Post Fudan Semester

In the blink of an eye, the four and a half months spent in Fudan School of Management has passed. With that, the first semester of the Asia S3 MBA Program has been completed. While I wait for the next phase of my study in Seoul, I looked back and recalled the memories of the past semester.

The Fudan semester was definitely ‘S3’ by my definition: Seeing, Studying and Savoring. I see things that I would not see back in my home country, Singapore. I study subjects which were utterly foreign to me prior to this course. And I savor the sights and sounds that Shanghai has to offer for a foreigner such as myself. My Indian, Chinese and Korean have changed me in subtle ways, due to my daily interactions with them. From them, I learnt things and in return, I offer mine for them to learn. Being one of two Singaporeans in this course has its perks: you are ‘forced’ to get out of socializing with Singaporeans and in the process learn how to interact with other nationalities. Friendships are formed, mindsets are changed and perceptions are rectified, which are, in my opinion, more important than just getting good grades.

Currently, I am interning in the finance department of a public-listed real estate firm based in Shanghai. This is also another unique appeal of an overseas study program, the ability to work overseas and experience their work culture, learn about their operations and enrich myself both professionally and personally.

With such a fantastic first semester, I eagerly await the next semester in Seoul.

Edwin Kheng (Singaporean)

Class of 2013

What We Have Done - October 2011 Edition

My New Beginning

Is there anything in common amongst Chinese, Korean, Indian, American and Singaporean? You bet there is with the 2011 batch of the S3 Asia MBA. We all are coursemates on a 2-year journey away from home and family, a course in which we would sweat it out to learn new skills and knowledge, hone our technical expertise and most importantly, make new friends.

I am glad to be in a class as unique and diverse as the S3 Asia MBA program offers: 3 world-class cities, 3 distinct cultures and languages, 3 set of life experiences. In my opinion, this course is one of the most unique MBA programs offered currently, the most 'bang-for-buck' as some would describe it.

Diversity is good. We all come from different nations, each with individualistic skills, backgrounds and personalities. And being away from home has made my learning all the more exponential, as I grapple with the influx of new things coming my way every single day. From day-to-day conversations with the professors and students, to settling into a foreign environment amid all the hustle and bustle, I savour each experience and learn from it, as these are the intangibles that the S3 Asia MBA program brings to the table.

I feel young as I walked from my apartment to school daily. Fudan University is a campus that is full of youth and energy, with nice greenary, the legendary twin-towers and a beautiful heritage. Being back in school definitely brings back memories, not to mention all the homework, assignments and projects that are always on a tight deadline.

However, 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. Fortunately for me, there are a host of activities ranging from students' clubs to 'crab-eating' tours in Fudan University, which gives students a well-oiled work-life balance.

I shall end off here, as there is a pile of work that is sitting on my desk as I am writing this. I just want to let you readers out there know that the S3 Asia MBA program is truely special, and you have to experience it yourself in order to appreciate all that it could bring to you.

Edwin Kheng (Singaporean)

S3 Asia MBA - 4th Batch, Class of 2013

Pls Pardon The Excessive Use of Superlatives!

It’s truly fascinating to watch a diverse set of individuals who have had no previous connection with each other collaborate and come up with a solution to a strange problem. Imagine a Korean taxation expert, a Chinese entrepreneur, a Singaporean government employee, an American credit card industry expert and an Indian Pranic healer trying to consensually arrive at a solution to a problem. Superficially, one may be fooled into thinking that all of them have nothing in common with each other and that they will find it difficult to collaborate.



Group discussion



S3 Asia MBA students from different nationalities

However, all of them have many things that link them to each other. Each one of them has an immense willingness and drive to learn from the other. Each one of them possesses the mental strength and agility to appreciate the distinct viewpoints that the other expresses and has an even greater respect for the other’s individuality. Each one of them has dedicated a significant portion of their life and has made many personal sacrifices in the effort to learn about business in three different countries – China, South Korea and Singapore. Each one of them is a sincere professional. And finally, they are all students of the current S3 Asia MBA batch. (2011 intake)

Every individual in this batch of 34 students has an equally fascinating and unique background. I feel very proud and privileged to say that I am a part of this batch. When signing up for the program I was keenly aware that the S3 Asia MBA is very different from any other MBA program – but I don’t think there is anything in world that could have prepared me for what was in store.



Orientation


There is a huge sense of rush when moving to a new city and country. I am sure you understand when I write that there are not enough words in my vocabulary that can help me explain the first rush of moving to a city like Shanghai as a student. The bright lights, superb infrastructure, really tall buildings and fast cars are surely impressive. Any S3 Asia MBA student should get used to this feeling as within a span of 2 years we will be moving be living and studying in three of biggest cities in Asia –Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore - as the course progresses.




For the time being, I am only equipped to write about my experiences in Shanghai at Fudan University, where I am currently studying for the first semester of the course. I was almost awestruck when I first got to the campus of Fudan University. The two imposing Guaunghua Towers, surrounded by lush green lawns and boulevards on which thousands of students from all nationalities hurry to their respective classes on their bi-cycles is a sight that would welcome any student. I have never come across an environment which is so conducive to studying and learning. Coming to Fudan University truly made me feel like a student for the first time in nearly 8 years, after I graduated from college. I warmed up to the prospect of studying the first semester at Fudan University immediately after I saw the campus.

Barely did we settle into the new environment and meet our classmates and we were thrown into the most memorable experience of our life – the famous orientation. The orientation at Fudan University is a three day, intense, extremely well managed, well planned and large event that is meant to “break ice” with your classmates. It works wonders, as we are not just classmates - we are all very good friends. I now understand the meaning of the phrase by the famous Greek philosopher, Pluto - “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”

The orientation is an outbound event in which, over a course of three days, all the participants are split in smaller groups and are given numerous tasks. All the tasks require you to work closely with and depend heavily on your group members. Nearly 500 students of all the programs offered by Fudan University School of Management converge on the campus for this event. Planning for this event starts nearly six months before. And the reaction from all the participants after it is over is one big WOW!


Orientation - Getting together



After such a welcome, we all looked forward to the prospect of starting our classes. Fudan University certainly manages to exceed expectations in every aspect. And classes were no exception. One of the classes that left an impression on me was conducted by Professor James Yuann for a course – Business in China. Apart from his cool swagger and calm disposition, I was completely impressed by his long and rich experience of doing business in the Asia- Pacific region. He was able to articulate and explain many of the subtle nuances of doing business in the different cultural environments of the region. I feverishly took notes every time he spoke because I was sure that I will learn things from his experience that no text book will teach me.

Meanwhile, we have other subjects like Managerial Economics, Financial Accounting, Data Models and Decisions, Managerial Communications and Organizational Behavior. All the professors have ensured that we are kept very busy. For all our subjects we have group assignments and individual assignments. We have so many groups meetings for so many assignments that it gets tough to keep track of all the meetings we have scheduled to discuss the assignments.

Despite this, our class works like a well -oiled machine. It’s one of the mysteries that I would like to solve - how do so people of different ages, experiences, cultural backgrounds, educational backgrounds work so effectively and efficiently with each other?

However, this mystery will remain unsolved for now as I now need to ponder on another mystery thrown at me by our Data, Models and Decisions (DMD) professor. We all love the subject so much that we have nicknamed it Death, Murder and Destruction.

But before I go, I would like to apologize for the excessive use of superlatives in this entire blog. It’s just that my classmates are outstanding, incredible and simply superb and the S3 Asia MBA experience is awesome, fantastic and amazing.



Yogesh Thakkar (Indian)

S3 Asia MBA - 4th Batch, Class of 2013

All the more reason

People get bombarded with a lot of questions when they aspire to do an MBA. I worked on choosing a college for 1 year before I landed up with one. MBA has become a fashion and a trend. The market now seems to catch up with the demand, with loads of choices. With so many choices one could easily get baffled. It did happen to me when I decided I wanted to be there within a year. The first step to doing an MBA is to write GMAT without pondering too much about the college. A score above 650 will help you survive and a score above 700 will help you get better. Once the scores are handy, then think about the colleges in terms of location, ranking (tells you about faculty, prestige), fees, duration, specialization, job prospects and culture. When you do so, these are the reasons for which NUS Dual degree S3 Asia MBA is recommended.

One can witness a transitional change in perspectives of a person as he or she spends considerable time on this program. This change in perspective arises because you just don’t get to visit three top Asian cities but you live as one of them. The insights you get on the cultures of different Asian companies has so far been incomparable. As you complete your term in Shanghai you get to understand the lives of Chinese so well that undeniably for doing business with them you will make a best fit. The best days of the program are those of orientation and field trip.

MBA Orientation is usually arranged with the fulltime MBA programs of the respective colleges and all the three colleges being top notch in the countries get the best students, so you get to see the best managers in town and spend good time with them. The classes are well structured and you are given the best case studies as group assignments, which teach you a lot. The faculties usually have on average 15-20 years of experience teaching with considerable experience on western countries. By listening to them, you gain a lot of knowledge on the international business and its intricacies. The days as we see it has only been getting better and better with time. Each university offers you a unique experience and provides a great forum for learning and networking.

The universities have a pretty good tie-up with the companies because of which you get to visit the best Asian companies and study them. In terms of placements, all the three universities have their own CDO, which acts as a liaison between the companies and the students. It would be early for me to comment on the placements of these colleges but I can see that they have the potential to get us on the right track. The last semester you can choose your own electives to concentrate your studies on a particular field. The fee for this program is far lesser when compared to the western schools and ROI is appreciable. The pay back as we calculated is less than 2 years and NPV is a total surprise that which you can take for granted now. At the completion of this program, you can be assured to see a sign of increased confidence in you to deal with the business challenges. Conclusively one can see this as a gateway to the business world.

Ranjani (Indian)

S3 Asia MBA - 3rd Batch, Class of 2012

The Shanghai Sojourn

We arrived, settled and started the semester with a lot of enthusiasm- both from the students as well as the university. I can never forget the three-day orientation that Fudan organized for us. The accommodation – Tonghe International Student Village – lived up to its name by proving to be a truly international experience.

The S3 Asia MBA is a very unique course in more ways than one. On one hand is the wealth of knowledge that a student stands to gain from studying in three amazing universities, and on the other is the priceless opportunity to live in places like Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore. I embarked upon this journey with a lot of preparation. I had tried to imagine the various situations that I might land in and how I would deal with them. In retrospect, I was being utterly stupid! For nothing I could ever imagine would have prepared me for what was in store for me.

The first thing I felt upon landing at the Pudong International Airport, Shanghai was a rushing sense of being an Indian. It was my first international travel experience and, as destiny would have it, I was in China. Here, I looked different from everyone else. They spoke a language that was nothing like anything I’ve ever heard before. Everything was built gigantic in proportions, the traffic was right-handed and the food- well, let’s leave that for later.

The route everyday from Tonghe to the School of Business gave us an opportunity to walk past the GuangHua Towers. At least to me, the towers remained an awe-inspiring view throughout the semester. The entire Fudan campus has this amazing energy and sense of purpose about it which is reassuring and humbling at the same time. Then the classes started.

With classes, came group studies, assignments, exploring the surroundings, and of course, parties! Tonghe is the perfect place to live as an international student studying at Fudan. The place is perfect in terms of amenities, location and independence. You can study at anyone’s apartment, meet at Chartre’s Deli for a quick meeting over coffee and party like there’s no tomorrow. If you want to cook, there’s a kitchen in every apartment and if you want to eat out, there are plenty of options around to choose from. I would like to make a special mention of a little joint called Hannah’s near Tonghe run by an angel of a lady called, well, Hannah. In case you are an Indian and want to eat healthy food outside on a regular basis, Hannah’s is just the place for you. The lady, thanks to some of our friends, had become so fond of Indian students that she prepared a separate Indian menu with stuff like vegetable rice and chicken curry rice in case you are selective about what meat, if any you wish to eat.

Shanghai has the reputation of being one of the best cities in the world and it totally lives up to it. The city has everything for everyone, there’s great transport, amazing infrastructure, an exciting nightlife and all that jazz that makes any cosmopolitan worth living. There will be small issues sometimes like communication or cuisine if you are conservative like me in the kind of food you eat but, the overall experience makes up for all that and does so nicely!

Now comes my favourite part – the people. In my experiences, I found the Chinese people to be extremely friendly, approachable and understanding. From the cabbie who sang Awaraa Hoon to professors who offered to conduct the same paper twice because some students were flying earlier; from the total strangers who would approach you and start talking to the nightclubs that would play Himesh Reshamiya’s version of Ek Hasina Thi (!!!), the people of Shanghai came across as a very affable lot. With the students, there were cultural confusions in the beginning of the semester but as time passed, we started understanding each other better thanks to the various cultural days organized by students from each country and Varun’s dance classes the overall group turned out to be extremely coherent.

As I wait for the next semester to start in Seoul, I sometimes wonder if times or going to get better or worse. After a start like this, your expectations start soaring new heights and that is when the pessimist in you also starts questioning everything. I am really not sure how it is going to be. But, I’m glad that I got a chance to study in a city like Shanghai in a university like Fudan; and that’s something that is going to stay with me always.

Piyush Kumar (Indian)

S3 Asia MBA - 3rd Batch, Class of 2012

'Nanta' and 'Sa-bal-shik' time for Batch 2 at KUBS!

After Shanghai did an appreciative job ‘orienting’ us, I thought there couldn’t be a more structured way of carrying out the Orientation process. Fudan did very well for the end result. We pretty much knew everyone in our batch by the end of those three hectic, but very helpful days.


2nd batch of S3 Asia MBA students

Learning "Nanta" - The traditional Korean performance


When I came to know that there is going to be another Orientation activity at KUBS, frankly, I wasn’t all that excited. Getting acquainted with the school’s processes is a separate thing, but there was nothing new we could know about each other after spending a semester together. Well, that’s what I had thought!

We had a great time learning and performing Nanta at Oak Valley. But what came later just seemed to have taken everyone by surprise and given a few shivers too. Sa-Bal-Shik. Not that we hadn’t heard of the ceremony from the previous batch, but the magnanimity of the event could never have been transpired. And there was no way we could have conspired against it either! All doors were closed and the staff made sure we didn’t escape the activity. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure no one really wanted to miss the event. The staff needn’t have been there ;)

First taste of "Makkuli" (Fermented Rice Wine)... Definitely not the last!

Well, calling it an activity is actually an understatement. As it progressed, Sa-Bal-Shik was nothing less than an exhilarating and adrenaline pumping mega event. The roars of other KU MBA students and the rhymes of KU Business School cheer leaders were frightening and melancholic, respectively. Such was the atmosphere that I saw a lot of my classmates petrified.

The echoes of ‘An neyong ha ship ni kka?’, Min-Jok-Go-Dae!’ and ‘Ae-Kuk Kyong-Young!’ could have well been easily heard in the whole of Oak Valley. Such was the energy and passion. Well, I was just started to be proven wrong in thinking what else an orientation be like!



Prof. Jaehwan Kim and our dearest Bina, had already started having pale faces awaiting Asia MBA’s batch turn. They had every right to believe that we would be the under-performers! But then, we weren’t going to let them down, at least not Bina who had done everything possible to make every arrangement perfect. Prof, Kim would appreciate this too, as he got a nice suite at the hotel, which seemed unlikely, after he deviated from Bina’s ‘commands’ for a while but was soon back in line ;)



The S3 "family" is created by an alumnus, Lee Dae Young and family at Oak Valley



The first fear was the fear of drinking, but the roaring part clearly took over it. And just when I thought I knew my batch-mates well enough, I saw the wilder side of them. The passion, the vigor and the energy are just mild words. The tiger happens to be the symbol of Korea University Business School, and I saw each one of us roar like one. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience for me, I guess for all. Worth a mention, our Korean friends led the way and the rest followed. Prof. Kim would be proud that none of the Asia MBA students had to ‘repeat the performance’, which is gallantry by the high KU standards.

Well, anyone who had thought you needn’t have another orientation at KU would have had to rethink like I did. And for the batches to come, the ceremony is one of the biggest parts of Asia MBA life. You can see the promise that KUBS makes and makes you make! You start to feel the friendship and love as the most important things with your batch-mates and this is where it stops to be just an MBA degree. It becomes a family!




Akshat Kumar Singh (Indian)

Class of 2011

The first S3 Asians Graduate!

KUBS held the first graduation ceremony in Seoul on Feb 25, 2010. Some of the S3 Asia Alumni who are in Seoul were present for the ceremony.

Prof Bae, former KUBS S3 Asia MBA Program Director, giving a speech to mark the momentous occasion



Left to Right: Chuel Hyo Park, Dae Young Lee, Bae Hyun Lee and Heon Nam Lim

 

Chuel Hyo Park

Bae Hyun Lee

Heon Nam Lim

These robes have a unique meaning for Korea University graduates - the Brown Collar around the robe implies 'Master's or Upper Degree of Social Sciences and Philosophy'.


Dae Kyun Kim (Andrew)
S3 Asia MBA, Class of 2010

The Journey...

This video was created specially for the closing dinner of the first cohort on Dec 2, 2009 in Singapore. The family consists of 31 members representing 6 nationalities. Our unity and affection for each other have been the cause of envy in each of the three universities we studied in. We spent an awesome 463 days - living, studying, playing, traveling and, of course, partying together!

The first part of the video talks of the things we did to overcome all our apprehensions before embarking on the journey - new countries, new cultures and most of all new people! But, we did survive!

The second part introduces the family members that had the time of their lives!

Lets see what makes the pioneering batch of the S3 Asia MBA so special and unique...!

Memories - Vivid...Timeless...

My desire to be part of the yearbook publishing team was simple – to give the best graduation gift to the 30 most beautiful people I have met. A gift that would allow each S³ Asian to preserve the days we have lived together not as classmates but as a family.

Someone rightly said that a picture speaks a thousand words. Then imagine what happens when u have thousands of pictures speaking a million words! Each picture was special, as it conveyed a certain aspect of the life we’ve shared so far! But I hope that the few hundred pictures that we finally printed give a glimpse of our very own Asia MBA experience – an insight into the unlimited memories we have gathered over the past 15 months.

As we move on, from being one single family to becoming individuals moving forward to pursue our own dreams and aspirations, I wish all my dear classmates the very best! You guys deserve each and every bit of your future success. And when you think of your MBA days, I hope that those vivid and timeless memories are sitting right on top of your bookshelf!

- Contributed by Pragnya Kashinath, Class of 2010

NUS Business School Ranked 1st among all Business Schools in Asia in Eduniversal 2009 Rankings

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School have been ranked 1st among all Business Schools in Asia in the Eduniversal 2009 Rankings. We were also rated 25th in the Eduniversal Global Top 100 Business Schools and have been awarded five palmes, the highest category. (Please see attached Eduniversal Global Top 100 Business Schools 2009 listing)

NUS Business School was ranked the top-scoring business school in Far East Asia. This is an improvement of 2 places from last year’s ranking where we were voted third best business school in the Far East Asia region. The second and third placing goes to China Europe International Business School, China and Tsinghua University, China respectively.

The selection for Eduniversal 2009 rankings was made by a scientific committee that established a global mapping system for the criteria of universality and the international reputation of each academic institution.

Of particular importance is that the ranking was done by 308 deans worldwide. Each Dean from the universities and schools on the Eduniversal list of 1,000 best business schools vote to recommend other academic institutions. NUS Business School is one of three business schools that showed major reputation improvements among the Deans who voted. We scored 76 more deans’ references this year than in 2008.

The Eduniversal Palmes indicate the level of an academic institution's international reputation and is awarded using two criteria: the degree of internationalisation and Deans' vote. Internationalisation includes aspects such as accreditation, network of partners and participation in international academic associations

Professor Bernard Yeung, Dean and Stephen Riady Distinguished Professor of NUS Business School said, “We are pleased that NUS Business School has been voted the number one business school in Asia. This is all the more so as the selection is done by deans of business schools. We feel both humbled and honoured. Moreover, we are encouraged to work hard to be Asia’s Global Business School, imparting global knowledge with Asian insights, and providing our students with a truly unique educational experience.”

More information on the Eduniversal ranking can be found at http://www.universityworldnews.com/index.php?page=Top_1000_BusSchools_2009

Synergy of Three Prominent Business Schools

Asia’s rapid development results in an increase in the complexity of doing business in a region with substantial economic, business, cultural, institutional and socio-political differences.

Sharing a vision of global competitiveness, three of Asia’s prominent business schools established the S³ Asia MBA program for meeting the need in today’s global business education.

S³ Asia MBA is the only tri-country and tri-university collaborative double degree program. The students are able to leverage on the strengths of 3 universities – the deep understanding of Asian economies; the global standard of MBA education, the faculty team trained from top business schools around the world and global networks. Its Asia-specialized curriculum will facilitate the students to be the true future global leaders with expertise in Asian business context.

In addition, the students start their first semester in Shanghai and spend their second semester in Seoul, and finish the last semester in Singapore. This unique structure of the program exposes the students to different cultures and lifestyles. Having 2/3 of the classmates from different countries with various educational and professional backgrounds require the student to engage in teamwork and increase their cultural awareness.

Looking back at my experience as the program manager, S³ Asia MBA has faced new challenges and more complexities than any other collaborative programs due to the uniqueness of its structure. Thus, one of the most critical points in its management is to identify challenges and find solutions, so the program progresses favorably for the students.

School administration is definitely a unique experience for me because I work with people full of passion and commitment and be part of their personal growth. Throughout the journey, we learned to cherish the differences and by giving. Their enthusiasm and diversity made the experience even more rewarding.

I hope for great success and an ever-bight future for the S³ Asia MBA students.


Contributed by Ms. Bina Ok, Program Manager, Korea University Business School

Korea University ranks no.1 for three consecutive years in the BK21 MBA Evaluation

= Receives Excellent Grades in the Globalization, Curriculum and Research category=

The excellence of Korea University MBA has been proven again. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology recently announced that the MBA program at Korea University ranked 1st place for three consecutive years (06~08) in the ‘Brain Korea (BK) 21’ 2nd year evaluation (2008) of MBA programs. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology stated “KUBS MBA ranked no.1 in the 2nd stage of the 2nd year of BK21 evaluation which was carried out on 567 project teams at 73 universities. The following is an article by the Chosun Daily Newspaper.

Excellent Scores in Globalization and Research…

Korea University ranks 1st place for three consecutive years.

BK 21 Business Management Services Sector

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology recently announced that Korea University’s MBA program ranked 1st place in the 2nd year (2008) Brain Korea (BK) 21 Business Management Services Evaluation for three consecutive years since 2006.

In the 2nd stage of the 2nd year of BK21 evaluation which was carried out on 567 project teams at 73 universities KUBS MBA ranked number 1 in the field of MBA, followed by Seoul National University (2nd place), Yonsei University (3rd place) and Sungkyunkwan University (4th place).

The evaluation was conducted by identifying and comparing project teams with the lowest scores based on project performance from March, 2006 to February, 2008 and project plans for the next four years with teams that had newly applied for projects. KU MBA ranked among the top in most categories but in particular received excellent scores in areas of globalization, curriculum, research and matching funds etc.

KU MBA operates a program that aims to foster global business professionals. The school was first in Korea to be accredited by both the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQIUS) and is recognized for its global standard education program. KUBS offers Korea MBA- founded in 1963 as Korea’s first MBA program, Executive MBA - a highly intensive course for business executives, MIBA - focusing on fostering foreign direct investment experts and the Global MBA program - the first daytime 1-year program in Korea where over 30% of the students are from abroad.

It also runs Finance MBA which is Korea’s first 1-year MBA program specializing in finance. The S³ Asia MBA, a dual-degree program, is jointly operated by Fudan University (Fudan), Korea University (KU) and National University of Singapore (NUS). The program which is receiving attention focuses on fostering economic and business management experts in Asia. The daytime MBA courses such as Global MBA, Finance MBA and S³ Asia MBA are now in the process of receiving applicants for the second half of 2009. Application deadline is May 1st and can only be done online (biz.korea.ac.kr/APP).

KU MBA also offers international residence programs that allow students to visit prestigious schools in other parts of Asia, U.S and Europe for a period of 6-7 weeks. Some of the schools include the Wharton School, Chicago GSB and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

A school official explained KU MBA is sparing no effort in realizing globalization through exchange programs with prominent schools in other countries as well as offering a dual-degree program with the Ohio State University in the US. Each program provides customized and specialized programs that meet the demands of students. Also the employment rate and class satisfaction of the graduates are at the very top.

Chosun Daily Newspaper February 19th 2009

The Rise of Asia and 'the' MBA For It.

The Asian Century is defined as the belief that, if certain demographic and economic trends persist, the 21^st century will be dominated by Asian politics and culture. Today, economists and politicians alike have seen that we are indeed living in the Asian century. With the growth of China, India and Southeast Asia, multinationals are now moving their operations more into the region, while focusing on capturing the growing Asian markets to ensure competitive advantage.

For potential leaders who are searching for a career in dynamic Asia, or wishes to work in a multinational company handling Asian operations, it is crucial to know of the history, business operations and unspoken ethics of the region. Passing a namecard using two hands, how to develop guanxi in China, and the power of the chaebols in Korea are just some of the critical idiosyncrasies of doing business in the region.

With the S³ Asia MBA programme, students will be able to triple their MBA experience, triple their networks, and triple their opportunities within the Asian region. Some of the key differentiators of S³ Asia MBA’s curriculum compared to other MBA programmes globally include modules such as:

1. Asia Pacific Business

2. Doing Business in Korea and Japan

3. Doing Business in China

4. Capital Markets and Corporate Governance in Asia

5. Business Ethics in Asian Companies

6. Asian Business Insights I, II, and III (Field trips to top companies in Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore)

With a comprehensive curriculum designed to offer a rigorous look on Asian business, S³ Asia MBA students get a distinct advantage of learning hands on how the region works. Aside from the solid curriculum, students also get to be part of a completely international campus within the 3 universities, as they move from one country to the next in each semester. By completely immersing in 3 of Asia’s economic powerhouses – imagine the networks and ties formed which are crucial in post-MBA careers.

Asia’s growth is definitely undeniable. Set yourself apart from the rest by being a true expert in Asian business.

Visit www.s3-asiamba.com and learn more about the programme today!

Contributed by Richard Rubnan Que, The NUS MBA - Class of 2010 / Marketing and Admissions Manager - The NUS MBA

S3 Asia MBA를 시작한지 벌써 1년이 지나고 3학기 중간을 지난 지금 드는 생각..

탁월한 선택이었다고 생각한다.


먼저 기존에 널리 알려진 미국의 일류 MBA의 장점을 생각해보면.. 여러 분야에서의 다양한 경험을 가진 100~200명의 동기생의 볼륨. 졸업 후의 깔끔한 연봉 상승률 & 강력한 동기 네트워크.. 정도?
조금 더 면밀히 살펴보면.. (지극히 주관적인 생각임을 미리 밝힘)보통 MBAer들의 평균 직장경력이 4~7년정도일 것인데.. 이 정도는 어느 MBA과정이나 비슷할 것이라 생각한다.두번째.. 네트워크 측면에서.. 과연 내가 1~2년 안에 몇명이나 나의 진정한 네트웍으로 끌어안을 수 있을까? 같은 학교 졸업생이면 별 관계가 없어도 네트웍으로 할 수 있다는 지극히 한국적인 사고방식은 통하지 않을 것이다. 많아봐야.. 20~30명일 것이다.

연봉 상승률.. 요즘 미국 MBAer중 미국인 너그러이 더 고려해서 유럽인(서)까지는 그런대로 직장구하는 것이 어렵지는 않을 것이지만.. 아시아인은 여전히.. Second-Tier인 것이다.그리고.. 쉽게 말해서.. 1~1년 MBA공부하면 그 사람 능력이 연봉상승률만큼 두배 혹은 세배로 뛰어오르는가? 스스로 알 것이다.

-----------------------------------

이 시점에서 S3 Asia MBA 얘기를 해보자.원 계획은 Class Size를 60명으로 하는 것이었지만 내실을 다져야한다는 학교들(고려대, 싱가폴 국립대, 복단대)의 의견조율에 따라 현재 30명으로 엄선운영되고 있다. 30명? 작은 볼륨인만큼 경쟁이 엄청 치열하다. 그런 경쟁속에 서로 견인하는 효과를 내고 있다.

하지만 30명이 다가 아니다. 복단대, 고려대, 싱가폴 국립대를 다니며 엄청난 네트웍의 숫자를 가질 수 있다. 오히려 각 학교에서 머무는 시간이 짧은만큼.. Intensive하게 네트웍을 다지게 된다.

연봉상승률.. 올해 말에 졸업생이 배출되기 때문에 섣불리 말하기는 어렵다. 하지만 Facts를 봤을 때 아시아 경제의 상승과 아시아 경제 전문가의 수요등의 요인이 전망을 밝게 하고 있다. 단, 조건이 있다. 영어 + 중국어의 조합이 필요하다는 것이다.마지막으로 다양한 경험이다. MBA에 온 목적이 무엇인가? 공부하러 왔는가? 물론 공부해야 한다. 하지만 다양한 현장경험과 문화적 차이를 더 경험 할 수 있다면 더할 나위 없는 것 아닌가? 중국-상해, 한국-서울, 싱가폴을 한 클래스 전체가 같이 경험하며 서로간의 Insights를 공유하고 서로 적응해가는 커리큘럼이야 말로 지금까지 시도된 바 없고 가치있는 것이라 생각한다.

S3 Asian이라는 말로 시작했는데..

개인적으로는 이런 과정을 통해 아시아 경제에 대한 전문가가 많이 나올 수 있었으면 좋겠다. 무엇이 아시아 경제 전문가인가?각 나라의 독특한 경제상황과 문화적인 요인들에 대한 노출이 많은 사람이 전문가일 것이다.

MBA에 온 목적을 다시한번 고찰해보자..
이대영

Contributed by Lee Dae Young, Class of 2010.

写在S3 Asia一周年生日之际

Contributed by Qin Qin

在同一片天空下已经一年了。说是同一片天空其实不然，匆匆忙忙、欢欢喜喜的走过上海、首尔，又转眼间来到新加坡。所感所想所悟，一语如何也道不完，如同走过的城市，如同变幻的街景，我们的心就在不知不觉中起伏，欢腾，成长。

想说的话太多了，一时理不出头绪，看看窗外略显灰蒙蒙的天，就说说我们的生活吧。

每天睁开眼天已经不早了，上海的早晨骑辆自行车，到路边小店买些面包牛奶，一路冲入教室，呼呼，九点刚刚好！不过呢，后面总有几位同学在教授的讲课声中应声而来，行注目礼，点头微笑，入座。首尔的早晨更妙，边往宿舍楼外冲边算着学校shuttle bus的时间，远远的看见开过来了，前面的同学使劲叫加油加油，后面的一路小跑冲进去，踉踉跄跄坐下来，又赶上了，哈！开心！对了，shuttle bus九点以后才有，十点的课才有的坐，九点的课，只能顺着同学们开发的小山路颠颠的自己跑下山了，十分钟足矣。新加坡早上没课，所以早起这件痛苦的事免掉了，只不过，住处离学校的距离就不能用分钟衡量了，大概要按小时算，因为，虽然实际地理距离并不算远，可等公交实在令人心焦，165转151转shuttle bus，司机大叔一高兴，中间半小时没有一班，没辙，等！

上课嘛，是很有意思的事情。中国老师一般英文比较慢，比较中国化，对中国同学而言好懂好学。韩国老师也有类似情况，但是也好听好懂。新加坡，可是亚洲闻名的熔炉啊，语言也不例外，各种口音都要花时间适应，光是印度老师的各种口音就不用说了，前面一两周每上完一次三小时的课我的头都特别紧，练听力可真不容易啊……

同学们上课参与的风格也各不相同，印度同学最活跃，这个是必然，语言优势加性格特点，英语不管口音怎样都是他们的母语，再加上性格外向喜欢辩论，上课他们的声音回响频率最高，不过这也带动课堂气氛灵活而热烈。其他同学，中国，韩国，美国，新加坡也都有很大程度的参与。值得开心的是，中国同学的课堂积极性日渐增强，管他Chinglish, 管他说法是不是地道，想说就说，说了总比不说好，再说了好的都是练出来的，说！

下课以后，最大的正式活动就属case study。 最牛的一次经历是，在韩国，我们一组五六号人，连着两个周末四天时间一天十多小时一起呆在教室讨论，找资论，做PPT，写报告。有争执也有理解，各有想法也互相尊重，累并快乐着！更重要的是取人之长补己之短，理解别人的思维方式，思考了，进步了，这不就是MBA吗？

非正式活动，那可太多了，各种形式的party，应有尽有。有印度同学在上海复旦光华楼前，月亮不出来他们不出现，专司喝酒娱乐的小团队luka Gang；有中国同学在韩国因为太想念中国菜，而自发形成的专司做菜享受生活，每周五定时举行的eating party；来到新加坡，有一群swimming team，有BBQ party。还有各种名目的酒吧聚会，蹦迪，K歌等等。

当然，还有比较大型的旅游。在上海时，两名中国同学带了印度同学，浩浩荡荡十几口子人到北京玩了一圈，都爬上了长城做了好汉，又到故宫，颐和园，首都博物馆，鸟巢，小小体验了一把诺大的北京城，中的外的土的洋的都在这一座城市中完美的融合着，肩并肩的向世人挥着手，现实与历史我们一一穿梭。那几天小日子过得很开心，拍照片摆pose已经锻炼到了专业水平。
在韩国，首尔的各种景点和好玩的项目当然不能少。Lotte World紧张刺激；Hello! Seoul Festival各个宫殿喜气洋洋，各种庆典持续一周，韩国政府和人民对历史的保护令人肃然起敬；Rice Cake Museum让我们看到这小食物中的大学问；Cooking Nanta乱打的新演绎，这座城市的欢快尽现在每一处小小的生活片段里。济州岛之行，是我们在韩国的亮点，如诗如画的美景，热情周到的导游大叔，叽叽喳喳围着中国帅哥拍照的小姑娘们，这一切令济州这个饶有情趣的小岛更加生动鲜活，伴随着年轻的我们永远定格在记忆中。

新加坡的生活正在继续，花园城市美不胜收，圣淘沙温暖的海水足以让我们爱上这里。热闹的国庆将各种肤色各种语言的人们聚集在一起，尽享狮城的繁华与激情。接下来的recess week大家的出行计划已一一出炉，更多故事更多精彩也即将上映。不知道吴哥窟将用怎样的美与力量将我们震撼，已经等不急要进行一次精神的盛宴了。

我们的S3 Asia永远有新的故事，我们的故事讲也讲不完。从去年复旦相聚的那天起，我们就注定成为一家人，这家人的生活永远联系在一起，无论身处何方，无论相距多远，我们的故事都将在彼此的生活中快乐的流传下去。

Journey's End!

It is indeed hard to believe that I am making this final entry with a sudden tinge of sadness as my S3 Asia MBA journey is soon coming to an end this December. At one moment we were having regular get-togethers and traveling to nearby countries and the next moment all our priorities have now shifted to securing jobs since this is the last semester in our unique MBA journey. I miss the lengthy and tiring journeys on bicycle from our Fudan School of Management Campus back to our dormitories and the beautiful campus of Korea University. The experience of winter in Seoul and Shanghai was really cold and yet amazing compared to Singapore, where we are blessed with eternal summer all year round.

I must say that life has changed for me since I started this unique MBA program. It created an opportunity for me to meet people from all over the globe and also to study in three different universities: Fudan (Shanghai), KUBS (Seoul) and NUS (Singapore). Moreover, I have made an immense number of friends through various inter-school activities and outings. I've had the opportunity to study, work and play with the most extraordinary group of diverse, talented, intelligent, humorous and most importantly well-rounded individuals. The relationships that I have formed are the most valuable thing I will take away from this S3 Asia MBA program which I consider more important than any other academic pursuit.

The culture at each of these three different universities was unique and gave me an insight into how nations behave, think and work. We overcame differences in language and cultural norms in order to interact and form deep relationships. The numerous intercultural exchanges enabled me to gain a deep insight into the workings of businesses and people in the cities of Shanghai and Seoul. I also had the amazing opportunity to do my internship with SK Energy in Ulsan, South Korea. All these opportunities enabled me to grow, understand people better and gain a valuable perspective of life out of Singapore.

For the last one year, I have had the opportunity to meet and network with business leaders during our MBA field trips and have had the opportunity to travel to cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau while I was studying in Shanghai, China. From Seoul in South Korea, I traveled to the cities of Busan, Daegu and Ulsan. In Singapore, I also got to do things that I never expected to do such as participating in Outward Bound School as part of our orientation at NUS Business School and which I thoroughly enjoyed very much.

I was right from the start. S3 Asia MBA has given me the edge, experiences and knowledge that I really needed in order to sharpen my skills, personality and business acumen. From the moment, I first set foot on the Fudan campus in August 2008 during the inaugural launch of this program, I was changed for the better. I have learnt more during the past one year than I could have in a decade. I genuinely and completely miss the people and the universities where I studied. On this journey, I have forged a number of genuine friendships and had the company of a group of people dedicated to enjoying all of life in a well-rounded manner. This journey has been long and arduous and yet meaningful and memorable. These experiences will remain in my memory forever.

Contributed by Thiruvarsu Damodharan, Class of 2010.

永远的S3AsiaMBA,永远的我们（第一篇,序言篇）

已经很久没有写过文章了，不是因为不想写，而是因为要写的实在太多，不知从哪里写起。今天看到我们崭新的Blog，鲜活的照片，想到我们大家已经在一起走过了整整一年的时间，我的心海开始跌宕起伏。我不是一个喜欢回忆的人，因为对于我来说只有未来没有过去，只有不断向前，向前还是向前。但是我还是决定把这一年的经历和感受写成文字，因为它承载了太多的回忆，太多的压力，太多的欢笑，太多的进步，太多的徘徊，太多的太多，但是没有眼泪，因为我从来不相信眼泪。不是为了回忆，而是为了更好地向前。

一年前的今天，我从很多人都为之羡慕的工作岗位上辞职，领导的挽留，朋友的劝说，女朋友的支持，在那时如同烟雾一般弥漫在我的周围。但是我没有丝毫的彷徨，因为我已经做出了决定，所以只有向前看，没有退路。当时我不断跟自己说：“给自己两年的时间，你要改变，彻底的改变，虽然并不知道前面等待着你的是什么，但是如果不尝试，你永远也体会不到。Try your best, chase the dream!”

一年后的今天，我还在征途上，虽然身上多了不少伤痕，但是脚步已经踏得更加坚实，AsiaMBA带给我的太多，这不单是语言能力和知识上的提高，更是对人生态度，目标，和精神上的洗礼。这个过程是痛苦的，这个过程是激昂的，这个过程是乏味的，这个过程犹如蝉蛹作茧，但是我要说我很享受，因为我期待破茧的时刻。

我感谢上苍让我做出了这个明智的选择，我感谢我的同学们，我感谢我的老师们，感谢我的女朋友,当然还要感激自己的坚持。

在这个特殊的日子里，祝福我的同学们，祝福我们的AsiaMBA，祝福我们的复旦，高丽大学和NUS。

祝大家一路走好，心想事成！

(第二篇 复旦篇 is coming soon! ）

Contributed by He Zhengwei, Class of 2010.

写在S3一岁的这天

2009年9月1日，中午的时候新加坡下了一场瓢泼大雨。
2008年9月1日，我们在上海正式踏上了S3的旅程。我已经记不得上海那时候的天气，但依稀也是下雨。阴雨绵绵，不如新加坡的雨那样干脆痛快。
韩国却很少下雨。难得阳春四五月的天气，稀稀落落地下一场，一扫冬天的萧瑟，让人越发体会春雨的珍贵。
这一年来，我们辗转三地，淋过不同的雨，爬过不同的山，看过不同的风景；进过不同的教室、泡过不同的图书馆、为不同的考试皱过眉头。但是，S3一直在一起。
31个不同国家、不同地区的人聚在一起。不同的背景、不同的文化、带着不同的目的，却在同一段旅程当中相扶相持。世界上各地的雨不尽相同，但总是逃不出水的形态。当雨落在地上，只要接纳、包容，雨滴就会汇成无尽的河流。
在今天这个特殊的日子，想对S3说：生日快乐；想对其他的30个人说：认识你真高兴。

Contributed by Chen Ming (Rolina), Class of 2010.

Lessons from without the cube – Perspective

Ask my friends what my favorite word is. If they tell you “Perspective”, it is likely they have been subject to my torturous ranting more than once. It is a word that I hold close to my heart and my stint with this class has only brought it closer. So what about perspective?

If you are going into this MBA looking forward to learn business concepts, make friends and go places, good for you. But you know what would make it all worthless: If you go into this program with a closed mind and a chauvinistic attitude.

Over the course of your study, you will come across a myriad of people with very many opinions. Sometimes these opinions will conflict with your own. And how much you learn from this course will depend on how you handle these conflicts. I will talk about conflicts in another post but for now, it would suffice to say that in a bigger frame, conflicts are irrelevant.

Let us now flip this perspective. You will also come across people who will make you feel uncomfortable about beliefs that are close to your heart. Again, the future course of your life will depend on how you handle these encounters. If you spend a lot of time in another country, the peer pressure to conform to their way of things can be great. You are probably there to learn about them and not to become one of them. However, this said, there is nothing wrong if you choose to become one of them. Just remember to make a conscious choice and not succumb to the pressure.

The following quote has been the guiding force for me for quite a long time now. Hope it can help you get where you want to go.

“If you had been born where they were born, if you had been taught what they were taught and if you had been where they were, you would have believed what they believed.”

Aham Brahmasmi

Contributed by Govind Pandey (govind.pndy@live.com), Class of 2010