UB Business Students to Embark on Study Tour of China

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Seventeen undergraduate honor students from the University at Buffalo School of Management will travel to China Jan. 4-12 for a study tour of the Chinese economy and culture.

Funded by a $152,000 grant from the Freeman Foundation, the trip is part of the UB School of Management's Stewart Honors Program for outstanding business-administration students. The students' itinerary includes visits to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Chinese Folk Museum and Zhongshan University, the largest university in southern China.

The students also will meet with executives from the Rich Products' subsidiary in China to learn about the Buffalo-based company's business goals and strategies in China, and will tour Huawei Technologies Co. for a glimpse of how one privately owned Chinese company has flourished in China's evolving capitalistic economy.

"The objective of the trip is in line with the mission of the Freeman Foundation, which is to foster a better understanding of China and its people," said John Thomas, associate dean of international programs at the UB management school.

"China is predicted to become the world's largest economy within the next few decades," he added. "This is an excellent opportunity for our students to observe the progress of a country that likely will become more important to their lives and careers over the next several years."

To prepare for the trip, the students participated in seminars on the Chinese economy, government, culture, cuisine and language. Upon their return, they will be required to submit research papers describing how cross-cultural issues have impacted the Chinese-U.S. business relationship and how China's recent entry into the World Trade Organization will impact U.S. business interests.

"We're all very excited about the trip and a little bit anxious," said UB sophomore Sarah Birnie of Amherst, who never has traveled overseas. "Our jaws dropped when they told us we'd be traveling to China for free. You hear a lot about students studying in Europe, but you never hear about students going to Hong Kong."

"We've learned a few phrases in Chinese like 'I come from America,' and 'too expensive,' for when we bargain in the open markets," she added. "I'm not entirely sure what to expect, but I know it will be interesting."

According to Thomas, the students also will have the unique opportunity to meet with their Chinese counterparts -- fellow UB students and alumni from the School of Management's two Executive MBA programs in China, which are based at Renmin University and Motorola University.

The School of Management's Stewart Honors Program was established in 2000 through a $315,000 bequest from Joseph T.J. Stewart, a prominent local businessman, civic leader and philanthropist who died in 1999.

The trip will be offered to School of Management honors students until 2004 when the Freeman grant expires. It is the latest chapter in the school's long history in China. In 1984, the School of Management launched the first U.S. MBA program in China at Dalian University, graduating more than 200 students by the time federal funding for the program expired in 1991.

In 1999 the school, with funding from Praxair, Inc., returned to China with its MBA program at Renmin in Beijing. In 2000, the school established its program at Motorola University, also in Beijing, and began sending students from its Buffalo-based Executive MBA program to China for a one-week residency program.

The School of Management also operates an Executive MBA program in Singapore, which began in 1996.