The 2024 class of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program of School of Business (MSB) of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) successfully completed the enterprise research activities during 7 to 11 April 2026. This four-day “Renowned Universities and Enterprises Research Activity” took place in Zhejiang and Hangzhou. Led by program director Associate Professor Zhang Zhuo, the DBA students visited prestigious universities and leading enterprises to engage in in-depth exchanges with industry experts. The activity focused on management innovation and industry transformation in the context of the AI era, as well as enhanced students’ cognitive horizons and improved the practical intelligence.
The study program officially commenced on 8 April at the Qiushi Lecture Hall of Zhejiang University’s Zijingang Campus. Adhering to the core objective of “theoretical empowerment, practical guidance, and resource linkage”, this research activity is designed for students from diverse backgrounds, including entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and university faculty members. Through classroom lectures, on-site teaching, and government-industry-university, it constructs a high-level communication platform that integrates “academic research + industrial practice”. The activity aims to assist business managers in overcoming development bottlenecks and optimizing management efficiency, while simultaneously helping university faculty enrich their teaching cases and deepen their scientific research practice. Through the two-way empowerment of cutting-edge theory and real-world scenarios, the DBA students are guided to accurately identify opportunities and achieve long-term success in the wave of AI development.
Group photo of MSB DBA students at the at the Qiushi Lecture Hall of Zhejiang University’s Zijingang Campus
The activity invited several renowned professors from Zhejiang University and industry experts to provide systematic lectures. Professor Shou Yongyi from the School of Management explored organization and management in the cultural and creative industries, guiding the DBA students to rethink the underlying logic of organizational behavior and discussing the relationship between “culture, systems, and innovation”. Professor Li Xiaoyue explained the reshaping of managerial mindsets and enhancing leadership in the AI era, and introduced from a psychological perspective how managers can upgrade their self-awareness in the context of technological change, achieving a transition from “experience-driven” to “mindset-driven”.
Professor Jin Xiaogang from College of Computer Science and Technology, and Professor Hong Fangren from Alibaba focused on the implementation paths of AI-enabled management and the development trends of technological change and AI. The curriculum specifically emphasized the philosophy that “Technology is the engine, while humanity is the steering wheel”, reminding enterprises that while embracing technology and pursuing a change in mindset, it is also essential to focus on humanistic orientation to mitigate the risks of technology misuse.
During the field trip, the group visited several top-tier technology enterprises, including Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Alibaba Cloud (a subsidiary of Alibaba), and Unitree Robotics. At their first stop, Hikvision, the DBA students learned how large-scale technology enterprises achieve technological empowerment and steady growth through institutional innovation and talent deployment. As a listed technology company with a market capitalization of approximately 300 billion yuan, Hikvision follows a development path of “technology-enabled innovation”, with R&D personnel accounting for as much as 60% of its workforce. The group has implemented incentive mechanisms such as employee stock ownership plans to enhance team innovation vitality, achieving an annual product innovation rate of approximately 45%, demonstrating strong operational performance.
Group photo of the DBA students at the headquarter of Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.
The group then visited Alibaba Cloud, a subsidiary of Alibaba, to deeply explore the practical applications of cloud computing and AI technologies across a wide range of business scenarios. Through the special topic presentations led by Alibaba’s senior instructors around “AI-Driven Enterprise Ecosystem and Intelligent Agent Transformation,” the DBA students witnessed the latest real-world implementation of technology and cutting-edge trends in the field.
DBA students visited Alibaba Cloud
For the final stop of the research activity, the group visited Unitree Robotics, one of the companies often referred to as “Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou”. The visit focused on examining China’s current state of development in the humanoid robotics sector, as well as the industry challenges it faces. During the discussion session, the DBA students actively shared their insights, drawing on their respective industry backgrounds, and explored future directions for intelligent agent technologies from a range of enterprise perspectives.
DBA students visited the headquarter of Unitree Robotics
This journey exploring AI frontiers at Zhejiang University and visiting Hangzhou’s leading technology enterprises not only marked a successful conclusion to this featured course of the MUST DBA program, but also led to a profound resonance of ideas and understanding. At the intersection of academia and the industry frontlines, the DBA students gained a deep understanding of the management transformation led by AI; through the integration of knowledge and practice, they broadened their horizons, reshaped their perspectives, and confidently embraced the opportunities and challenges of the AI era.
(Contributed and reviewed by Associate Professor Zhang Zhuo, format reviewed by Helen Kam)
