Reflections on a trip to China

I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the Chinese-UK Entrepreneurship Educators Network and subsequently the World Universities Network Forum (WUN) Hangzhou Chinese Enterprise Conference in China last week.

It was unquestionably one of the most fascinating experiences of my life both from a professional and personal point of view and I hope in these few lines I can begin to convey just some of the many aspects of learning that the trip afforded me, in addition to my benefiting from meeting some wonderful colleagues and peers at other British and Chinese Universities.

My first impression was that of wonder at the sheer scale both in terms of physical and human resources that China possesses. Buildings and busy, teeming hordes of people everywhere you look, seemingly occupying every last metre of available space.

The interaction between Universities (we were hosted with great organisational skill and wonderful hospitality by Zhejiang University) and industry was the primary professional opinion that I took from the trip. We learnt that the best graduates from the University tend to stay in the province and actively engage their Universities at seemingly every possible opportunity once employed in industry. The connection both in terms of senior management and political support and funding contributions seemed from our perspective to be almost seamless in marked contrast to UK, where infra industry-university interaction is often restricted and limited.

The Chinese do support their graduates for enterprise projects although this did appear somewhat restricted to the cream of their student crop. Some students that we met spoke of their reticence to share ideas with their academics for fear of feeling stupid if the idea was rejected out of hand. It could be that one of the contributions that the EE network can offer China is the realisation that enterprise should be inclusive for all, not just the brightest on paper. Having said that one of the regional government speakers did discuss how students receive support after they have graduated and are frequently re-introduced to their original enterprise peer group for mutual and continued support if they have a problem – an improvement on what often proves to be a lonely voyage for young UK entrepreneurs.

It is almost impossible to summarise everything I experienced and I thank variously the NCGE, British Council, WUN, Shanghai Technology Entrepreneurs Foundation for Graduates (STEG) and Shanghai Institute for Foreign Trade (SIFT) and of course Southampton Solent University for the opportunity.

Always in the background, whether in the delegates’ minds or the constantly recurring images on Chinese Television, was an appreciation of the dignity and courage which the Chinese people demonstrated with respect to the Earthquake disaster which unfolded before us. The nation was clearly bonding in the face of disaster and will in time, terrible as this catastrophe was, be even stronger for it. It is this that has led me to conclude (above all the other indicators that I saw at first hand) that this is undoubtedly China’s century.

Stephen Brown

Enterprise Manager

Southampton Solent University

22^nd May 2008

Latest Entries

14/07/2008

Reflections on a trip to China
Reflections by Stephen Brown

14/05/2008

WUN - Afternoon Day 1
Main highlights from the afternoon session of WUN

14/05/2008

World University Network Forum - Morning Day 1
Main highlights from the morning session of WUN

14/05/2008

Launch roundtable discussions
...more reflections on the launch.

13/05/2008

Network Roundtables
Reflections from the afternoon of the network launch

13/05/2008

Launch Day
Reflections from the morning of the Network Launch

13/05/2008

First impressions
The China-UK Entrepreneurship Educators Network has been launched!

12/05/2008

Tired but enthusiastic!
Some reflections on arriving in Hangzhou, China

20/03/2008

Launch of the China-UK Entrepreneurship Educators
Launch of the China-UK Entrepreneurship Educators Network