Dear CEIBS community, alumni, and friends,

Greetings to you all!

As summer gives way to autumn, today we celebrate China’s 40th Teachers’ Day. On this special occasion, we extend our best wishes to all CEIBS professors and their counterparts in institutions around the world.

Each year, on this day, we express our gratitude to our professors through this open letter, aiming to highlight our shared ambitions. This year is particularly special as CEIBS approaches the 30th anniversary of our founding in November 2024. We will use this milestone to reflect on our past, revisit our humble beginnings, relive our remarkable journey, and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to advancing management education in China and around the world.

Looking back, we realise that while history offers no definitive answers, it provides the canvas on which we paint our future. Thirty years ago, the establishment of CEIBS was a leap of faith, as we sought to leverage China’s reform and opening-up to pioneer a new model of international cooperation in management education. Over the past three decades, CEIBS has evolved from a single-campus institution to a global business school, with campuses across three continents and five locations. We have transitioned from merely sharing Western management theories in China to generating our own unique knowledge and thought leadership, which we share with the world. We have moved from relying on visiting professors to assembling a world-class full-time faculty, and from obscurity to becoming a leader among over 16,500 business schools worldwide. CEIBS has pioneered a path for international management education that, while deeply rooted in China, provides a vital bridge between China, Europe, and the world.

We share all this because CEIBS’ incredible development over the past 30 years has been made possible by our dedicated team of professors, who adeptly navigate our uniquely international environment and offer a wealth of diverse perspectives and global insights.

At CEIBS, we firmly believe that what makes an institute of higher learning great is not its grand buildings but its exceptional scholars. Developing such an outstanding faculty team in just three decades is no small feat. At our founding, CEIBS was unknown in the global management education community, and China’s influence on global management education was minimal. Top-tier professors are a scarce resource, and the barriers of cultural, linguistic, and environmental differences made attracting foreign professors to China an arduous process.

Nevertheless, we were determined to build our own team of full-time professors despite these challenges. After the school was established, our former Presidents leveraged their networks to persuade excellent professors to join us, while other members of the school leadership made numerous overseas trips to visit professors at renowned business schools. The process was demanding, but our commitment to high recruitment standards never wavered: candidates were required to hold a Ph.D. in economics or management from a globally recognised institution, have multiple years of teaching experience at top-tier business schools, and have published papers in leading international academic journals. Additionally, they were expected to have engaged in years of research on China-related issues in their respective fields.

Thirty years on from this challenging starting point, CEIBS now boasts a world-class faculty composed of 120 renowned scholars from around the globe. This vibrant team includes pioneers of China’s economic reform, globally influential political figures, economists with a profound understanding of both Eastern and Western perspectives, and scholars in finance and management with solid theoretical foundations and valuable hands-on experience. Leveraging their extensive knowledge and unwavering dedication to education, they blend cutting-edge global management theories with practical insights and an international mindset. In doing so, they reinforce CEIBS’ unique offering of “China Depth, Global Breadth”.

Our faculty are both tireless and remarkably productive in their research. Since 2003, full-time professors at CEIBS have published over 300 books and specialised studies and have contributed more than 400 papers in leading journals. For ten consecutive years, CEIBS faculty have topped the ranks of institutions on the Chinese mainland in the Business, Management, and Accounting category of Elsevier’s list of Highly-Cited Chinese Researchers. Their exceptional research skills have established them at the forefront of business both in China and globally.

In the classroom, they dedicate themselves to turning complex concepts into clear, actionable ideas and bringing life to even the most challenging subjects. They use case studies and our own Real Situation Learning Method (RSLM™) to show students how to apply theory to real-world challenges. They combine insights into the forefront of business in China with global trends, helping students excel and develop important foresight. They also place a strong emphasis on responsibility, guiding students from managers into leaders who are prepared to tackle the most pressing issues of our time.

Today, the global community faces myriad challenges alongside disruptive technological developments. The rapid pace of change is leading entrepreneurs to question their future with increasing uncertainty. Our discussions with CEIBS alumni reveal a profound shift in their expectations and demands for management education. They seek answers and insights into the future. How can business schools adapt to meet their evolving needs? How can we assist them in navigating the fog of uncertainties and challenges? How can we nurture business leaders equipped with innovative thinking and a global perspective? These are the pressing questions on our minds and the minds of our faculty.

Management education must continually adapt to the evolving needs of its participants and the pressing questions of our times. At CEIBS, we strive to meet these challenges head-on by remaining committed to our motto of “Conscientiousness, Innovation, and Excellence.” We see ourselves as a hub for fresh, forward-thinking ideas, a gathering place for the world’s top talent, and a key player in promoting new and exciting business philosophies and management expertise. To achieve these ambitions, we will continue to champion globalisation, providing a platform for deeper connections and greater exchange between China, Europe, and the rest of the world. We will further develop our unique offering of “China Depth, Global Breadth”. We will also continue to work towards our “Eight Strategic Priorities” to enhance our school’s stellar academic reputation and expand its global influence. We will strengthen the connection between academia and industry, innovation ecosystems, and talent networks. Finally, and most importantly, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to ESG and sustainable development, fostering a new generation of business leaders with a profound sense of social responsibility.

As Stuart Crainer stated in The Management Century, “in management there are no final answers, just enduring questions.” This holds true for management education as well. After three decades of overcoming challenges and steadfast dedication, our mission has become clearer and our path firmer. In a world full of uncertainties, the depth of our faculty's knowledge and the dedication of the entire CEIBS community are sources of confidence and resilience. Together, we are confident that we will achieve another three decades of excellence.

China Europe International Business School

President                                              President (European)

Prof. Wang Hong                                 Prof. Dominique Turpin