Stable Foundations of China Business (Part 1)
The amazing expansion of China business attracts both admirers and critics in large measures. There is no dearth of theories on why China business is such a success, and others to explain why it is so skewed. Guangdong is at the center of related controversies because it is so much ahead of its peers in the country. The region has attracted significant numbers of migrants from other regions, and the most famous cities of Guangdong also play host to significant numbers of expatriates.
Most analyses of the Guangdong success story miss an essential though subtle aspect of the glorious development of this region. Some of it started before the communist era, but successive regimes in Beijing as well as provincial administrations have always emphasized higher education, and allotted generous resources for its continued development.
Guangdong has a galaxy of some 10 major universities including ones specialized in agriculture and technology. This is a major resource which feeds not just the region but all of China with abundant streams of highly skilled resources. It also forms a vast reservoir for cutting edge research in vital fields. All these universities maintain broad-based links with their peers all over the world and with multi-lateral agencies of higher education as well.
Why the Foshan University Will Keep China Business Ahead
The 4 campuses of the Foshan University are truly representative of the developmental spirit of Guangdong, and exhibit the qualities which place this region at the vanguard of sustained China business development. The University has been formed relatively recently, and is an amalgamation of colleges of agriculture and medicine which had existed before. The university is also active in the fields of humanities, sciences, and law. It enjoys durable links with peers in the United States, European Union countries, Australia, and Russia. The Foshan University has liberal access to material resources, as is evidenced by its sprawling campuses and state-of-the-art libraries.
The material strengths and resources of the Foshan University are not unique: indeed, any institution of higher learning in this age must have as much to qualify. What does set apart universities in Guangdong such as Foshan is the unique model of collaboration which has been developed by academicians, and local, as well as national authorities. Foshan lacks none of the teaching latitude which forms the backbone of top quality and liberal education, but the university is closely attuned to national priorities. The spread of courses it offers is not restricted to ones with global appeal, but address regional compulsions with equal conviction. Guangdong may have earned a name of itself in the rarified circles of international finance and corporate development, but Foshan continues to support and house some of the best research facilities in animal husbandry aspects of duck farming, which is a traditional vocation in this part of the world. Academic excellence alone does not suffice for Foshan University: it remains deeply committed to its host region and the local population.
Stable Foundations of China Business (Part 2)