Held at the Conrad Centennial Singapore, the Commencement Ceremony was attended by more than 100 distinguished guests, with Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health and Business China Board Advisor as Guest-of-Honour for the ceremony.
With his extensive experience of engaging China, Minister Gan in his speech said, “There is a China popular saying that ‘Academic qualification is a bronze card; Capability is the silver card; Network is gold card; and idea is the Triumph card. Every participant of the FC-ALP is a leader in their respective fields, with no doubt in their capability and qualifications. After attending the course and further equipping themselves with the gold and Triumph card, I am sure their careers will soar to greater heights.”
中国目前有一种说法：学历是铜牌，能力是银牌，人脉是金牌，而思维是王牌。我们慧眼中国高级领袖研修班的学员，每一位都是各自领域的佼佼者，学历和能力是不可置疑的。现在参加了研修班，有了人脉的扩展，思维的修养，有了金牌和王牌，事业目标志在必得。
The highlight of the Ceremony was Minister Gan’s official commencement of the class, by writing the Chinese word “悟”which means “enlightenment”. This symbolised that the class of 2013 had completed an epic journey of “Experience”, “Ccomprehend”, “Discover”, “Awareness” and finally “Enlightenment”, in becoming more China-ready and China-savvy. They are now ready to embark on a life long journey to understanding and connecting with China.
Jointly administered by Business China and Nanyang Business School (NBS), the Future China Advanced Leaders Programme is a first-of-its-kind business management course that is structured to encompass in-class lessons taught by experts from well-respected international think tanks and universities, as well as incorporate a week of experiential learning journey in China during the second segment of the course.
The FC-ALP delegation, led by Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of National Development and Business China Board Member, spent the week in Beijing, Xi’an and Yan’an, the birth place of the Communist Party of China. With SMS Lee at the helm, the delegation was received by the Shaanxi Province Vice Governor Wang Lixia and had the opportunity to interact with top provincial officials, and leaders of top local enterprises and institutions to better grasp the psyche of the contemporary China society. The strong presence and support from Business China’s Board Advisors and Directors is a feature unique to the FC-ALP, and unmatched by other executive programmes.
Having gone through 3 weeks of intensive lectures and extensive networking sessions spanning across 3 months, the FC-ALP graduates emerged better informed, better connected and better positioned to make game-changing decisions about their corporation’s trajectories and strategies of engaging China.
Ms Shaw Lay See, a Director from the Far East Organisation, when commenting on the effectiveness of the course, shared that “The course has given us a concise and condensed introduction to China’s past, present and future, allowing us to gain an in-depth understanding of the diverse social ecology and inter-connectedness of the country’s political and socio-economic environment. In the 3 weeks, I was in midst of so much practical intelligence, relevant experiences and diverse talents which are all sources of learning for me to better ride the tide of China’s growth.”
Eager to do their part in the deepening of Singapore-China bilateral relations, the participants also voluntarily started a donation drive which raised a total of 100,000 RMB in 4 weeks for Bethel（爱百福）, a China based organisation supporting China’s blind and visually impaired orphan population. Mr Loh Long Hsiang, one of the class representatives, updated that the funds will be used to adopt individual orphans and pay for some of their general expenses. The orphans will in turn reciprocate by sending regular letters and updates about their progress and development.
Mr Loh, Deputy Head (Origination & Client Coverage, China) and General Manager, Shanghai, Standard Chartered Bank (China) Limited said, ”Despite having first-hand experience of the cultural differences during my 5 years in China, I still find the course very enlightening as it equips us with a holistic understanding of China’s business, economic, political and cultural paradigms from an insider’s perspective. In addition, the networking opportunities with business leaders and government officials provided strategic insights and practical knowledge that are critical in enhancing our China Quotient. I enjoyed the camaraderie among my fellow classmates, which demonstrates that this course is also an excellent platform for forging stronger ties of friendship.”
Interim Dean of Nanyang Business School, Professor Gillian Yeo said, “The Future China Advanced Leaders Programme embodies much of what makes Nanyang Business School distinct among the world’s top business schools. As a bridge between the East and West, we offer a unique blend of an intimate understanding of China, with robust thought leadership in international business theory and practice. I am heartened to hear how participants have been transformed by the hands-on immersion in this global economic powerhouse, as well as the strong relationships forged within and outside the class.”
In the speech delivered at the Commencement Ceremony, Chairman of Business China, Mr Chua Thian Poh said,” The completion of this course actually marks the beginning of a life long journey to engaging China. As China continues to morph at light speed, it would be even more difficult for us to keep abreast of China’s current affairs if we do not strive to become China-ready and China-savvy right now. As such, I would like to encourage all participants to actively participate in and promote the programmes organised by Business China, joining in partnership to actualise our vision of cultivating more bilingual and bicultural Singaporeans.”