November 9, 2024. Shanghai – China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) today held a grand celebration at its Shanghai campus marking its 30th anniversary, a milestone representing decades of remarkable growth and global impact.

On November 8, 1994, with dedicated support from the Chinese government and European Union (EU) and driven forward by the Shanghai Municipal Government and the European Commission, CEIBS was established with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) serving as its executive partners, ushering in a new chapter in Chinese management education. Over the past 30 years since, CEIBS has grown in tandem with the Chinese economy and developed alongside China’s integration with the global community. Committed to educating responsible leaders versed in “China Depth, Global Breadth” in line with its motto of “Conscientiousness, Innovation and Excellence", CEIBS has achieved remarkable success in global management education and acted as a vital bridge for facilitating economic and cultural exchange between China and Europe. Now, the school continues to work towards its mission of becoming the most respected international business school in the world.

The event welcomed numerous prominent figures, including Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress and former Chairperson of the National Women's Federation Chen Zhili; Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress and former Chairman of the China Association for Promoting Democracy Yan Junqi; Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng; EU Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo; former Prime Minister of France, CEIBS Board Member and Distinguished Professor Jean-Pierre Raffarin; former Prime Minister of France and CEIBS Distinguished Professor Dominique de Villepin; former Director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress Yin Yisui; Vice Mayor of Shanghai Xie Dong; former Director-General of the WTO and CEIBS Distinguished Professor Pascal Lamy; former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and Chief Negotiator for China's accession to the WTO Long Yongtu; former Vice Mayor of Shanghai and former Vice Chair of the Shanghai CPPCC Xie Lijuan; Official of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education Xi Ru; Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Yang Zhenbin; President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CEIBS Chairman Ding Kuiling; President and CEO of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and CEIBS Vice Chairman Eric Cornuel; former Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and former CEIBS President Liu Ji; former Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress, former Vice Chair of the Shanghai CPPCC, and former CEIBS President Zhu Xiaoming; former Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Wang Zongguang; former Deputy Director of the Education, Science, Culture, and Health Committee of the 12th CPPCC and former Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ma Dexiu; former President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Xie Shengwu; former Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress and former Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Jiang Sixian; former President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Zhang Jie; and former President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Lin Zhongqin.

Also present were former Chairman and President of the International and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Jiang Jianqing; Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal Government Ma Chunlei; Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal Government Wang Ping; Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal Government and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Pudong New Area Committee Wu Jincheng; French Consul General in Shanghai Joan Valadou; Spanish Consul General in Shanghai Luis Antonio Calvo Castaño; Swedish Consul General in Shanghai Marie-Claire Swärd Capra; and Deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai Istvan Kocsis. CEIBS leadership, including President Wang Hong and President (European) Dominique Turpin, as well as faculty, staff, and alumni from across three continents, also joined the celebration to mark this significant milestone.

On behalf of Shanghai Municipal Government, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng extended warm congratulations to the CEIBS community and noted that, as a role model of EU-China cooperation, CEIBS has grown into a world-class business school and contributed greatly to Shanghai’s international profile. As the city aims to become a modern, globally impactful urban centre, Mayor Gong expressed his hope that CEIBS will continue its development into a top-tier global business school rooted in China. Key priorities, he added, include continuing to grow as a hub for cultivating top entrepreneurs, leading in innovation in global management education, and strengthening international collaboration to attract world-class companies and talent to Shanghai.

“The Shanghai government will continue to support CEIBS’ development with enhanced services and an improved environment,” Mayor Gong concluded.

During a warm and insightful speech, EU Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo offered his congratulations to CEIBS, noting that over the past 30 years the school, as a joint venture between China and the EU, has grown from merely a “seed” into a mighty “tree” with over 30,000 alumni, and has provided management training for more than 260,000 executives worldwide.

“I hope that China and the EU can resume normal business and investment relations through more people-to-people changes, and we believe that CEIBS has a big role to play in this regard,” he said, adding that the EU will continue to support CEIBS by providing any resources necessary for its development. 

In a welcome speech, Professor Ding Kuiling, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and CEIBS Chairman, noted that CEIBS has cultivated a huge number of the international and high-level management talents needed for economic and social development, and built a solid bridge connecting China and the world, thereby setting a unique benchmark in the world of management education.

He went on to offer two suggestions for CEIBS’ future development. First, he called for greater inclusivity and closer ties of friendship, including a firm commitment to international education, enhanced collaboration with top global universities and institutions, and the fostering of a culture of integration. The aim, he said, is to continue establishing the institution as a bridge between China and the world, as an educational destination for talented individuals, as a key part of the global education system, and as an important hub in the global innovation network, thereby laying a foundation for a shared future for humanity. Second, Prof. Ding emphasised the importance of deepening cooperation and achieving meaningful reciprocity. Beyond training top talent, he advocated addressing issues of national, public, and societal importance, stating that CEIBS should actively align with China’s regional and national economic and social development needs, work collaboratively on new theories, methods, and paths to development, and establish a global model for high-quality business education, thereby contributing to the well-being of people in China Europe, and the world.

His speech was followed by another welcome address from President of EFMD Global and CEIBS Vice Chairman Eric Cornuel, who asserted that CEIBS is a beacon of global educational excellence because it embodies the incredible potential of international cooperation and intellectual synergy.

“Fast forward 30 years, and CEIBS remains one of the most successful collaborations between China and Europe. The school is a paragon of innovation, leadership, and academic brilliance,” he said, adding that CEIBS' journey is a testament to the power of reimagining the boundaries of business education and its potential to influence socio-economic growth.

“As an institution born from government-level collaboration between China and Europe, CEIBS exemplifies a commitment to fostering international partnerships and creating a vibrant community of leaders who are ready to tackle global challenges. As we celebrate three decades of excellence at this juncture, we reiterate our dedication to enhancing management education and its role in shaping leaders who can navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing world,” he concluded.

Reflecting the remarkable journey that CEIBS has taken over the past three decades, CEIBS President Wang Hong highlighted the school’s achievements in its Eight Strategic Priorities, namely: reinforce CEIBS’ top-tier position; expand CEIBS’ world-class faculty; create signature research areas; diversify CEIBS’ programme portfolio; bridge China and Europe; serve regional development strategies; exemplify CSR education; and empower CEIBS alumni.

Looking ahead, President Wang underscored CEIBS' commitment to promoting globalisation and facilitating collaboration between China, Europe, and the world, empowering China’s modernisation through its focus on "China Depth, Global Breadth", and advancing knowledge creation in emerging fields through interdisciplinary research areas and integration. The school will also continue to foster ESG principles to develop socially responsible business leaders and implement its Eight Strategic Priorities to boost its global influence and reputation, she added.  

Representing the global management education community, Dean of IESE Business School Franz Heukamp congratulated CEIBS on its 30th anniversary and pointed out that CEIBS’ unique offering of “China Depth, Global Breadth” has effectively positioned it as a bridge between East and West.

He then highlighted the long-standing partnership between IESE and CEIBS, noting that joint initiatives like executive programmes, the design of the school’s MBA programme design, and international modules have provided students with unique opportunities to immerse themselves in different business environments, further fostering mutual understanding and learning.

“Looking ahead, I see immense potential for further collaboration and growth between CEIBS and IESE. Together, we can continue to innovate in the field of business education, offering programmes that prepare leaders to navigate the complexities of our world. We can build on our shared strengths to create new opportunities for students and executives alike, shaping the future of business education and making a deeper impact on the global business community,” he concluded.

On behalf of CEIBS faculty, Professor of Management, Associate Dean (Europe), and Director of the HEMBA and DBA Programmes Katherine Xin emphasised that CEIBS professors are a group who uphold the spirit of “Conscientiousness, Innovation and Excellence”. They are also innovative, she added, continually advancing teaching methods and course content to contribute intellectual wisdom to wider economic development. Prof. Xin also highlighted the fact that CEIBS provides an outstanding platform for professors to fulfil their academic aspirations, achieve their career goals, and create personal value for themselves, enabling them to make greater contributions to economic and social development.

Next, CEIBS alumnus and CEO of China Universal Asset Management Li Wen reflected on his transformative experience at CEIBS and emphasised that his time at the school had a profound impact on him, broadening his perspective, enhancing his understanding, and strengthening his sense of purpose to make a positive impact on the world.

CEIBS alumni will continue to demonstrate responsibility and unity, supporting their alma mater’s mission to become the world’s most respected international business school, he concluded.

These speeches were followed by the launch ceremony of a new building to be constructed on the CEIBS Shanghai campus.

An award ceremony honouring CEIBS outstanding faculty and alumni was also held on the sidelines of the celebration. CEIBS Honorary Professor Wu Jinglian was awarded “CEIBS 30th Anniversary Faculty Grand Medal”, while CEIBS Professors Katherine Xin, Xu Dingbo, Xu Bin, Zhu Tian, Bala Ramasamy, Chen Shiming, Wang Gao, Rui Meng, Zhao Xiande, and Hwang Yuh-Chang were each presented with the “CEIBS 30th Anniversary Outstanding Faculty Contribution Award”.

 A total of 31 CEIBS alumni, namely Cai Mingpo, Cédric Devroye, Chen Long, Chen Nan, Chen Zhihai, Chi Hong, James Deng, Paul Fang, Guo Guangchang, Gong Huimin, Frank Huang, Wong Manli, Li Wen, Liu Jiaping, Liu Jincheng, Richard Liu, Louise Vogler, Evan Lu, Michael Mao, Peter Pan, Pan Gang, Joy Qiao, Stanislaw Zurkiewicz, Sui Guodong, Song Ruilin, Wang Chaojun, Wang Hongjie, Wu Weizhi, Xu Yong'an, Zhang Hong, and Zhang Zhongkai, were named “CEIBS 30th Anniversary Distinguished Alumni”.

In his closing remarks, CEIBS President (European) Dominique Turpin emphasised the importance of agility and foresight in preparing the school’s participants to lead in an environment characterised by rapid technological advancement, geopolitical tension, economic shifts, and the evolving needs of management education students.

“Internationalisation should remain a key focus as we strive to cultivate responsible leaders who not only understand China’s unique business environment but also possess a global perspective and are capable of bridging cultures and markets,” he said.

Reiterating CEIBS’ key offering of “China Depth, Global Breadth,” President Turpin stressed the need for responsible leadership, especially as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors become increasingly important to businesses.

As an advocate for a “back to basics” approach in management education, President Turpin called on business schools to strengthen their ties with the business community to ensure practical, relevant education. “A deep connection with businesses is essential. Our incredible alumni network and esteemed faculty exemplify the relationship between academia and industry. By fostering our close ties with the business community, we can ensure that our education remains relevant, practical, and impactful,” he said.

The ceremony was hosted by CEIBS CPC Secretary Ma Lei and CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong. The event was followed by the “China and the World” Forum and a CEIBS 30th Anniversary Celebration Concert "CMB Night", in partnership with China Merchant's Bank at Shanghai Grand Theatre, along with a variety of other activities to celebrate the 30th anniversary.

Over the past thirty years, CEIBS has grown from an idea, a bold vision of educational collaboration between China and the world, into a beacon of global management education. CEIBS’ success has been driven by China’s remarkable economic growth and by the mutual integration of China and the global community. As it stands at a new starting point, CEIBS remains committed to upholding its mission with dedication and perseverance and continuing to contribute both to China’s reform and opening-up, and to greater cooperation and collaboration between China with the world.