January 22, 2008. Shanghai campus -- CEIBS today announced that leading global advertising and marketing group Omnicom has awarded scholarships to three currently enrolled MBA students. The winning students were selected through an essay competition on the theme of environmental sustainability. First prize went to Xu Yazhi, second prize to Li Jun, and third prize to Zhang Xiaoning.
Omnicom Group also made a financial contribution to the CEIBS MBA Student Benefit Fund to assist the funding of CEIBS MBA student activities including their participation in global MBA business competitions.
During the ceremony, CEIBS Dean and Vice President Rolf D. Cremer commented: "CEIBS looks forward to building up our cooperation with Omnicom, step by step, and we made a very important step today." He explained that Omnicom has been a long-time supporter of CEIBS, both in providing excellent work experience for students and through participating in the school' s Advanced Management Program last September. "Our partnership with Omnicom is a very good example of how the corporate world and academia can work together to add value for both sides," he said.
Omnicom Senior Vice President and Asia Pacific President Serge Dumont said the company is "particularly pleased to be associated with CEIBS," adding that the partnership dates back to the time of the school' s predecessor, the China Europe Management Institute, which operated in Beijing prior to the 1994 launch of CEIBS. Mr. Dumont also praised the school for its rapid rise in the international rankings. " Today, CEIBS is not only the leading MBA programme in China, and in this part of the world, but is one of the top MBA programes in the world," he said.
" Omnicom has a long and successful tradition of investing in education and talent development, both in China and around the world," added Mr. Dumont. "We have a vital role to play in the development of young local talent, and it is my sincere hope that the Omnicom MBA Scholarships will assist in furthering the knowledge and skills of the students. Omnicom will continue to invest in programs with key universities in China aimed at nurturing the next generation of talent."
Before giving the scholarship awards to the student winners, Mr. Dumont explained that that the recipients were selected based on creativity, logical thinking and applicability. After first place winner Xu Yazhi delivered a thank you speech, all three students received their award.
CEIBS and Omnicom established a partnership in 2007 when CEIBS became the first business school in China to be welcomed into the Omnicom Group global graduate MBA Residency Programme. The programme targets MBA graduates from the best business schools in the world, rotating participants in a variety of Omnicom' s marketing communications companies such as DDB, OMD and Interbrand.
Omnicom also hosted their "Advanced Management Programme" at CEIBS in September 2007 with the participation of CEIBS Professor Willem P. Burgers, Bayer Chair Professor of Strategy & Marketing. This was the first time CEIBS offered the programme outside of the United States. Due to its success, CEIBS will run the programme for Omnicom again in 2008.
