Haaga-Helia EMBA in Service Excellence Opens, A First for Finland

On August 27th, the opening ceremony of EMBA in Service Excellence of Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences from Finland was successfully held at Shenzhen OCT InterContinental Hotel.

Important guests from the Finland Consulate, Business Finland, Haaga-Helia, and the EMBA CMC, along with representatives of other partners have graced the event, including:

Mr. Mika Klemettinen, Consul for Trade and Innovation of the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai

Mr. Jan-Markus Holm, CEO of EduExcellence

Mr. Pasi Halmari, Transnational Program Manager at Haaga-Helia

Prof. Henry Hui Hui, President of HH EMBA China Management Center

Ms. Joan Zhou, COO HH EMBA China Management Center and CEO of AIEI

Ms. Shirlie Li, Advisor at Business Finland Guangzhou Office

Mr. Yao Lei, Vice President of Shenzhen International Talent Exchange Association

Mr. Bao Ningning, Director of HH EMBA Shenzhen Teaching Center

Dr. Mika Klemettinen, Consul for Trade and Innovation at the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai, participating via Zoom, shared with the students his insights and perspectives on culture, education, technology, and innovation between the two countries. He pointed out that Finland is one of the most innovative countries in the world, whereas China is one of the world's economic powerhouses. The two countries share potential cooperation opportunities in smart manufacturing, clean energy, healthcare, and education, among others. The Greater Bay Area is a fast-growing region that welcomes Finland's strategic investments. Hundreds of Finnish companies have already set up subsidiaries or offices in the region, with many more to come on the horizon. 

Dr. Mika mentioned that Haaga-Helia is one of the leading universities in Finland, especially in the field of business education, and he believes that it is a wise decision for students to choose Haaga-Helia to pursue their studies. Finally, the Consul praised the organizers of the opening ceremony, AIEI, and the program’s Shenzhen Teaching Center, for their well-coordinated planning of and around the event. He expressed wishes to have the opportunity to engage with entrepreneur students face-to-face in the future.

Mr. Jan-Markus Holm, CEO of EduExcellence, and Mr. Pasi Halmari, Transnational Program Manager of Haaga-Helia, gave brief introductions on the development and current situation of Haaga-Helia UAS and how the EMBA program in Service Excellence can help companies upgrade their services in a competitive world. He also congratulated the new students on their acceptance into the program and wished them success in their coming study journey.

Prof. Henry Hui, President of the HH EMBA CMC, summed up the essence of service excellence and the important role it will play in China's economic evolution in the future. Professor Hui pointed out that the core of learning is growth, that personal growth is inseparable from learning, and that to achieve excellence, one has to be constantly progressive and transcending oneself.

Professor Liu Jun, the former Dean of Shenzhen University College of Management, was also invited to the opening ceremony, he shared his personal experience from years of teaching at the prestigious institution with insightful words for the students, which resonated strongly with the audience. 

Mr. Yao Lei, Vice President of Shenzhen International Talent Exchange Association and Vice President of EMBA Alumni Association of the Renmin University of China, shared the importance of lifelong learning from a practical perspective.

Ms. Joan Zhou, Chief Operating Officer of HH EMBA CMC, said: "The competition in the future will no longer be just about price and products, but about service excellence. It makes good sense to pick up the trending topic. That’s what will propel your career to many more headstarts in the future. In addition to that, you will have a completely different experience studying in our program. Later, Ms. Joan presided over the ceremonial session of issuing the acceptance certificates on behalf of the university. She emphasized that upon receiving the certificates, the students are now officially a part of Haaga-Helia and will enjoy all the rights and privileges of a Haaga-Helia student.

After receiving the certificates, students took a solemn oath promising to adhere to the academic discipline of the university and expressed their pride in becoming a Haaga-Helian.

The ceremony saw a surprising Finnish element coming towards the end, as a big life-size Moomin figure dressed up by a CMC staff, accompanied by two Santa girls entered the venue from the back, sending greetings and cheers to the audience along the way. Laughters and cries of excitement broke out among the crowd. It was a wonderful and dramatic highlight. The hosts threw out small Moomin dolls to the crowd arousing even more cheers and conviviality.

The ceremony ended in a pleasant rowdiness, marking the official start of the first cohort of EMBA from a Finnish university that has ever been launched in China.