The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Lao Tzu
Following the success of the first segment of Future China Advanced Leaders Programme (FC-ALP) held in March, the 20 participants were all geared up to embark on a China learning journey for the second segment from 21 – 27 April 2013. Led by Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of National Development, who is also Business China’s Board of Director, the20 participants would spend the week in Beijing, Xi’an and Yan’an. Highlights of the trip would be a “Long March” to the birth place of the Communist Party of China in Yan’anas well as interacting with high level officials, academia and business leaders to better grasp the psyche of the contemporary China society.
The first segment of the FC-ALP was held to favourable feedbacks and great success from 18 – 22 March 2013. For the 20 top business leaders, senior executives and heads of organisations, it marked the beginning of a life long journey to ignite their connection with China to becoming China-ready and China-savvy. Participants were given an intense introduction to China’s past, present and future by experts from well-respected think tanks and universities during the first segment.
Strong friendships were forged among the participants after the first segment. Eager to do their part in the deepening of Singapore – China bilateral relations, the participants voluntarily started a donation drive. In 4 weeks, a total of 100,000 RMB was raised for Bethel（爱百福）, a China based organisation which was running two projects: the Love is Blind Project (foster care), and Project 555 (training). It was the first and only dedicated organisation which supported the Chinese blind and visually impaired orphan population. The Organisation sought to provide care, education, life skills and livelihood opportunities to blind and visually impaired orphans in China in order for them to live independently as dignified members in society. Founded in 2002 by a French couple, Bethel strived to be as transparent as possible with Finances, with strict internal financial cash management in place within the organisation.
The Cheque Presentation ceremony took place on 22 April morning, at The Westin Beijing Chaoyang, with SMS Lee Yi Shyan and Singapore Ambassador to China Stanley Loh as witnesses. Representatives from the FC-ALP participants, Mr Loh Long Hsiang and Ms Shaw Lay See presented a cheque of 100,000 RMB, to Ms Dong Ning, Bethel’s China Country Director and Mr Zach Johnson, Bethel’s Business Development Director. In his short speech, Mr Loh thanked his 20 FC-ALP course mates for their generous contributions, and was grateful that the course had brought them together, providing opportunities for them to know each other better and building stronger bonds. He also encouraged his course mates to visit the Bethel premises to gain deeper understanding on its operations, as well as on the needs of the visually impaired children. Ms Dong, Bethel’s China Country Director, expressed her gratitude to the FC-ALP participants for their donation. She remarked that it was heartening to receive support and assistance from any local or international organisation, as it signified an acknowledgement on Bethel’s effort, giving them confidence to develop more high quality programmes to help the visually impaired orphans.
Jointly organised by Business China and Nanyang Business School, the FC-ALP is for high caliber individuals who have been identified as future leaders or upper echelon managers of their organisations. First launched in 2012, the FC-ALP is the only general management course in Asia to comprehensively address the complex dynamics between social, political, economic and cultural factors that are fuelling China’s rapid rise. Designed to provide an immersive and holistic learning experience, the Programme will give participants a comprehensive and first-hand understanding of doing business in China.
The programme’s curriculum is designed to be held over three segments, in order to help participants gain an intimate understanding of China through an integrated in-depth study of its cultural, historical, political, social and economic paradigms.
Detailed course dates for the FC-ALP as below:
Singapore: 18 – 22 March 2013
China: 21 – 27 April 2013
Singapore: 27 – 31 May 2013
About Business China
Business China was launched in November 2007 by our Patron, former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. A platform integrating language, economic and cultural elements, Business China’s mission is to nurture an inclusive bilingual and bicultural group of Singaporeans through extensive use of the Chinese language as the medium of communication, so as to sustain our multi-cultural heritage, and to develop a cultural and economic bridge linking the world and China.
For more information, please visit www.businesschina.org.sg/en.
About Nanyang Technological University
A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, and Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences. In 2013, NTU will enrol the first batch of students at its new medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, which is set up jointly with Imperial College London.
NTU is also home to four world-class autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).
A fast-growing university with an international outlook, NTU is putting its global stamp on Five Peaks of Excellence: Sustainable Earth, Future Healthcare, New Media, New Silk Road, and Innovation Asia.
Besides the main Yunnan Garden campus, NTU also has a satellite campus in Singapore’s science and tech hub, one-north, and is setting up a third campus in Novena, Singapore’s medical district.
For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg.
About Nanyang Business School
Consistently ranked among the world’s premier business schools, NBS has been nurturing leaders for business and public service, advancing global management knowledge and practice for over 50 years. Our curriculum melds rigorous academic theory with real-world business practice, while our faculty leads global thought and research in several fields of business and finance. Our 35,000 alumni hold positions of responsibility in business, government and public service in 45 countries. At NBS, we believe that responsible leadership in business and government is crucial to securing a sustainable future for our world. Through teaching and research, we are grooming a new generation of leaders with the knowledge, skills and passion of pursuing lasting success that seeks not only economic profit but also the interests of the community and environment. NBS is a well-respected brand name in China, having trained more than 10,000 of the country’s business and public leaders since 1992 through a comprehensive suite of postgraduate and executive education programmes.