Dear CEIBS community,

Every sunrise signals a new beginning. Now, with the sun rising on a new year, we’re pushing forward into 2024. At this time of change and renewal, we would like to extend our most sincere New Year greetings to all of you on behalf of CEIBS!

For CEIBS, today is a day of great significance. In 2024, our school will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its founding, a remarkable milestone in its history. Three decades ago, the school was co-founded through close collaboration between the Chinese government and the European Union (EU). Since then, CEIBS has embarked on a visionary journey, navigating through thick and thin with the goal of establishing a business school that offers truly international education in China.

In this relentless pursuit over the past 30 years, CEIBS has evolved from a disseminator to a creator of knowledge, and grown into a leading, world-class business school that ranks amongst the best in the world by steadfastly adhering to its motto of "Conscientiousness, Innovation, and Excellence" and unique positioning of "China Depth, Global Breadth." Committed to facilitating economic and cultural exchange between China, Europe, and beyond, CEIBS has been lauded as "a cradle of excellent executives" and "a role model of EU-China co-operation" by leaders from both China and the EU.

Over the past year, the world has faced myriad global challenges, including escalating geopolitical crises, a sluggish global economy, frequent climate events, and a deteriorating environment, all while the new trends of digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and environmental sustainability inject new momentum into the global economy. Despite these challenges, the CEIBS community has forged ahead and achieved a series of brilliant results to mark an exciting prelude to our 30th anniversary celebrations.

Our Global EMBA programme was ranked #2 worldwide by the Financial Times for the fourth consecutive year, while our MBA programme was again ranked #1 in Asia for the seventh year in a row. In 2023, our 120 full-time faculty members continued to drive the creation and dissemination of cutting-edge management knowledge, and a historic high of 16 CEIBS faculty have made the 2022 list of Highly-Cited Chinese Researchers released by world-leading academic publisher Elsevier. Our 29,600 CEIBS alumni played a pivotal role in various critical sectors of the socio-economic landscape. Meanwhile, CEIBS continued to serve as a bridge for global communication and dialogue with the successful hosting of a pre-International Business Leaders’ Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai (IBLAC) forum and the 9th CEIBS Europe Forum series. In response to China’s dual carbon targets and green energy efforts, the school also debuted our Carbon Information Disclosure Report to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to achieving carbon neutrality.

While this is not an exhaustive list, we are fully aware of the resolute actions, unwavering dedication, diligence, and commitment of the CEIBS community that underpin every one of our incredible accomplishments. Therefore, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the CEIBS faculty and staff who have dedicated their time, wisdom, and lifelong effort to the development of the school. Special thanks also go to our alumni, who not only contribute to the school's growth, but also actively engage in entrepreneurial endeavors in the pursuit of social advancement. It is the collective effort of every member of the CEIBS community that drives us forward with great confidence.

In the midst of complex global changes, we know that there will be turbulent days ahead. Nevertheless, we also know that each member of the CEIBS community will have the determination and resolution to navigate through uncertainties and challenges. With a resilient spirit, we aim to keep pace with the latest trends of technological revolution and industrial transformation, closely follow the dynamics of global business schools, focus on national and regional economic development strategies, and promote innovation and transformation within the school.

To this end, we will continue to expand our world-class faculty by attracting and nurturing talent; develop world-class academic research capabilities and establish a cross-disciplinary research hub; optimise programme structures and enhance digital teaching standards; foster a platform for economic and cultural exchange to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between the Chinese and international political, business and academic communities; synergize our three China campuses to bolster regional economic integration; leverage our Zurich and Accra campuses to increase our international profile; integrate ESG paradigms in teaching, research and operations as part of our commitment to social responsibility; and foster a win-win community with our alumni to promote lifelong learning.

Three decades since our founding, our aspirations have only become stronger. Reflecting on this significant milestone, we find ourselves sustaining a resilient and unwavering momentum in tandem with our changing times and evolving world. Rich with the legacy of the past 30 years, we now set our sights on new, even greater heights. Let's continue our unremitting efforts to build CEIBS into the most respected international business school in the world!

Last but not least, we wish you and your family a joyous, healthy, and prosperous new year ahead!