East China Normal University (ECNU) will become a trendsetter this year with the launch of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. It'll be the country's first MBA program run by a teacher-training university, ECNU officials revealed over the weekend.

 

The ECNU MBA, which has just passed qualification assessment by the Ministry of Education, will focus on training small business leaders and education institute administrators.

 

University presidents, school principals and training institute directors are being urged to take up professional training courses in both education and management.

 

Ruan Pingzhang, director of the university's academic degrees office, said the program was initiated to meet the needs of school administrators.

 

"With the country's education reforms an increasing number of principals find themselves faced with problems in costs and school management," Ruan said. "That drives them to seek an MBA education."

 

China has given the green light to 96 domestic universities to open MBA programs since 1991. Ruan said the university is expected to start student enrollments from July.

 

(Shanghai Daily January 15, 2007)