Managing change within change

Change is a constant in China, and many of the changes are very large-scale and/or radical. For example, China needs more roads and airstrips to accommodate all the cars and planes coming online. China needs more jobs to help bring its impoverished farming class up an economic rung or two. China needs cleaner (and more) power so it doesn’t choke on its own soot from coal-burning operations. And so on.

Managing one such massive change in a country challenges citizens, policy makers, economists, business people, and neighbors. Managing hundreds of large-scale changes is difficult to imagine. 

But that is what China is doing.

I visited Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) while we were in HK, and I met with Dr Jiming Liu who is professor and Head of the Computer Science department.

(Photo: Self and Dr Liu.)

Currently, all 6 of the universities in HK grant 3-year degrees. In order to increase their competitiveness with other universities (in China and abroad) the HK government mandated all universities adopt the 4-year model.

Dr Liu has a vision for developing degree programs with the ideal mix of liberal arts and computer sciences in the 4-year format, which sets his university apart from others whose programs lack the liberal arts component. His department/program is also the first to migrate to Mainland China, where the market for broad-based Computer Science and IT/IS degrees is very dynamic.

Each academic year, Dr Liu’s department runs a lecture series, and I was the sixth, and final, guest speaker of the 2009 school year. 80 senior undergrads and 50 grad students were invited to the talk titled “What’s the most important part of any business?” I used examples from eBay and other Silicon Valley firms to describe User Experience and Design, business communication, and business skills for technology workers using anecdotes from industry. Following the talk, a group of faculty met to exchange views about curriculum development and key business skills the university aspires to impart through the 4-year degree, which comes on line in 2012.

It was a fantastic opportunity to meet many wonderful students and faculty from a university where great things are happening and where great changes are under way. 

(Photo: Dr William Cheung, Dr Li Chen, Dr Joseph Ng, 2 very sharp undergrads, John Dila, Dr Jiming Liu, Dr Bo Xiao.)