To deepen industry-academia collaboration and enhance the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) of the University of Macau (UM) has once again joined hands with the UM Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme to launch the second edition of the joint programme “From 1 to 2: Entrepreneurial Solutions.” The initiative aims to create a practice-oriented platform for industry-academia cooperation, enabling MBA student teams to serve as business consultants for companies, providing practical and actionable solutions to real challenges faced by enterprises across different sectors.
The programme was first introduced last year and received high praise from participating students, faculty, and start-ups. This year, CIE has invited three incubated start-ups to take part: MM (Macau) Biotechnology Limited, Ying Shing Waste Disposal Limited, and 塵光心野（珠海）科技文化有限公司. Additionally, the local catering brand “Estabelecimento De Comidas Yut Un”has also joined the programme, collaborating with the new cohort of MBA students.
The first meet-up session of the programme was successfully held on January 26, where company representatives and MBA students met formally, exchanged introductions, and held preliminary discussions in a lively and engaging atmosphere.
At the meeting, CIE Research Assistant Professor Grace Lu stated, “This collaboration builds a valuable bridge for our incubated companies. Enterprises often encounter specific business challenges during their growth stages, and the professional expertise and fresh perspectives brought by MBA students can offer highly relevant analysis and recommendations.”
Professor He Yi, instructor of the programme, remarked, “The ‘Business Consulting Methodology’ is a crucial practical component of the MBA curriculum. We are delighted to collaborate with several representative enterprises, allowing students to gain real-world business experience, enhance their decision-making and leadership skills, while creating value for the companies.”
Under the programme, student teams will work under the guidance of instructors to engage in in-depth communication with their matched start-ups, systematically analyze the actual problems raised by the companies, submit a mid-term analysis report in March, and finally deliver a comprehensive business proposal during the final presentation in May.
