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"Meeting Opportunities, Foreseeing 2021" Interview with Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University

Hits: Date:2021-10-25 11:27

In 1993, Southwest Jiaotong University(SWJTU) established the School of Economics and Management(SEM). Over the years, the SEM of SWJTU has innovated and developed, conforming to the trend of the times, and embarking on a road of training economic management talents for China's social and economic development, and has cultivated generations of high-quality economic management elites for China's social and economic construction.


As a business talent training institution, how to take the first step to cultivate elite talents suitable for the development trend of the times is a topic worthy of in-depth study. With regards to this, China MBA Education Network specially planned the column "Meeting Opportunities, Foreseeing 2021". This issue invited Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of the SEM of SWJTU, to closely focus on the status quo of MBA talent training and the trends and talent training practices in Southwest China and the development of business education in China.



Reporter from China MBA Education Network: What is the key to talent cultivation in the SEM of SWJTU?


Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of the SEM, SWJTU: Since its establishment, the SEM of SWJTU has been committed to cultivating management elites who integrate Chinese and foreign wisdom and have quantitative analysis capabilities. On the one hand, we emphasize "down-to-earth, not forgetting the original aspiration." The SEM of SWJTU strives to cultivate elites who can make contributions to the society down-to-earth; on the other hand, under the new situation, we emphasize "innovation", which is to break the conventions and continuously carry out creative work in various aspects such as the mode, method, and approach of talent training to meet the needs of the current rapid development and change of the times.



Reporter from China MBA Education Network: What impact does local cultural characteristics and economic development have on talent training? What is the relationship with the development of business education?


Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of the SEM, SWJTU: The School of Economics and Management of Southwest Jiaotong University has always focused on serving the local economy and helping enterprises develop. Cultural characteristics and economic development have a greater impact on talent training and have played a complementary role. In Chengdu, Sichuan, with the economic development, the demand for construction talents is increasing, so the desire of talents for knowledge is more obvious. In recent years, the number of applicants for MBA and the degree of competitiveness have risen linearly, which is inseparable from the development of the local economy. Business development is compatible with local economic development and can reflect the characteristics of local economy and culture. We are working hard to create a teaching and education model that integrates school characteristics and local culture.


Reporter from China MBA Education Network: How does the business school, which is good at engineering, develop its own characteristics?


Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of the SEM, SWJTU: As a business school of a "science and engineering school", how to develop its own characteristics is a question we have been thinking about. We conducted an analysis from the four perspectives of "Strong Features, Deep Cultivation, Wide Caliber, and Re-Crossing".


The first "strong feature" is to reflect the characteristics of Jiaotong University, and to highlight the characteristics of Jiaotong University in management. For example, the advantages in the transportation and engineering construction fields, and the advantages in the source industry are all characteristics of Jiaotong University.


The second is "deep cultivation". We encourage teachers to use their professional knowledge to work closely with industries and companies,to solve practical problems facing major needs in the industry, and not only to do theoretical research, but also pay attention to practice. Only by combining theory with practice can we carry out "deep cultivation."


The third is "Wide Caliber". Jiaotong University focuses on the traditional railway industry, bases itself on the railway, serves the society, and has many aspects of cooperation with the railway industry. In addition to the railway industry, we actively encourage teachers to strengthen ties and cooperation with other industries, and penetrate into all walks of life in a wide range of fields.


The fourth is "re-crossing." Because management has the characteristics of disciplines, it has certain uses in various industries. If it is only operated independently and not combined with other disciplines, its advantages will be difficult to exert. Therefore, we hope to integrate with some other superior disciplines and cross-innovate.


In order to rely on the characteristics of the university and reflect the advantages of the business school, we have established scientific research teams. There are currently 6 mature scientific research teams conducting research in various fields. We encourage teachers to work on teaching reform projects. At present, there are 14 teaching reform teams working on teaching reform, first-class curriculum declaration, monographs and textbook compilation. Recently, we are setting up a social service team, actively strengthening cooperation with the government and enterprises, and committed to making intellectual contributions to the development of the local economy.



Reporter from China MBA Education Network: What are the new requirements for the talent training of your business school in the new era and new situation?


Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of the School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University: Under the new situation of rapid technological development, many industries may be replaced if they do not actively respond to challenges. Some professions even have the problem of being replaced by machines. So we are thinking about how to cultivate compound talents with all aspects of knowledge. We put forward the concept of "management +". Many concepts are "+ management", such as engineering + management, engineering + management. However, we cultivate talents mainly for management professional managers who are good at management, let them contact the industry, understand the background of different industries, cultivate corresponding insights, and explore the latest technology and development trends. "Management +" is essentially through management, to learn more about some related things, and to exercise the ability to do the job.


In terms of talent training, we have introduced the "three integrations" which is integration of resources, training and innovation.


"Integration of Resources" is to gather the platforms and talents of various enterprises and integrate production and education. We now have many practice bases that cooperate with companies to integrate various teaching resources to enhance the teaching experience.


"Integration of Training" refers to the integration of knowledge through various methods such as lectures, practice, internships, and experiments after having resources and teachers.


"Integration of Innovation" is to enhance innovation in order to apply knowledge after mastering it, and innovate in practice.


We now advocate the cultivation of digital intelligence management talents in the new era through the "three integrations" model. Cultivating intelligent management talents under the background of big data is also a major trend of current development.


Reporter from China MBA Education Network: What impact does the epidemic have on business education? What countermeasures has the School of Economics and Management of Southwest Jiaotong University taken?


Professor Guo Qiang, Executive Dean of the SEM, SWJTU: In 2020, the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 had less impact on our own education operations. As early as 2017, the SEM of SWJTU launched an online and offline education model. For some non-local students, most of them are taught online by online teaching. Therefore, our operation is stable when large-scale online teaching is conducted during the epidemic.


In addition, how to deal with changes is also a question of updating education and teaching methods. In terms of talent training, we actively respond to the "One Belt One Road" initiative, and are committed to helping Chinese companies go global, strengthening cooperation with overseas companies, and cultivating talents that meet the needs of global economic development.


We have also made corresponding adjustments in the curriculum and education training model. Under the new situation, we optimize and innovate the corresponding courses. For example, we increase courses that reflect the characteristics of globalization.



The SEM of SWJTU has developed in the wave of reform and opening up. It not only has a very strong adaptability to the times, but also has a very keen adaptability. When these become the genes of a school, the students who come out here must have the same genes and abilities. The SEM of SWJTU is still moving forward courageously. Wish the students of Southwest Jiaotong University have worked hard to improve their abilities and contribute more to China's socialist construction.


(Source: China MBA Education Network   Author: China MBA Education Network)



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