Getting an MBA in Shanghai

By Denise Pu

With Puxi’s cultural mix of history and modernity, and Pudong’s development as Asia’s business centre, Shanghai is an excellent place to do an MBA. As a major metropolis, the city attracts young professionals and students from all across China – students whose dream is to make it big someday. With everyone fighting for their piece of the pie, the city throbs with an ‘only the fittest survive’ vibe. It is an excellent battlefield and learning ground for business students who are naturally competitive and entrepreneurial in spirit.

Like many of my classmates, I’m inspired by China’s rapid economic growth, reflected in the Pudong District of Shanghai, where in Lujiazui many international financial institutions now locate their Asian headquarters. Just a little over a decade ago, Pudong was mostly farmland. Today, in addition to rising as the new financial hub of Asia, it is also home to a technology park, a software park and an impressive number of Shanghai’s prominent international schools.

Now, the word is out about what was once a ‘best-kept secret’: getting an MBA in China is a smart move. It’s an increasing trend within talent pools globally. I decided to do my MBA in China because I was captivated by the country’s entrepreneurial spirit. I knew an MBA degree from Asia’s best business school would complement the skills I had learned from my years in the banking industry. And, like many of my classmates, I knew that Shanghai, located in one of the world’s fastest growing economies, would have a lot to offer. I haven’t been disappointed.

Savvy business people know the importance of the China market, the doors that can be opened by understanding the way the Chinese do business. No textbook can teach the lessons I learned from being here in Shanghai. There is nothing like being on the ground, interacting with the people, absorbing the culture, learning the way the Chinese negotiate, communicate and think. The importance of understanding China, and its people, cannot be overstated.

Equally important is building a network that includes China’s future business leaders. So MBA programs that require foreign students to interact with their local counterparts truly add value. Not all business schools in China offer students this opportunity – most still have separate classes for international and local students, or sometimes the number of international students is not enough for a program to be truly diverse. So if you’re thinking on enrolling, make sure you do your research. At CEIBS, almost 40 per cent of the MBA 2010 class is made up of international students. The number grows in September when exchange students from some of the best B-schools across the globe arrive on campus – another excellent opportunity to expand my global network of future business leaders.

I chose to do my MBA in China because it is the place to be. I chose Shanghai because it is China’s financial hub. I chose CEIBS because it can open doors for me – not just here in China but all over the world.

Denis Pu is a Master of Business Administration Candidate and Student Committee President at the China European International Business School. After graduating from the University of California-San Diego with a degree in Management Science, she worked in Banc of America Investments’ private wealth management division, then went on to work for Citibank’s business banking division before enrolling at CEIBS.

For more information please visit www.ceibs.edu