QUT Representatives Visit GDUFS for DBA Cooperation Projects

On December 2^nd, Dr. Bob O'Connor, President of the Graduate School of Business at QUT, (Queensland University of Technology/Australia), Vicky Browning, MBA Program Director, and other representatives visited our school. GDUFS President Dr. ZHONG Weihe, accompanied by Ms. SUN Xiaoqin, Dean of the GDUFS MBA School welcomed the guests at the northern campus.

Mr. ZHONG warmly received the delegation, led by Dr. O'Connor, and opened in-depth discussions on possible DBA programs between the two universities and setting up exchange programs for MBA students. The GDUFS MBA School, he said, although still very young, has developed rapidly and has achieved good results to-date. With its all-English instruction, the internationally-oriented teachers, improved management and other characteristics, our MBA program in 2012 ranked among the national top ten distinctive MBA programs. Mr. ZHONG said he was looking forward to further communications and exchanges with QUT MBA students in March of next year and said he believed the GDUFS MBA School would map-out the route clearly. Mr. ZHONG noted that he hoped to confirm the cooperation on DBA program with QUT at the earliest possible time which would become another high-end program with foreign universities after that with the University of Leeds and the University of Reading in the UK.

Dr. O'Connor talking with President ZHONG

Dr. O'Connor noted that he felt that GDUFS and QUT had a similar education strategies and vision, and that both paid close attention to the internationalization of all the major education programs as well as the integration of teaching, research and industry. Since July this year, when the GDUFS MBA School began close communication with QUT, this opportunity for face-to-face communication was an important and beneficial step forward for the DBA program as well as short-term exchange programs for MBA students.

The DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) is the highest level of business education degree and may be a study goal after and MA or Master of Business Administration degree. It combines business and management theory and research with personal professional development. In terms of the degree level, it is the same as the Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in the traditional sense. However, there are many differences between DBA and PhD. A PhD is a research degree wherein the candidate conducts thorough research of a pure theoretical problem from an academic perspective, but the focus of the DBA education process is on the integration of state-of-the-art management theories and knowledge with actual business management practice, summarizing practical experience with normative research methods and studying practical problems. It is seen as providing a sound way to combine theory and practice for the senior management of various enterprise. The DBA education platform has been adopted by an increasing number of business schools and institutes of management.