A new online programme leading to the award of a Master of Laws in Chinese Business Law by the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) is available for global enrolment now and due to start in October this year.

The programme is the first of its kind presented in English language, catering for the needs of business professionals engaged in Chinese-foreign joint ventures, managers and proprietors of non-government enterprises as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. The University adopts a credit system and it normally takes one and a half to two years to complete the programme.

It emphasizes practical applications of Chinese business law from cross-border and comparative perspectives and provides students with the fundamental knowledge of the legal frameworks underpinning commercial operations within and outside China.

Without any limitations of geographical boundaries, the programme capitalises on the flexibility of e-learning and can be taken by learners from all over the world. The web-based presentation integrates different learning and teaching components such as online course materials, synchronized presentation/tutorial, video-taped seminars, real-time online lectures and discussion board, online collaboration tools, e-library and reference resources. Students can access the course materials on the web anytime and from anywhere through the Internet, interact with the teaching staff, and communicate with course-mates to share and exchange their learning experiences.

Presented by the University's Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, the programme has been supported by senior members of the Chinese Academy of Social Science and Gallant Y.T. Ho & Co., Solicitor & Notaries .

Applicants with a recognized Bachelor's degree in Law, Business Administration or related fields, or equivalent academic qualifications are required to complete 60 credits of compulsory and elective courses. Holders of a recognized Master's degree in related fields are only required to obtain 40 credits from the compulsory courses. The total tuition fee ranges from HK$51,000 (US$6,500) to HK$76,500 (US$9,800).

Students may also complete 20 credits of the required courses to get the Postgraduate Certificate in Chinese Business Law as an early exit point of the Master programme. Those who are only interested in certain areas of Chinese Business Law can register for a maximum of two courses, which costs $1,275 (US$160) per credit. There are no academic pre-requisites for single course study.

The offering of e-learning programmes is one of the initiatives of the OUHK Centre for eLearning under the Centre for Innovation project, which was funded by the Hong Kong Government with a HK$62.8 million (US$8 million) grant.

The programme is now open for application . Details of the programme are available on the website at http://eCentre.ouhk.edu.hk/e-home.htm . Enquiries can be made on (852) 2768 6940 or (852) 2768 6960 or by fax to (852) 2714 7274, or by email to eCentre@ouhk.edu.hk.