October 11, 2022. Shanghai – Forty-one senior management talent returned to the classroom at our Shanghai Campus today to embark on their four-year learning journey with the CEIBS (Switzerland) Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme.

First launched in 2021, the DBA programme is an applied doctoral degree that aims to help business leaders improve their academic abilities and refine their management thinking, thereby cultivating entrepreneurs who can apply the scientific method of evidence-based research to navigate complex business environments.

With an average age of 47.6 years, the 2022 cohort has an average working experience of over 23 years. 27% of the students hold dual Master’s degrees and 29.3% are female.

The group is also drawn from highly diverse backgrounds, including information technology (22%), intelligent manufacturing (17%), biomedicine (17%), finance and investment (13%), real estate and construction (11%), consulting (7%), wholesale and retail (7%), catering (2%), media and culture (2%) and aerospace (2%).

Addressing the opening ceremony, CEIBS President Wang Hong noted that learning is the best way to cope with uncertainties.

“The sparks of wisdom drawn from the over 40 high-level management talent, together with our stellar world-class faculty and CEIBS’ years of academic expertise in Chinese management practices, is something that we are looking forward to the most in the four years to come,” Prof. Wang said.

CEIBS President (European) Dominique Turpin also joined the opening ceremony online. He noted that the DBA journey is full of hardships, and the road ahead will not always be smooth and will require many adjustments.

“It’s natural to go through ups and downs, but what really matters is to practice your personal values during your studies. The DBA is a highly demanding programme where personal values such as integrity, persistence, respect for others, curiosity and courage are of paramount importance,” Prof. Turpin said.

CEIBS Associate Dean (Europe) and DBA Programme Director Katherine Xin then took to the stage.

“British Philosopher Bertrand Russell once pointed out that, ‘To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness,’ meaning that one can draw happiness from understanding the diversity in the world. You are all business leaders who have established yourselves in your own field, but you choose to return to the classroom and work with a group of like-minded people to explore the essence of business, create knowledge, and benefit industry and wider society. I think this is what we call ‘a higher pursuit than success’,” she said.

CEIBS Honorary Professor in Accounting and Academic Director of the DBA Programme Hwang Yuh-Chang then stated that diversity is particularly important in the times of upheaval and uncertainty, and the DBA programme brings together the best and brightest from all walks of life to start a journey of co-creation.

“We hope the following four years will be a journey of continuous innovation and a memorable process. Let the power of knowledge bring industry and society a better future,” he told the group.

Former Prime Minister of France and CEIBS Distinguished Professor Jean-Pierre Raffarin shared three keywords with the students for their journey ahead: leadership, cooperation and innovation.

“To be a good leader, you have to be visionary and creative. Leadership is not only about you as an individual, but also about the society we live in. In a world of constant change, we need leaders who can develop projects, overcome difficulties, and embrace the future,” he said.

“Leaders should also value cooperation and work together to build a world with plans and initiatives. It is the responsibility of leaders to find common projects, develop common policies, and seek shared benefits, not only for the sake of our people and country, but also for the world and the planet as a whole,” Prof. Raffarin added.

“In a world of profound changes, we need new ideas, new ambitions and new approaches to find solutions to the problems we face today,” he concluded.

Sinar Mas Paper (China) Investment COO Zhang Ge and Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Chief Rocket Commander and Designer Xie Hongjun also shared their experiences with the new cohort as student representatives, and highlighted that one of the reasons they chose CEIBS was to hone their research skills and sharpen their innovative thinking.

Enrolment for the CEIBS (Switzerland) DBA Class of 2023 starts soon! Click here to learn more (in Chinese).