1.Major Positioning
1.1 Major Demand
Under the background of the development of China's economy, the international business industry is developing rapidly, while the phenomena such as the fluctuation of RMB exchange rate and the development of new trade with financing function are presented, which puts forward higher standards of the international business talents. International business talents not only are required to have professional ability, but also to understand the international business industry, so as to continue to contribute to China's international business industry. As the leader of China's export-oriented economy, the Pearl River Delta region has been in great demand for international business professionals. In October 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the work of Guangdong and delivered an important speech, proposing that "The construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area should be regarded as a great opportunity for Guangdong's reform and opening up". In February 2019, The State Council issued "the Outline of the Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". In order to enhance the international competitiveness of the Greater Bay Area and participate in international cooperation at a higher level, international business talents have become one of the talents urgently needed for the construction of the Greater Bay Area. In General Secretary Xi's important instructions on Shenzhen’s work, Shenzhen is required to seize the great opportunity of the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and enhance its core functions. Shenzhen endowed with new historical mission. As the third Shenzhen local university with "high starting point, high standard", Shenzhen Technology University is undertaking the mission to cultivate international management talents who are familiar with economic internationalization strategy, cross-cultural communication so as to contribute to the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
1.2 Major Position
1.2.1 Industry and Education Integration
With the deepening of the internationalization, social development has put forward higher requirements for international business professionals, and high-level talents with business practical experience have become an urgent demand for current economic development. SZTU Business School upholds a high-quality, practical applied sciences education model in order to adapt the rapid economic and social development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, China and the world. Adhering to the "practice and application oriented, act locally, think globally" education theory, drawing lessons from first-class business curriculum modes as well as talents cultivation idea of top-tier Applied Science Universities in Germany, Switzerland and other nations, paying attention to international exchanges and profound cooperation with the integration development of production and education as the theme, SZTU Business School is committed to cultivating international and interdisciplinary talents with business comprehensiveknowledge. Therefore, Business School will accurately grasp the characteristics of the internationalization of business major construction in the new era, taking the maximum advantages and characteristics of the applied science university, learning from the advanced mode of running universities locally and abroad, and strive to become an explorer and demonstrator of business education in applied sciences universities. That means with representatives from industry to work very close together in both directions: to be acquainted with the needs of the industry and help them to solve the problems.
1.2.2 Practice-oriented
International Business major will deeply adhere to “Industry and Education Integration” teaching and research mode. Business School will rely on the existing school-enterprise cooperation plan of the university, relatively building up college training rooms, in the meanwhile, signing long-term cooperation agreements with more relevant well-known enterprises to cooperate with enterprises in terms of off-campus teaching training bases to provide customized talents for enterprises.
Based on the European Universities' Applied Technology concepts and models, Business School has a group of global oriented faculty with highly practical and international perspective. They have business experience and can impart theoretical knowledge and business insights closely related to industrial activities to students. In the course of undergraduate teaching, students are required to participate in practical projects of the university or the enterprise, focusing on the combination of academic knowledge and practical business experience. For this also guest lecturers from companies are permanently recruited and working together in projects or case studies.
1.2.3 Global Vision
The university actively carries out cooperation with world-class applied science universities in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and other nations, and actively promotes in-depth cooperation in various forms, such as academic exchanges, school construction and joint training. So far, the university has signed memorandums of cooperation with more than 50 foreign universities and institutions, and carried out more than 10 overseas exchange programs, including famous applied science universities in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the United States and other countries. At the same time, thanks to the International Liaison Office of Shenzhen Technology University in Regensburg and Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Germany, students will have the opportunity to go abroad for research and internship. Through this way of learning, students can fully understand foreign academic knowledge and culture as well as gain valuable business practice experience.
2. Cultivation Objective
2.1 University Positioning
Shenzhen Technology University aims to build itself into a world-class open, innovative and internationalized high-level applied sciences university to meet the development needs of high-end industries, and cultivate talents such as engineers and designers with international vision and craftsman spirit. Since the beginning of the construction, it has adhered to the German applied sciences education, learned from the German education program, implemented the training mode of "academic education + enterprise training", and created a new model of school-enterprise cooperation. The orientation of the university is to develop science, management, art and other disciplines step by step. To cultivate high-level application-oriented talents such as engineers and designers as well as businessmen with international vision, craftsman spirit and innovative and entrepreneurial ability at undergraduate and graduate level.
2.2 Cultivation Goal
International Business major connects with the industrial development needs of the country, especially the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and combines the advanced teaching philosophy of the Germanapplied sciences universities, aiming to train students to develop morally, intellectually and physically in an all-round way, with a pioneering international vision and innovative spirit and equipping with the knowledge and practical ability of international trade, international investment and financing, international marketing, international business negotiation, international enterprise management and other aspects like cross-cultural understanding. Students of this major can be engaged in business practice, project planning, international enterprise management, legal consultation, policy research and other fields in multinational companies, foreign economic and trade departments, foreign-funded enterprises, government agencies, etc. After 3-5 years of working experience, students will become high-level applied management talents with international vision and who are capable of strategic planning and general management.
3．Cultivation Mode
3.1 Academic Term and Credit
The standard study duration for International Business is 4 years, and the minimum credit requirement for graduation is 210 credits.
3.2 Cultivation Requirement
In order to fulfill the demands of economic globalization, future international business students need to face the complex economic environment, thus it is necessary to cultivate students to have a broad international vision, solid knowledge of international business theory and practice, to be able to skillfully use international laws, regulations and international practices to carry out international business activities. In addition, they should have relatively high humanistic quality, a good sense of social responsibility and professional ethics, and good psychological and physical quality. Therefore, International Business graduates should equip with the following knowledge and abilities:
1) Master the comprehensive basic knowledge required for theoretical and practical work in the field of international business (including economics, management, finance, statistics and other disciplines);
2) Strong market research, forecasting and planning ability. Able to predict the frontier development direction of global economy and trade and adapt the company to the rapid development of global economy and trade;
3) Master the operation rules of international capital market. Familiar with the operation and management of multinational enterprises, have the basic ability to carry out transnational investment and international economic cooperation;
4) Good command of foreign language application in mainly English and German communication skills, able to conduct work and academic communication in a foreign language working environment, have the ability to search and read relevant professional literature and conduct academic writing;
5) Have solid basic computer knowledge and good computer operation skills. Master the application software of international business, and be able to practice, teach and research in the field of international business.
6) Lifelong learning philosophy, good professional ethics, social responsibility.
7) Be familiar with different cultures and depending specialties.
4. Curriculum System
4.1 Core Knowledge Area
International business major requires to master international economics, western economics and other related theories and methods; On the basis of a good command of statistical analysis methods, students can apply knowledge of international operation and management, marketing, financial management, finance, etc., to engage in business management. international economics, international management, international finance and financial management as well as human resource management are the core knowledge fields of international business.
4.1.1 Main Courses
Major Foundational Courses: Introduction to Statistics, Economic Policy, Foundation of Economics and System Thinking, Management Accounting, Accounting Principles, Cost Accounting, Introduction to International Business, Foundation of Business, etc.
Major Core courses: Management, Strategic Management, International Economics, Business English, Fundamentals of Business Law, International Business Law, Cross-cultural Business Negotiations, Project Management, Finance and Investment, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management.
4.1.2 Featured Courses
(1)International Financial Management: Theory of International Finance, International Capital Market and Asset Management, Financial Risk and Analysis, etc.
(2)International Marketing: International Marketing, Trade and Service Marketing, International Market Research, etc.
(3)International Human Resource Management: Global HRM and Organizational Development, HR Planning and Supply, Performance Management and Leadership, Incentive Management and Employee Development.
4.2 Curriculum Setting
According to the curriculum construction and curriculum development requirements of Shenzhen Technology University, International Business major is divided into general education courses, extended general courses, major foundational courses, major core courses, specialized elective courses, major practice, and graduation thesis. In the extended general courses, students are arranged to take at least 2 credits of art courses according to the characteristics of their major. Meanwhile, students are encouraged to choose major featured courses that suit their personal plans.
5. Faculty
Business School fully embodies the characteristics of internationalization, it aims to build up a group of faculty members with domestic and overseas business experience, all faculty members have PhD degree and the vast majority of them have overseas study or working experience, some of them worked in Germany, Canada, Japan and other countries. Major courses offered by Business School are English taught. Dean of SZTU Business School, Professor Holger Haldenwang is well experienced in teaching and managing at post-secondary education who is the former Executive Vice President at Regensburg University of Applied Sciences and have over 35 years teaching experience as well as university-level top managerial experience. The existing faculty of the college will lay a solid foundation for the business major.
5.1Major Responsible Person
Major responsible person of International Business major is the Dean of SZTU Business School, Professor Holger Haldenwang, who is the former Executive Vice President at Regensburg University of Applied Sciences and have over 35 years teaching experience as well as university-level top managerial experience.
5.2 Faculty Structure
Business School aims to build up a highly qualified international faculty with work experience in various commercial and industrial business areas in Germany, Austria, Canada, Switzerland and even in USA. All faculty members have PhD degree and the vast majority of them have overseas study or working experience and have more than 3 years off-campus working experience.
5.3. Faculty Development Planning
In addition to the existing faculty, the school plans to introduce two or three high-level professional leaders with both overseas and domestic academic backgrounds. Moreover, with the growing scale of Business School, the school will be carried out in the next five years the Financial Accounting, Financial Management, Marketing and other related disciplines construction, and will continuously recruit experts with PhD degree as well as domestic and overseas industrial experience. On the basis of existing faculty structure, Business School plans to cultivate backbone faculties with the number of five to eight, form a distinctive team of faculties endowed with innovative spirit.
6. Teaching Condition
6.1 Practical Teaching Condition
The library of Shenzhen Technology University has a total collection of 413,000 volumes, covering various disciplines such as science and technology, humanities, social sciences and other fields, and has well-known databases related to social sciences and economic management at home and abroad. In addition, the university has established international cooperative relations with famous universities such as Regensburg University of Applied Sciences, Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences, International Technological University, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, University of Rennes 1 and so on. It has signed school-enterprise cooperation agreements with Tencent, Huawei, TCL, Han*s Laser, China Telecom, BYD, SIEMENS, Kingdee, ManWah and many other well-known enterprises, providing students with a broad enterprise internship space. At the same time, the Business School is strongly supported by the Overseas offices of Shenzhen Technology University in Regensburg and Würzburg-Schweinfurt Germany, and the students will continue to improve their individual innovation ability through the school's exchange programs with partner institutions, cooperating internship activities, and the implementation of leading business incubator programs.
6.2 Training Base and Research Center Construction
Adhering to the "dual system" training mode of "academic education + enterprise training", Business School encourages students to put what they learn into practice to promote learning and professional practice steadily. In order to meet the teaching needs of International Business courses in the future, the school will actively build cross-disciplinary and cross-regional teaching platforms and relevant teaching training bases, make full use of school-enterprise cooperation platform resources in the school and give full play to their unique effectiveness in improving training quality. Relying on the existing school-enterprise cooperation plan of the university, International Business major has three practical training bases, namely, Financial Big Data Training Center, Business Simulation Center, Financial Innovation and Technology Center, which will be used for the major auxiliary teaching practice.
6.3University and Enterprise Cooperation Training Base Construction
In order to guarantee and improve the quality of practice and effect, Business School has cooperated with Kingdee Software (China) Co., LTD., Shenzhen Love Wisdom Technology Co., LTD., SRNE Solar Co. LTD, Pangoo Group Co., LTD., and other enterprises signed "Off-campus Practice Training Base Cooperation Agreement", jointly build seven off-campus practice bases. Business School and the enterprise will independently determine the content of the practice and the target of the training project based on the curriculum and the actual situation of the students, so as to cultivate application-oriented technical talents with strong practical ability.
