Chinese business schools are looking to improve quality by attracting more foreign students

Like other businesses, higher education in China has adopted a global outlook, with domestic business schools looking to increase the number of overseas students in their international MBA programs.

Leading the pack is the MIT-Tsinghua International MBA Program, a collaboration between Tsinghua School of Economics and Management and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management. The prestigious MBA program that started in 1997 will this year look to increase the foreign student intake to more than 50 percent of places on offer.

What makes it even more interesting this year is the higher number of foreign students (40 percent last year), despite the reduction in the number of places from 120 to 80.

"We have reduced the number of students and raised the proportion of foreign students to improve the overall quality of our IMBA program," says Mao Donghui, director of the Tsinghua-MIT International MBA Program.

"We hope that these steps will enrich the IMBA program with more cultural exchanges and resources, since the number of teachers and courses are unchanged."

Shi Yanting, a 26-year-old Tsinghua IMBA student, says the growing number of foreign students can help make the program more attractive and effective.

"IMBA programs distinguish themselves from normal MBA programs by their diversified culture. The debate we often have with our international classmates, mostly from different cultural backgrounds, goes a long way in broadening our horizons."

On the other hand, it is the China flavor of the IMBA program that is a big draw for foreign students.

"What differentiates us from foreign MBA schools is that we can capitalize on China's unique global position," says Qian Yingyi, dean of Tsinghua School of Economics and Management.

"Based on the fast development of China's domestic market, Tsinghua aims to cultivate future business leaders with international perspectives and local insights," Qian says.

Since 2008 Tsinghua has made a great effort to reform the program curriculum and put more emphasis on ethics, leadership development, and to "make the program more China-oriented", Qian says.

Most of the case studies included in the program are Chinese companies' real experiences, "to introduce the real business world to the students, which is a great attraction and importance for foreign students."

It also encourages the IMBA students to join interactive programs.

For instance in February, 13 IMBA students visited Chongqing and spent a week meeting local government officials, industrial park leaders and top-level executives from multinational companies such as Hewlett-Packard Co.

"Studying on the mainland is a perfect way to prepare for a career here," says Lee-wen Chang, 28, who went on the Chongqing trip group.

"Although Chinese MBA schools are not as mature as their counterparts overseas, they can offer more access to the real Chinese business world as they are based here."

Encouraged by the school, Chang also initiated and organized an activity called "Tsinghua Leadership Program" in April. During the four-day program, Chang, with several teammates, led about 30 students from Tsinghua to take training courses given by professors and company owners.

"Through these kinds of activities, I have not only practiced my organizational and leadership abilities, but also got in touch with the real Chinese business world and learnt about the perspectives and professional vision of the men at the helm. This is very useful for my future after graduation," says Chang, who lived in the United States for more than 20 years before he started studying in Tsinghua last year.

Justin Yii Tze Chin, 31, a Malaysian who is currently attending an IMBA program at Tsinghua, says Chinese IMBA programs are of great help, even if foreign students do not work in China after graduating.

"The Chinese IMBA schools offer many interactive programs, such as some internship opportunities for students in some big local enterprises. Even if we leave China after graduating, we still have an edge when we go home and compete with our peers by using the China expertise."

This year Tsinghua School of Economics Management has started to work with other schools of the university such as the Academy of Art and Design and the School of Medicine, to provide a joint masters degree to the MBA students.

"These measures enable Tsinghua IMBA students to develop and expand their knowledge," Qian says.

The number of foreign students applying for the Tsinghua IMBA program was 70 percent higher last year than in 2006, while the percentage of students coming from the United States and Europe was 30 percent last year compared with 20 percent in 2006.

At other MBA schools such as Shanghai-based China Europe International Business School, the proportion of foreign students rose from 20 percent in 2005 to more than 39 percent last year.

"As China increases the education opportunities not only for its own people, but also for foreign students seeking knowledge about one of the world's biggest economic players, the number of foreign students coming to study in Chinese MBA schools will definitely rise," John Quelch, vice-president and dean of the school, said in March.

But some analysts warn that there is a long way to go for domestic MBA schools to catch up with foreign top-class business schools.

Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, a private nonprofit policy-research body, says what matters for the quality of IMBA program is quality of the teachers rather than the number of international students.

"By enrolling more foreign students, the Tsinghua IMBA program can give the impression that the program is truly international," Xiong says.

"But what really matters for the students is the presence of top-class professors in the program and good job prospects after graduation."

Eugene Lee, an economics professor at the University of Maryland University College in the US, says that with top-class business schools like Harvard Business School offering courses and programs in China, the prospects for domestic MBA schools are becoming tougher.

"Honestly speaking the foreign MBA schools have better brand recognition around the world. Domestic MBA schools are younger and less competitive especially in terms of faculty resources," Lee says.

Gao Jian, associate dean of the School of Economics Management at Tsinghua University, says Tsinghua has been looking for opportunities to invite top scholars to come and teach at the university.

"The biggest challenge for Tsinghua to catch up with top-notch business schools like Harvard Business School is the shortage of globally recognized professors. We have made many efforts to boost our globally recognized faculty and will continue to do so," Gao says.

In the past five years Tsinghua has recruited at least 60 professors who have overseas degrees.

"A high ratio considering the fact there are more than 150 teachers in Tsinghua School of Economics Management," Gao says.

Todd Balazovic contributed to this story.

huhaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/10/2012 page17)