Officially inaugurated today (20 September), the PolyU Faculty of Business – Belt and Road Centre (FB-BARC) is to apply the various expertise of the Faculty’s 200-strong members to fill the gaps of providing research and services pertinent to the Belt and Road Initiative.
The FB-BARC is a platform that pools the research strengths of the Faculty’s three departments in logistics and maritime studies, accounting, finance, economics, law, marketing, management and international business. It is to conduct inter-disciplinary research, consultancy for local community and Belt and Road economies, intellectual exchanges for the region, as well as integrating Belt and Road components into university curriculum.
Officiating at the inaugural ceremony of the FB-BARC, Ir Professor Alex Wai, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU, said the University has been keen in playing its role in the monumental-scale Belt and Road related developments pioneered by China, which will stimulate infrastructural development and economic growth for the region covering more than 60 countries and 63% of global population.
He said PolyU has been enrolling students from Belt and Road countries, supporting research scholars from the countries, organizing community services and exchanges for PolyU students, as well as promoting collaboration with institutions in the region. The FB-BARC will be PolyU’s new initiative focusing on intellectual exchange and consultancy relevant to the Belt and Road Initiative.
Ir Professor Edwin Cheng, Dean of Faculty of Business of PolyU, said that, with the Belt and Road evolutionary development opening up lots of opportunities for the related countries and individual firms, large demand for research and services pertinent to Belt and Road can be expected. Typical examples of the related areas include cross-border trade opportunities, marketing analysis, financing, investment in and management of infrastructure projects or human resources, etc.
With limited supply for such specialist services in local academic field, Ir Professor Cheng said the specific expertise of his faculty members can fill in the current gaps.
“Besides conducting inter-disciplinary research and exchanges related to Belt and Road, the FB-BARC also endeavors to serve local community and beyond by undertaking related consultancy projects. We will also work together with the public and private sectors, professional bodies and other universities, to further PolyU’s vision of working for the betterment of Hong Kong, the nation and the world,” he said.
Symposium exploring Belt and Road challenges and opportunities
The inaugural ceremony is followed by the Belt and Road Symposium — the first event organized by the FB-BARC.
The symposium was kicked off by the keynote speech delivered by Dr Yin Wenquan, Director of the Institute of Economic System and Management National Development and Reform Commission of China.
In the plenary discussions followed, experts on Belt and Road issues from Poland, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China joined their PolyU counterparts to exchange views on the opportunities and challenges brought by the Belt and Road Initiative for Hong Kong, Chinese mainland and other countries.
Details of PolyU Faculty of Business – Belt and Road Centre (FB-BARC) can be accessed from (link below): http://www.fb.polyu.edu.hk/fbbrc/en
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