members for the event. An important goal of the leadership training program was to forge close relationships between the teachers and students, and to create a conducive atmosphere for learning during the EMBA course itself. To underline this, the faculty members participated in the entertainment program during the dinner, and presented some special awards to them.

Professor Slaughter told the gathering: “The global business environment is changing rapidly and increasing in complexity. Managers must have an in-depth knowledge of the methods they need to operate in this environment successfully. Our EMBA program therefore strongly emphasises integrating theory and practical skills, so as to strengthen the ability of its participants to handle various corporate issues.”
The 2006 Ivey Hong Kong EMBA program represents a total of more than 530 years of working experience. Some 55% of its participants are chief executive officers, managing directors, presidents, vice presidents or general managers, whereas a further 33% are managers, and 15% hold other senior posts.

“The high calibre and experience of the 2006 Ivey Hong Kong EMBA program participants forms an excellent learning platform for all its participants. These outstanding people have already gained considerable achievements in their respective professions, such as finance, entrepreneurship and IT. They make up a world-class group of executives who can learn from each other and set practical examples for their peers,” Professor Slaughter added.