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From Shanghai to Beijing (and back!)


Have just got back from a couple of days in Beijing taking in the Great Wall and visiting the Forbidden City with my wife and two young sons.

Harri (my eight year old) and I managed to climb the wall, which took us around an hour - I am certainly not as fit as I used to be! Anyway, seeing the steepness of the climb on the way down (which took about 25 minutes to get from the highest tower) and the pained expressions of those struggling up, made me feel slightly smug, especially as that had been me around sixty minutes earlier!

Anyway, the day before Beijing was spent at CELAP (pictured above) the training university for the higher cadre of the chinese communist party, where I lectured Chinese CEOs on the development of entrepreneurship within large organisations.

It was really enjoyable, especially the Q&As where they revealed some knowledge on Wales and its economy. Anyway, I have been invited to Harbin City in the North East by the head of the province's small business bureau (their equivalent of the old WDA).

Looks very exciting, especially as they want to learn from the west on developing a more entrepreneurial culture - grandma and eggs does spring to mind but these sort of exchanges of knowledge and experiences is what makes academia worthwhile.

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