The three-day Alibaba GET Educational Leaders Workshop brought an eye-opening experience to UTAR lecturers. Organised by Alibaba Group, the workshop was held from 6 January to 8 January 2020 at Hangzhou, China. The three-day programme aimed to peek into the unique tale of China’s rapid rise in the digital economy and share insights into Alibaba’s practices and experiences in the promotion of digitalisation and talent cultivation for the digital era. Representing UTAR to attend the workshop were Faculty of Accountancy and Management Dean Dr Sia Bee Chuan and Faculty of Business and Finance Dean Dr Au Yong Hui Nee.

With the aim to foster an inclusive dialogue on digital talent cultivation and harness countries’ readiness to engage in the digital economy, various visits and activities were conducted. The activities include visiting Alibaba Museum; exploring industries that has leapfrogged in China; examining how Alibaba’s Tmall Innovation Centre helps with branding; visiting Bainiu – a rural Chinese village with digital transformation via digital economy; engaging in workshops led by experts; visiting the Alibaba Business School Incubator; taking a tour around Hema Fresh - Alibaba’s new retail supermarket; experiencing live streaming as a new way to reach evolving customers in the digital age; hearing from the experts on exporting to China through eCommerce platform; taking a tour to Hangzhou and attending the show of West Lake Impression.

Alibaba Group established the Alibaba Global eCommerce Talent Network in 2018 to share the positive impact of the new business paradigm in promoting inclusive development and to inspire and empower youth and entrepreneurs. Alibaba Global eCommerce Talent Network is committed to integrating the experience and insights accumulated from its growth with connections to international academic leaders and digital industries to provide high-quality educational services to educational institutions across the globe and to explore new business education models. Hence, Alibaba.com collaborated with multiple institutions such as universities, colleges, business schools and training centres across the globe to empower cross-border trading communities through training, assessment and certification, as well as career development and guidance.

UTAR is one of the founding members of the GET Network and also the first GET member in Asia. UTAR signed a memorandum of understanding with Alibaba.com in 2016. After the MoU, UTAR had sent staff and students from various faculties to take part in the Global E-commerce Talent (GET) certification training to broaden their reach to current and future business decision-makers in the community and nationwide. The GET programme represents the culmination of both institutions to enhance the understanding of e-commerce by UTAR students and staff as well as to benefit the Malaysian businesses.