Division of Business organises a virtual exchange with Osaka Metropolitan University on sustainability

The Division of Business organised a Virtual Exchange and invited Professor Yoshihiro Nakajima, Dean of the Graduate School of Economics and the School of Economics, Osaka Metropolitan University, to speak on global supply chain and sustainability: from local community toward global issues.

In Professor Nakajima’s sharing, he highlighted that it was important for each community to know that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was not solely the responsibility of governments, corporations, or organisations like NGOs, but also a personal commitment. Building a sustainable society requires practical solutions and problem-solving in our daily lives and social activities. At the same time, it is crucial to maintain a global perspective to ensure that local solutions do not merely shift problems to other regions or sectors. He inspired students to learn from the mindset of “Global Leaders” who could contribute to realising the SDGs both locally and globally.

CIE students engaged in meaningful discussions with Japanese peers, focusing on exploring sustainable societies from a global perspective. They demonstrated high curiosity and freely shared unique ideas and opinions, which contributed to productive and insightful discussions.

Kwan Ho Man, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Marketing student said, ‘The topic may appear to be technical for some students. I met a Japanese student majored in nutrition who finds the concepts of “sustainability” challenging. Despite this, she still shared her thoughts and encouraged me to look at the topic more broadly. I appreciated this amazing experience to interact in real time with students from a totally different background.’

The online event was supported by the Virtual Exchange Center (VEC) and funded by the Quality Enhancement Support Scheme (QESS). “The aim of the activity is to enhance cross-cultural interaction between universities and give students chances to widen their horizons, expand their global perspectives, and view global issues from different angles without travelling overseas,” Dr. Angel Lai, Lecturer of Business Division at CIE and organiser of the exchange added.