August 25, 2019, Shanghai – As part of this year’s CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration, school’s Shanghai campus today hosted the 2019 CEIBS Family Day. CEIBS Union Chairwoman, Assistant President and Director of Dean’s Office Ms. Xu Huijuan; Director of Human Resources Department Ms. Dong Xuejun; Assistant Director of the President's Office Ms. Xu Jiahui; and CEIBS Union Vice Chairman Mr. Jin Liqiang joined in the events and had fun together with nearly 200 faculty and staff members, as well as their families.

The day included a closing ceremony for the 2019 CEIBS Junior Growth Camp. In addition to traditional activities from previous Family Days, CEIBS faculty and staff had the opportunity this year to take a special family photo as a record of the happy and unforgettable moment.

The Junior Growth Camp closing ceremony started with a sentimental performance of A Day of Us, depicting a vivid picture of camp activities. A special video then offered parents a look at their children’s lives in summer camp over the past two months, including numerous clips of their learning activities.

As part of the ceremony, Ms. Helen Xu made an opening speech. She noted that following the inaugural Junior Growth Camp in 2018, school management had held numerous discussions and finally decided to hold a six-week summer camp in Shanghai campus in 2019, as a way to help staff with the challenge of caring for their children during the summer vacation, and to provide children with a more fulfilling and happy holiday.

CEIBS Union Chairwoman Ms. Xu Huijuan speaks during the 2019 CEIBS Junior Summer Camp Closing Ceremony

A total of 70 children from 60 families participated in the six-week summer camp, including 28 children in class A (mostly made up of kindergarten children) and 42 children in Class B (mostly made up of primary school students). In addition to regular courses arranged by Shanghai CIIC International Training Centre, the camp also incorporated topics such as garbage classification, and CEIBS-related courses. Many CEIBS staff members, students and alumni also participated in the summer camp, sharing with children knowledge on topics like ad-libbing, basic finances and public speaking.

Thanks to the planning and organisation of the CEIBS Union, Dean’s Office and Human Resources Department, as well as the support of the CEIBS Logistics Department and cooperation of teachers from CIIC, this year's growth camp was a great success. The CEIBS Junior Growth Camp is a welfare programme for CEIBS faculty and staff. The school has invested in the programme as part of its responsibility to and caring for CEIBS faculty and staff members and their children. The camp also reflects meaning behind the school’s 合 (hé) logo and culture.

Children receive their certificates during the 2019 CEIBS Junior Summer Camp Closing Ceremony

Following the opening speech, Ms. Xu Huijuan and Ms. Dong Xuejun presented certificates to Class B, while MS. Xu Jiahui and Mr. Jin Liqiang presented certificates to Class A. During the gala show, staff members and children from the camp demonstrated their many talents. The programme included piano and traditional Chinese instrument performances, duets, dancing, a choir performance and more.

Children perform during the 2019 CEIBS Family Day Talent Show

In the afternoon, children enjoyed a Happy Hours event in the gymnasium. Activities included playing with Lego, potting plants, constructing handmade guitars, playing in a children's sand pool and inflatable castle, and watching a magic bubble show. A claw game attracted not only children, but also their parents. To celebrate the school’s 25^th anniversary, the CEIBS Union also arranged a floor painting activity for children to leave a creative message for the school. Parents also enjoyed their leisure time playing board games.

Children play during the Happy Hours portion of the 2019 CEIBS Family Day

The CEIBS Union also invited He Xinru, daughter of He Yuanqing from the CEIBS Case Center, to share with the children her secrets in learning English. First, she said, make full use of internet resources and learn from video and audio programmes. And, second, develop the habit of making use of spare time to read English.

Finally, in a specially arranged photo area, faculty, staff members and their children lined up waiting to take their family photo. With a wonderful show, an inspiring lecture, family photos, and lots of activities, the 2019 CEIBS Family Day was a great opportunity for CEIBS families and friends to get together and celebrate the school’s 25^th anniversary.

Volunteers pose for a group photo during the 2019 CEIBS Family Day

August 19, 2019, Shanghai – CEIBS Vice President and Dean Ding Yuan today announced the recipients of this year’s CEIBS teaching, research and service excellence awards.

Distinguished Chair Professor of Management Jiing-Lih Farh is the recipient of the CEIBS Medal for Research Excellence. The award recognises full-time faculty members who have demonstrated continued excellence in research performance and achieved exceptionally high quality and productivity in research.

Professor of Economics & Finance Xu Bin and Professor of Marketing Wang Gao are the recipients of the CEIBS Medal for Teaching Excellence. The award recognises full-time faculty who have a sustained and compelling record of excellence in teaching and learning and an ongoing commitment to educational excellence in teaching at CEIBS. It is the highest award in faculty teaching.

The recipients of the 2019 CEIBS Power of One Service Excellence Award for Faculty Members are Associate Professor of Finance Huang Sheng, Adjunct Professor of Economics & Finance Sheng Songcheng, Professor of Management Practice in Accounting Mathew Tsamenyi and Professor of Management Katherine Xin. This award recognises faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding service reflecting CEIBS’ mission and vision, and/or have made significant contributions to the school community beyond what is normally expected of their positions.

The 2019 Research Excellence Award recipients are Associate Professor of Management Sebastian Schuh and Associate Professor of International Business & Strategy Shameen Prashantham. This award recognises faculty who have made outstanding contributions to academic knowledge creation.

The recipients of the 2019 Teaching Excellence Award are Professor of Management Katherine Xin, Associate Professor of Management Sebastian Schuh and Professor of Economics Bala Ramasamy. This award recognises faculty who have brought continuous improvements and innovation to teaching, and who have contributed to faculty development through mentoring.

The Medal for Research Excellence/Teaching Excellence will be conferred at the CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Ceremony on November 15, 2019. All other awards will be presented at the CEIBS Faculty Retreat on August 31, 2019. Congratulations to our faculty on their success in receiving these prestigious awards, and many thanks for their great contributions!

Short Bios:

Prof. Jiing-Lih Farh is Distinguished Chair Professor of Management and ABN AMRO Chair in Management at CEIBS. His current research focuses on management theories as adapted and practiced in Chinese contexts. He is best known for his seminal works on Chinese leadership (paternalistic leadership model), organisational citizenship behaviour in Chinese contexts, guanxi and trust, and how personal values of traditionality and power distance affect employee work behaviour. He has published more than 50 articles in top international management journals, such as Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and the Journal of Applied Psychology. His scholarly works have been impactful with over 12,000 Google Scholar citations, and over 3,200 Web of Science citations. His co-edited book with Xiao-Ping Chen and Anne Tsui on research methodology for Chinese management research published by Peking University Press is the best-selling methodology text book in graduate management studies in China.

Prof. Xu Bin is Professor of Economics and Finance, Associate Dean (Research) at CEIBS. His current research focuses on the global and Chinese Economy, multinational enterprises in China, and trade and finance issues of emerging markets. He has published extensively in both international and Chinese journals, and is author of International Trade (Peking University Press, 2009). Dr. Xu teaches macroeconomics, Chinese Economy, and international finance at CEIBS. He has been invited to give speeches to executives of multinational enterprises and Chinese companies on issues related to the global and Chinese economies. Dr. Xu is a four-time recipient of the CEIBS Teaching Excellence Award (2009, 2010, 2014, and 2016).

Prof. Wang Gao is Professor of Marketing, Baosteel Chair in Marketing and Associate Dean at CEIBS. He wrote and edited several books, such as the Series of Frontiers of Retail Study, and published many scholarly papers in journals such as The Management World, Acta Psychologica Sinica, The Journal of Management Science, The Journal of Quantitative and Technical Economics, Nankai Business Review, and the International Journal of Market Research. He teaches marketing management and Strategy Simulation in the EMBA programme, and various subjects in the Executive Education programme, such as CEO, CMO, AMP, Business Growth, and company specific programmes.

Prof. Huang Sheng is Associate Professor of Finance at CEIBS. His current research focuses primarily on Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance, Financial Intermediation, and Investment. His articles have been published in leading academic journals such as Management Science, Journal of Financial Intermediation, and the Review of Financial Studies, among others. Dr. Huang has won numerous awards for his outstanding performance in research and teaching, such as Best Paper Award at the Seventh Annual Conference on Asia-Pacific Financial Markets (CAFM) in 2012, SMU Dean’s Teaching Honour List from 2010 to 2011. His research was featured in major media outlets such as Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, and Fox Business.

Prof. Sheng Songcheng is Adjunct Professor of Economics and Finance at CEIBS, Executive Deputy Director of CLIIF. Dr. Sheng Songcheng’s research interests mainly include Monetary Economics, Monetary Theory and Policy, and Macroeconomic Analysis. He has made outstanding contributions in the research of aggregate financing to the real economy, capital account opening-up, interest rate liberalisation, as well as financial transformation and development. Dr. Sheng Songcheng was granted the second prize in the Scientific Research Award for young scholars by the Henry Fok Educational Foundation in 1993 (first prize vacancy). He also won the Excellent Text Book Award among all colleges and universities finance teaching materials in the first “Golden Morning” excellent research award of The Chinese Financial Education Development Foundation, the first outstanding scientific research award granted by the State Education Commission, “Golden Sheep” Award for financial books in 2013 and the first prize in excellent research achievement awarded by the China Financial Education Development Foundation.

Prof. Mathew Tsamenyi is Professor of Management Practice in Accounting at CEIBS and Executive Director of CEIBS Africa. He is the Co-Founding Editor of the Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies and also Co-Editor of the Research in Accounting in Emerging Economies Series. He also serves on the Editorial Boards of the Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ) and Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change. He has undertaken research funded by various bodies including the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to investigate cost management and customer relationship management in the UK, and the Nuffield Foundation to study performance and financial controls in privatised companies in Ghana.

Prof. Katherine Xin is Professor of Management, Bayer Chair in Leadership, Associate Dean (Europe), Co-Director of the Hospitality EMBA Program, Director of the Leadership Development and Coaching Centre and Director of the Centre for Globalisation of Chinese Companies at CEIBS. She specialises in the areas of leadership, organisational culture, change management, and strategic human resource management. She is currently researching how to build high performance culture and how effective performance management can shape people’s mind-set and behaviour. She is a frequent contributor to academic and executive conferences and journals. Her research work has appeared in the leading international management journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Studies, Leadership Quarterly, and other publications.

Prof. Sebastian Schuh is Associate Professor of Management at CEIBS. His teaching and research mainly focus on leadership – on how leaders can create high performance work environments that promote employee motivation, identification, and health. Professor Schuh has been ranked as one of the world’s top 40 business professors under 40 by Poets & Quants, a key resource on business school education. Moreover, he has won the CEIBS Research Excellence Award and a fellowship from the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Before joining academia, he worked as a strategy consultant and advised corporations and investors such as The Walt Disney Company, The Carlyle Group, and Liberty Global in the internet, media, and telecommunications industries.

Prof. Shameen Prashantham is Associate Professor of International Business and Strategy at CEIBS. His research and teaching interests relate to international entrepreneurship and strategy. His research focuses on new venture internationalisation, in particular how start-ups “dance with gorillas” (i.e. partner with large multinationals as a means to improve their prospects of innovation and international expansion). He also has interests in strategy-as-practice. His work, undertaken in China, India, the UK and US, has been published in California Management Review, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management Studies and Organization Studies, among other outlets. His latest book is Born Globals, Networks and the Large Multinational Enterprise: Insights from Bangalore and Beyond (London, Routledge, 2015).

Prof. Bala Ramasamy is Professor of Economics and Associate Dean at CEIBS. His research interest focuses on Asian economies, Foreign Direct Investment, Corporate Social Responsibility and International Business Strategy. His research has been published in the Journal of Business Ethics, World Economy, Journal of World Business, Journal of World Investment and Trade, and the Journal of Business Research, among others. His views are regularly sought by the media – he has been interviewed by CCTV, Bloomberg, AP, Al Jazeera, and Channel NewsAsia. His comments have also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, China Daily, Global Times and other newspapers around the world.

July 11-13, 2019. Singapore – After half a year of elaborate preparations by the CEIBS Alumni Relations Office and CEIBS Alumni Association Singapore Chapter, the 2019 CEIBS Asia Alumni Reunion kicked off in Singapore on July 11. The three-day gathering drew nearly 100 alumni from chapters all over Asia. As part of the CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration, the event aimed to treat alumni to an enjoyable audio-visual feast and an exchange of ideas. The CEIBS Alumni Association Singapore Chapter also held the inauguration ceremony of the 2^nd Council during the reunion and the CEIBS Asia Alumni Union was also established.

Wisdom Sparkles in a Clash of Ideas

On the afternoon of July 11, the CEIBS Asia Alumni Reunion kicked off with a CEIBS Executive Forum. CEIBS Distinguished Professor and former Prime Minister of France Jean-Pierre Raffarin, gave an inspiring keynote address titled, “The Role and Opportunities for Asia in the Global Economic Landscape” to a packed house.

On the morning of July 12, CEIBS President (European) Dipak Jain gave a keynote address titled, “CEIBS’ Future Paths to Globalisation”, in which he argued that business schools worldwide could increase their focus on certain fields or industries by offering more courses in wealth, health, globalisation and technology.

Following Prof. Jain’s keynote address, a panel discussion was moderated by CEIBS Professor of Management Jean Lee. MP of Singapore Mr. Gan Thiam Poh; Mr. Nicholas Ma, CEO of Huawei International; Ms. Cuifeng Lyu (CEIBS EMBA 2008), President of Shanghai Smart Cargo Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Denny Hu (CEIBS EMBA 2015), Senior Finance Manager of Xiaomi India, discussed how Asian companies could stand out in a complicated and ever-changing competitive global landscape.

Sharing Session by Alumni Organisations

The panel discussion was followed by a sharing session by alumni organisations across Asia. Chen Chao (CEIBS EMBA2015), Secretary-General of Singapore Chapter; Chen Meihua (CEIBS EMBA2006), Vice President of Taiwan Chapter; Sam Lee (CEIBS MBA2005), President of South Korea Chapter; Lai Eugene (CEIBS SEPC2011), Vice President of Hong Kong Chapter; Raja Sekhar Upputuri (CEIBS MBA2007), a representative of India Chapter; Cedric Devroye (CEIBS GEMBA2015), President of Shanghai International Alumni Chapter; Tina Walendy (CEIBS EMBA2015), Secretary-General of Shanghai International Alumni Chapter; and Karl Leung (CEIBS MBA2006), President of the Philippines Chapter, introduced the organisational architecture and operations of their respective chapters and brought participants up-to-speed on the economic and cultural development, investment and alumni profile in each of the major Asian countries and regions where CEIBS alumni are chiefly concentrated.

In the evening, the inauguration ceremony of the CEIBS Asia Alumni Union was held in the presence of representatives of seven alumni organisations across Asia. The Union is expected to be increasingly cohesive and influential with the support of CEIBS.

On July 13, the last day of the CEIBS Asia Alumni Reunion, alumni attended lectures on finance and healthcare, played golf, or visited other historical and cultural sites in Singapore. Ultimately, many of the participants said that these events helped them gain a deeper understanding of Singapore and enhanced their interactions with their fellow alumni.

August 12, 2019. Shanghai – Today marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for 172 young professionals from 23 countries and regions around the world. With many braving the weekend’s typhoon to travel to Shanghai, students kicked off their MBA journeys at CEIBS with an opening ceremony and cocktail reception.

Ahead of their 18-month journey, CEIBS President Professor Li Mingjun welcomed the students with some special opening remarks. “This is CEIBS, where your journey is about to start,” he said. “It will be a busy, intensive journey, but also one full of adventure and joy. And you will always have our innovative faculty and dedicated staff to walk side by side with you in the pursuit to discover an ever-changing business world.”

Associate Dean and Professor of Economics Dr. Bala Ramasamy then took centre stage on behalf of CEIBS faculty. “The decision to enrol at CEIBS is one that you will not regret taking,” he said. “You will leave the school a transformed individual, and I would like you to keep two questions with you throughout your journey ahead. Firstly, how will you contribute to positive learning both inside and outside the classroom? And, secondly, with unprecedented challenges facing the business world, how are you going to lead the leaders after you have completed your 18 month MBA journey?"

Following Prof. Ramasamy, MBA2020 student Lauren Qin shared offered some tips for making the most of the experience. “Your MBA is the best place to apply trial and error,” she said. “You can test ideas and find your best-suited way to lead a team and work with people.  It’s human nature to follow old habits, but it would be a pity to give up such a great opportunity to grow into a newer and better you.”

The MBA2021 class also heard from one of their fellow classmates, Jan-Peter Bockstiegel. “All of us should challenge each other with different perspectives, each of us question the way we have done things so far, keep an open mind to learn and work together to progress towards our career aspirations,” he said. “Don’t forget, business school is not only about business – it’s about sharing Indian Oothappam, Japanese sushi, German beer and Chinese mooncakes, building your network and making life-long friends.”

As the opening ceremony came to an end, Deputy Director of the MBA Programme Ms. Ma Ning provided students with a brief summary of the curriculum highlights, including core modules, China modules, overseas electives, the integrated China strategy project (ICSP), internships and exchanges. “Your eager eyes today remind me of when I was sat in your seat 17 years ago,” she said, before welcoming the students to join the evening’s cocktail party.

July 25, 2019. Accra – CEIBS Africa today formally partnered with Tullow Oil Ghana Limited and the Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners (IHRMP) to launch the second cohort of the HR Mentoring Programme. The programme, aimed at equipping young HR practitioners in Ghana with the skills needed to keep pace with technological changes and emerging trends in the area of work, is the brainchild of Tullow Oil Ghana Limited Director of Business Services and CEIBS GEMBA student Mrs. Irene Asare. A launch event held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Accra today attracted leading HR executives from across Ghana, along with the 23 mentees who were chosen for the programme via a rigorous selection process.

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Asare revealed that even though Tullow is an oil and gas company, it also has as part of its agenda the capacity to help build and transform Ghana and that it is the company’s firm belief that one of the best places to start is with the HR profession. She urged participants to embrace three core principles as they embark on their new 12-month journey. “Through this HR mentoring programme we hope that you will became agents of change and to do this you will need to have a goal, you will need to have objectives and you will need to make them clear because without a goal you will go through the sessions with very little impact,” she said. “Secondly, you need to make sacrifices. We are providing you with a platform and you will need to pay a price for the prize that you seek. That might be lack of sleep, letting go of pleasure activities or even spending some extra money travelling for classes. Lastly, you need to work hard because you will yield nothing if you don’t put work and energy into this. The programme will help you to learn by doing, so take advantage of it.”

In his remarks, Tullow Oil plc Executive Vice President Mr. Kweku Awotwi noted that testimonies from the first cohort were an indication of the programme’s solid footing and that the unique partnership between CEIBS, IRHP and Tullow would make it even better this time around. He added that Tullow’s decision to launch the programme reflects its vision to be progressive in its pursuit to become Africa’s leading oil and gas company. “At Tullow, we have made some changes recently that reflect what it means to be progressive,” he said. “We have restructured our operations to reflect what we call ACT – agility, capability and technology. This is an effort to achieve our vision of a world where the future of work is gradually changing and seeing ourselves being ready for this change.”

Next, IHRMP Executive Director Mr. Ebenezer Agettor pointed out that IHRMP members had anticipated the launch of the second edition of the programme as a result of the success of the first one. He further lauded the involvement of CEIBS as a new partner in the programme, noting the school’s profound reputation and expertise in executive education globally. “CEIBS’ involvement is a welcome addition. In fact, this is going to flavour the programme,” he said. He also implored mentees to make the best of the opportunity as it was a rare one. “To the mentees,” he added, “the programme will afford you the opportunity to receive support and feedback from highly seasoned HR practitioners which will propel you in your careers.” Finally, Mr. Agettor called on other corporations to come on board to make the impact of the programme greater.

In closing the event, CEIBS Africa Executive Director Professor Matthew Tsamenyi said CEIBS has always believed in developing human talents and thus, when the institution was approached about the partnership, it was an easy decision to make. “You can’t run an organisation without an effective human resource system,” he said. “At CEIBS, the HR and Organisational Department is our largest one, and this is a testament to how dear issues of HR and organisational development are to us.” Prof. Tsamenyi then invited participants to call on the school at any time and assured them that CEIBS will play its role in helping the mentees become better HR professionals by the end of the 12-month period of the programme.

July 17, 2019. Shanghai – In an experiment carried out at Columbia Business School in 2003, two groups of students were given two similar case studies – one about a venture capitalist named Heidi and the other about a venture capitalist named Howard. Although the two cases were, in fact, identical (other than the names of the subjects), most of the students, including both males and females, said they liked Howard and disliked Heidi.

The ‘Heidi and Howard’ case was just one of a number of stories shared during this evening’s CEIBS Master Class by Medela Global CEO Annette Brüls, which she used to demonstrate how gender biases are still deeply rooted in a world where only 5 percent of CEOs in S&P 500 companies are women. As both a senior executive and a mother of two, Brüls has throughout her career used her personal experience to show how women can push back against these biases, become empowered, and excel in leadership roles of a global company, and how they can work together to break through the glass ceiling.

“Women are supposed to take care, not take charge,” she said. “To overcome this stereotype women need to reach out, lean in, and help each other to create a critical mass.”

During her talk, Brüls also shared the history of Medela, including some of the challenges it has faced along the way. A global leader in breastfeeding products and medical vacuum technology, Medela has grown from what was a small, family-owned Swiss company in 1961 into what is now a global consumer brand with 20 subsidiaries worldwide and products sold in over 100 countries. In 2017 and 2018, however, it suffered from rapidly declining revenue and profits due to a number of reasons, including a global shift to online retail, increased competition, and a large number of internal projects which served to distract from the company’s overall objectives. After Brüls took over as CEO in 2018, she took steps to address many of the company’s problems, such as regaining the trust of Medela’s board, drastically reducing costs, and committing to clear, short-term deliverables, successfully saving the company from a continued downward spiral.

During the event, Brüls also shared valuable insight into her personal leadership style, which she summed up with the word “PURPLE” (People, United, Results, Passion, Listen and Example). The first three words, she said, are what she thinks are the key elements of leadership. Out of these, she added, “People” is the most important aspect and she attaches a special importance to the diversity of people in a company. The latter three words, Brüls explained, are what she believes makes her successful. For example, being able to “Listen,” she said, has contributed to her success because “leaders who do not listen end up with people who have nothing to say.” Finally, Brüls emphasised that she encourages all women leaders to define and stick to their own personal brand.

CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong offered opening remarks prior to the lecture and presented Brüls with a certificate honouring her as a member of the CEIBS International Advisory Board (IAB). The board provides consulting advice for the CEIBS Management Committee on school strategy, talent development, academic research and community service.

Following the lecture, Russell Reynolds Associates Executive Director Peter Zhang; Lean In Shanghai Senior Mentor and KaiOS Vice President for Business Development Asia/Pacific Joyce Wang; and, Lean In China Special Mentor and Future Wellness Executive Vice President Helen Yang participated in a panel chaired by CEIBS Professor of Management Jean Lee. During the panel, they discussed a range of topics, including how to achieve a balance between career and family and how women can overcome challenges in the workplace.

Today’s Master Class is part of the on-going CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration spanning the school’s 5 campuses on 3 continents. For details on upcoming Master Classes, visit our events page here. For more news and events related to the CEIBS 25^thAnniversary Celebration – including the CEIBS Insights 2019 Forum series – visit our special CEIBS 25 page here.

July, 13 2019. Shanghai – More than 40 CEIBS students and alumni today visited Bosch, a world-renowned company with more than 100 years of history. The visit was conducted on the generous invitation of Annabelle Cao (GEMBA 2018), Vice President of Human Resources at Bosch Suzhou. The whole day visit included keynote speeches from Bosch’s Suzhou General Manager and heads of various departments, interactions with Bosch executives, an Industry 4.0 factory visit and an apprenticeship factory workshop visit.

As part of the visit, participants had the chance to interact with Bosch Suzhou General Manager Andary Georges to get a better understanding of the company’s vision and strategy for addressing both external environmental changes and internal management innovation challenges in the broader context of the recent slump in the automotive industry. Internet of Things was also a major theme of the discussions as it has now become a big trend in the automobile industry. Heads of Bosch marketing, engineering, research and development, human resources and other departments also shared some the latest developments in their innovative methods.

At the Bosch Industry 4.0 factory, participants got a look at the powerful infrastructure and huge artificial intelligence workings behind the manufacturing giant. They also learned about the factory’s synergy between people and machines, its effective two-way management system and the logic behind it. In the context of recent and intense debates about Industry 4.0, it was noted that AI has not completely replaced the labour force at Bosch’s factory. Instead, the company has worked to develop a relatively harmonious coexistence between people and machines exists – one where synergies are created on the basis of respective strengths and duties.

During their visit, participants also discovered how Bosch emphasises the cultivation of its people and maintains a strong talent development plan. The apprenticeship system at Bosch, in particular, is especially unique and represents a link between the enterprise and vocational college. It also serves as a bridge between theory and practice, and is an important means to cultivating professionals and helping them grow and develop. Moreover, participants learned how even a traditional apprenticeship system can become innovative if applied in appropriate scenarios.

Exciting activities beyond the classroom are amongst the most attractive aspects of the CEIBS Global EMBA programme. In addition to interacting with experienced professors, these activities provide CEIBS Global EMBA students the opportunity to actively exchange views, sharing their industry experience, generating ideas, and integrating knowledge and action. Many activities such as Class TED talks, industry leader sharing sessions, cultural exchange activities, interaction with Chinese EMBA students, company visits and other events are organised by students on a regular basis.

Here are some of their comments following the visit:

Irene Dai | General Manager, OMNI Retail Channel, Greater China, P&G

CEIBS Global EMBA 2017

“After a full day of on-site learning, everyone was amazed by the transformation of Bosch, its Industry 4.0 strategy and apprenticeship system. Recently, GEMBA has organised more and more cross-grade and cross-industry exchange activities and they are a great opportunity for people in the relevant industry to learn and share. For participants in different industries, it opens up a window of learning. I also appreciate the wonderful efforts of CEIBS Global EMBA 2018 students for setting the standard for excellence for GEMBA.”

Philipp Hug | Managing Director,  Buhler

CEIBS Global EMBA 2018

“With my technical background and interests, as far as I can remember back, I have often been in touch with Bosch products. However, I had no prior deep understanding in terms of how Bosch was set up nor how they approached their transformation toward a connected world. I was very impressed with how Bosch manages its portfolio even giving up on some former key products in order to maintain a clear focus. On the other hand, one could clearly feel how important people development and culture is within the Bosch group. Not only the level of diversity, but also the management is one of a kind.

Impressive also is how Bosch managed the set-up of the apprenticeship programme—something which is very unique not only in Germany, but also Switzerland. From my own past experience I know that it is not easy to implement such a programme in Asia. At the same time, I feel this can be something very beneficial not only for Bosch, but for the whole region. Last but not least, it totally reflects the philosophy of Robert Bosch, to the roots of where Bosch comes from. To me such company visits are great eye-openers and I really feel they do not only support personal development, but also encourage collaboration between companies for a better world.”

Jessie Zhang | Asia Pacific Vice President-Finance, Eaton China Investment Ltd.

CEIBS Global EMBA 2018

“Insightful presentations from top leaders revealed the secrets not only of their technology, but most importantly the leadership framework defining success. As CEIBS Global EMBA students, we have been exploring the core competencies that great leaders should build and values that make companies successful in the long run. Reflection from company visits always helps me to be a better leader not only in my company, but also in society. Our diverse class provides opportunities to have a close look at various companies and to learn from each other. This makes our CEIBS Global EMBA journey even more fruitful and exciting.”

Weihua Lin | CEO, Zhejiang Weijian Techenology Inc

CEIBS Global EMBA 2018

“Visiting Bosch gave me a deep understanding of the greatness and I admire the fact that Bosch has kept innovating for more than a century. As an entrepreneur, this is what my company lacks and what I need to think of. I participated in this company visit with an attitude of learning and pilgrimage, and in the end I benefited a lot. I believe that this experience will have a positive impact on me and help my company to grow.”

Annabelle Cao | HR Vice President, Bosch Suzhou

CEIBS Global EMBA 2018

“After the first 9 months of my learning journey in the CEIBS Global EMBA programme, I feel that in addition to the wonderful classroom learning, organising various company visits is a very effective learning method and opportunity. These types of activities beyond the classroom deeply link theory and practice, and offer students insights from different industries. They also offer everyone more opportunities to interact and communicate.

I had the privilege of organising this Bosch visit. In this constantly changing era, Bosch, with over a century of history showed how it is built to last and demonstrated its new global positioning as an IOT company. After talking with CEIBS students, Bosch colleagues also learned from different industries about strategy, about the latest technology trends, about talent development, about corporate culture, and about innovation. This co-creation of exchanges is a good opportunity for Bosch to learn from other industry experts.”

July 12, 2019. Brussels – The CEIBS Insights 2019 Europe Forum series made its latest stop in Brussels today for a special roundtable workshop on the theme of The 4th Industrial Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges for Europe and China. The event, co-hosted by European economic think tank Bruegel, brought together nearly 100 representatives from CEIBS, the European Commission, the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union, and the EFMD, among others, for discussions exploring how China and Europe can balance policy and market forces to achieve sustainable technological innovation, how SMEs in both regions can leverage opportunities to expand into overseas markets, and how both sides can work together to improve bilateral cooperation.

Charge d'Affaires ad interim for the Mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union Wang Hongjian, a representative of the Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Ms. Elżbieta Bieńkowska and European Commission Deputy Director-General for Implementation, Impact & Sustainable Investment Strategies Mr. Patrick Child delivered keynote speeches at the event.

As CEIBS President and Professor of Management Li Mingjun noted in his welcome address, 2019 is a critical year for the Europe 2020 Strategy, and technological innovation is now crucial for sustaining Europe’s economic growth. As China further opens its doors to the outside world, he added, EU countries will discover new opportunities to take innovative technology from the lab to the market. “We look forward to establishing a foundation for communication with this forum,” Prof. Li said. “And to building a lasting and stable platform for the integration of innovation resources between China and the EU.”

Bruegel Director Dr. Guntram B. Wolff also welcomed participants to the event with a speech in which he noted the need to reflect together on current opportunities and challenges. He further added that the topic of the forum is important because “[it stands at] the intersection of new digital technologies, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, on the one hand, and industrial processes, on the other hand, and manufacturing processes. This interlinkage is at the core of the business model certainly of several economies in the EU, but also as the core of significant parts of the Chinese economy.”

Charge d'Affaires ad interim for the Mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union Wang Hongjian then offered a keynote speech on Innovation Cooperation Offers New Highlights in China-Europe Cooperation. In his speech, Mr. Wang emphasised that China and the EU should be more open and inclusive in their cooperation on innovation, should further align their innovation policies to achieve mutual benefits and should work to make long-term strategic plans. “Looking ahead, China and the EU are faced with shared challenges which will reshape the future of humankind, such as climate change, the new technology revolution, resources and environment challenges,” he stated. “China and the EU, as two major players, are duty-bound to join forces with a mind-set of reform and innovation, and to make a greater contribution to world peace, development and prosperity.”

CEIBS Distinguished Professor, Former World Trade Organisation Director-General and Notre Europe Honorary President Pascal Lamy continued with the next keynote speech of the event, in which he discussed the topic of Sino-EU Cooperation Under the New International Economic Order. In his speech, Prof. Lamy emphasised the point that, despite current challenges and uncertainties, there remains ample space for China and the EU to work together in areas of research and innovation. “We have a series of areas where we are already [involved in a lot of] cooperation, [including] food, agriculture, biotech, the environment and health,” he said. “So there are many reasons to move forward and enhance or foster and increase cooperation – many of them domestic and many global. This is how we should look at this picture.”

Bruegel Deputy Director Dr. Maria Demertzis moderated the first session of the day on the topic of Research and Innovation: Competition or Cooperation in the EU-China Context? Shanghai Institutes for International Studies President Chen Dongxiao, CEIBS Vice President and Dean Ding Yuan, and Bruegel Senior Fellow Prof. Reinhilde Veugelers participated in the panel discussion, in which they took an in-depth look at how “co-opetition” (or co-operative competition) in the development of new technologies is acting as a driving force for the 4^th Industrial Revolution and how complementary priorities and strategies represent bright prospects for EU-China cooperation.

Following the luncheon, EFMD CEO and Director General Eric Cornuel traced the history of CEIBS to Brussels as “the Heart of Europe” and reviewed some of its world-renowned achievements in academic innovation over the past 25 years. “There is no doubt that innovation is a catalyst for growth built on the foundation of creative drive, co-operation and openness,” Prof. Cornuel said, adding later that, “China and Europe more than ever should get closer and create a favourable environment for innovation, growth and mutual understanding. No doubt CEIBS is an instrument of this co-operation.”

CEIBS Associate Dean (Research) and Professor of Economics and Finance Xu Bin then delivered a keynote speech on China’s Innovation Potential and Its Global Implication. In his speech, Prof. Xu noted that China’s investment in innovation has led to situation in which “it is inevitable that advanced countries will have direct competition with China.” At the same time, he said that the country's development has resulted in increased demand for services imported to China and that companies seeking to maintain a competitive advantage “should make more effort to specialise in variety, in quality, and in brand.”

CEIBS Board of Directors Co-chairman and EFMD Honorary Chairman Dr. Gerard Van Schaik moderated the second session of the day, in which he invited participants to join a discussion on the theme of Industrial Approaches in Innovation Cooperation Between China and EU. Panellists featured China-EU Association President Luigi Gambardella; and DFKI Robotics Innovation Center Bremen Director Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Frank Kirchner. During the course of the discussion, participants shared their views on key drivers, incentives and best practices for innovation, and offered suggestions on how China and the EU can work both independently and collaboratively to foster innovation in the future.

Today’s event was co-organised by CEIBS and Bruegel, with support from the EU-China Business Association, the EFMD, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union, as is part of the CEIBS Insights 2019 Europe Forum series. The Europe Forum Series coincides with the on-going CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration and will wrap up in October with events in both Paris and London. For more details about these and other upcoming CEIBS events, please visit our events page here.

July 11, 2019. Cologne – Nearly 130 attendees gathered at the Neven DuMont Haus in Cologne, Germany, this evening for a special talk by CEIBS Lecturer of Strategy Guo Bai on Transformative Forces of AI. Among other things, Dr. Bai’s lecture discussed the nature of the hype surrounding artificial intelligence and whether it can make a meaningful and positive contribution to the global economy. Citing previous work in the field, Dr. Bai began by explaining to participants why AI and IT technologies have not yet played a strong role in enhancing the productivity of our economy – at least according to productivity statistics.

“Similar to other types of general purpose technologies (GPTs), the true power of AI can only be released when it is integrated with different industries and facilitates to spawn innovations,” Dr. Bai said. “Such processes of diffusion and integration require time and high levels of investment. In the early stages of this diffusion, investment often exceeds gains, and can thus result in a decrease rather than growth in productivity statistics.”

When compared with the energy revolution experienced in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, Dr. Bai stated that many of the complexities associated with the application of AI are predicted to be even greater.

“Unlike the 1^st and 2^nd Industrial Revolutions, the digital revolution is about information,” she said. “In other words, it changes the way we communicate and coordinate. Such change has the potential to structurally alter value chains, industries and even the economic and social systems in general.” She added further that, “We often say that ‘data is the new oil’. This claim is only partially correct. Data is the new oil in the sense that it is indeed at the core of digital economy. However, data is not oil because it is not simply an energy source. The transformation the Digital Revolution represents will be even more sophisticated.”

Nevertheless, despite the unusual difficulties we may face in managing AI enabled systems and although the capitalisation of AI relies on specialised applications, she pointed out that it also represents a powerful re-distributive force.

“When debating about the impact of AI on jobs, our attention should not be paid only to the number of jobs replaced and created. It is crucial to understand what kinds of jobs, or job functions, are replaced by the machines – and which kinds of human capabilities are becoming more valued,” Dr. Bai explained. “It has been commonly agreed that AI is more likely to replace repetitive work, while creative capabilities are going to be highly valued. Such tendency might, in aggregate, suppress the income share of the majority of population, but gives a strong edge to the few most creative people in the world. It is crucial for us to understand how to respond to such tendency with the right set of social institutions, in order to avoid further income inequality.”

Ultimately, Dr. Bai concluded her talk by stating that she believes AI has the potential to both solve humanity’s greatest challenges and create its greatest nightmares.

“Two features of AI make it extremely powerful and at the same time dangerous. With the help of AI, we can leverage stronger computational power that enables us to understand each and every individual, feed them information and provide them solutions that are tailor-made to them. Such capability can increase efficiency and welfare, but it can also make our society more granular. People might have different perceptions of the same reality,” she said. “At the same time, AI can also help us manage systems of larger scales and higher complexity. That capability can support us to deal with system-wide problems like climate change, but it might also challenge the stability of social institutions by systemically attacking their flaws. One example of that is the negative impact Cambridge Analytica had on representative democracy.”

Today’s event was organised by CEIBS in partnership with DuMont Media Group as part of the latter’s Open Network series. For more information about upcoming CEIBS events, please visit our events page here.

July 5, 2019. Munich – China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) returned to the spectacular BMW Welt venue in Munich today for the latest instalment of the CEIBS Insights 5^th Europe Forum 2019. The event, co-organised with Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Germany (CHKD), attracted approximately 300 participants and is part of CEIBS’ continued efforts to serve as a platform for dialogue and exchange between the Chinese, European and international business communities. This year’s Munich Forum coincides with the school’s on-going CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration and featured an array of talks and panel discussions around the theme of Fresh Impetus for China-Germany Cooperation: Consumption Upgrading and Technological Revolution.

CEIBS President Mingjun Li began the forum with a welcome speech in which he expressed great optimism for Sino-German cooperation at a time when China has grown to become Germany’s largest trading partner for three consecutive years and “Made in Germany” has come to represent a sign of quality in the minds of Chinese consumers. “With the positive momentum of Sino-German relations marking the opening of a new era, we are here with a desire to contribute to the exchanges and cooperation between these two countries, especially between enterprises,” he stated. “We hope to work with German companies to explore effective modes of innovation and cooperation between Germany and China in the field of business. We look forward to establishing a solid basis for communication with today’s forum, and to furthering a long-lasting and stable platform for the enhancement and integration of business resources between Germany and China.”

President Li was followed by CHKD President and ICBC Frankfurt Branch General Manager Mr. Donglin Zheng, who emphasised the role of the CEIBS Europe Forum series in inspiring both German and Chinese entrepreneurs, sparking innovative thinking and generating new opportunities for cooperation. “There’s an old saying that, ‘Nothing can separate people with common goals and ideals, not even mountains and seas’,” he said. “And, I sincerely hope that this forum continues to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to communicate and exchange ideas with one another and to explore potential opportunities for cooperation on both sides, and adds to the momentum of Sino-German cooperation.”

In giving the final welcome address of the event, BMW Group Head of Government and External Affairs Asia Ms. Wu Yanyan highlighted the company’s first-hand experience with China’s consumption upgrading as well as the automotive manufacturer’s willingness to work together with its partners to open a new chapter in Sino-German cooperation. “Given the increasingly complex and volatile international situation, it is necessary to further enhance communication, coordination and cooperation between China and Germany,” she said, adding later that, “Looking forward, the future of international players’ success in China will depend on how to leverage China’s competences to achieve win-win solutions globally.”

In offering his welcome speech, Commercial Minister-Counsellor for the Embassy of the People's Republic of China to Germany H.E. Weidong Wang stated that, in light of the challenges posed by consumption upgrading and technological change, China and Germany should strive to leverage their respective advantages and jointly lead the development of the digital economy to the benefit of both countries and the world. “Since 2012, CEIBS Europe Forums have been held successfully in many cities, and their influence has continuously expanded. The forums’ topics are closely linked with the megatrends and overall status of China-EU economic and trade cooperation,” Wang stated. “They successfully create a high-level communication platform for government officials, the economic community and academic circles from both China and Europe. I hope [we can continue to] make full use of these precious opportunities to propose and exchange new ideas, reach a common consensus, and jointly promote the development of Sino-German trade cooperation.”

CEIBS Associate Dean (Research) and Professor of Economics and Finance Bin Xu delivered the event’s keynote speech, in which he presented a macroeconomic view of China’s new era, its positive and negative aspects, and some of the driving forces behind it. In particular, he noted that China’s transformation is characterised by a transition to a service economy, the rise of domestic consumption as a main growth driver, increased R&D expenditure and the growing sophistication of exports. “The new era as far as the economy goes is about quality rather than quantity,” he said. “It is marked by inclusive rather than unequal distribution, and provides sustainable rather than just practical living.”

CEIBS Associate Dean (Europe) and Professor of Management Katherine Xin moderated the first panel discussion of the afternoon, which included Confiserie Burg Lauenstein GmbH Director of Marketing & Sales Maximilian Kaub; MEISTERKREIS Founder and President Clemens Pflanz; and Jomoo European Operation Center Design Manager Yunwei Zhu. The discussion explored numerous trends in the Chinese market, such as the integration of online and offline channels, emphasis on customer needs and extreme customisation. The panel also looked at some of the similarities and differences between German and Chinese approaches to innovation.

The second panel discussion of the forum was then moderated by Luminovo GmbH Co-founder and Managing Director Mr. Timon Ruban on the subject of Consumption Upgrade Empowered by AI Technology. The panel featured SAP SE Vice President and Head of China Liaison Office Andreas Hube; Deputy CEO of Huawei Germany David Wang; and Deutsche Bahn AG Head of China Technology Project Sisi Zheng; along with NIO GmbH Managing Director Hui Zhang. During the discussion, participants offered their views on a range of existing and potential AI applications as well as the role of Germany and China in leading the current wave of AI development.

The 2019 CEIBS Insights Europe Forum series next heads to Brussels on July 12, where school leadership and faculty will meet with representatives from the European Commission and other European organisations for a roundtable workshop on topic of The 4th Industrial Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges for Europe and China. The series then wraps up in October with events in both Paris and London. For details about these and other CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration events, please visit our special CEIBS 25 page here.