On December 8, 2018, The Global Alliance in Management Education (CEMS) Graduation Ceremony took place in Malta. Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) was awarded the title of CEMS School of the Year 2017-2018 in recognition of outstanding student satisfaction with the quality of the academic program and the services offered.

Tsinghua SEM joined CEMS in 2011 and is now the only CEMS member school in mainland China. The home degree (Master in Management, MiM) and CEMS developed joint curriculum and integrated Tsinghua-oversea study track. Tsinghua MiM-CEMS program is the first of its kind in China. Targeting at pre-experienced master students, the MiM-CEMS program strives to develop students analytical, general management and leadership skills, preparing them for managerial and leadership positions in corporations, government and non-profit organizations.

CEMS, originally Community of European Management Schools, now The Global Alliance in Management Education, was founded in Europe in 1988. CEMS celebrates the 30th anniversary in 2018. Through 30-year development, CEMS program has become the world's leading pre-experienced master program in management. As a strategic alliance, CEMS brings together the world's leading business schools, multinational corporations and non-profit organizations to develop students into global business leaders in a multi lingual, multi-cultural context. CEMS currently has 32 world's top business schools, over 70 multinational companies and 7 international non-profit organizations, providing a unique experience of high-quality education and practical skill development.

Tsinghua SEM Wins CEMS School of the Year 2017-2018

To get an insight, CEMS has spoken to students who have studied at Tsinghua SEM in their CEMS year:

(Source: https://www.cems.org/news-media/news/school/tsinghua-school-economics-and-management-wins-school-year)

“1. What do you feel were the 3 main reasons CEMS students felt so positively about their experience at Tsinghua SEM?

· Studying CEMS at Tsinghua SEM is a unique learning opportunity of studying at the best business school in China. Given the high academic standards, the amazing peer group and the cultural diversity, Tsinghua SEM allows CEMS students a variety of learning opportunities.

· There is an amazing opportunity to participate and be a part of many different activities. From music to sports activities, the whole Tsinghua experience which comes with Tsinghua SEM is as diverse as the CEMS student body, giving everyone a chance to find something they are interested in.

· Last but not the least would be the opportunity to interact with some of the best and most respectable members of business, academic and other sectors. Personally, I’ve had the opportunity to attend seminars by heads of Ivy League Schools, world-renowned neuroscientists as well as attend a course taught by a best-selling author. I’m sure this opportunity is rare and unique to some schools like Tsinghua SEM.

2. What makes studying CEMS at Tsinghua SEM unique?

· CEMS at Tsinghua SEM is unique because it is a multi-cultural experience in an already culturally rich environment. The learning outside the classroom is sometimes more value adding than the classroom learning. It also gives a unique opportunity to understand the intricacies of the local business environment up close and get some valuable insights.

· The resources that Tsinghua SEM has, for example, its world class Advisory Board which consists of leading business executives, business school deans, renowned scholars including Nobel laureates in Economics, and Chinese government officials for economic and financial affairs. Students have access to “Tsinghua Students Dialogue with Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board Member”, where they can listen to and interact within an intimate setting in the classroom.

· CEMS student have access to not only exclusive academic and corporate resources of Tsinghua SEM, but also all the top lectures and abundant student activities as well as incredible facilities offered by Tsinghua University.

· Situated on the site of the former imperial garden of the Qing Dynasty, Tsinghua University has one of the most beautiful campuses in China.

3. What are some reasons to study in Beijing? In China?

· My first reason to recommend Beijing is the great food! Be it the school canteens (which already give you a lot of choice), Wai Mai (food delivery) or just going out for a good dinner with friends — if you love food, this is the place for you to be! Secondly, the chance to travel around and be in a culturally and historically rich city like Beijing, makes it a perfect destination for a better study-life balance.

· Potential business opportunity

· To know the world. Because China is entirely different from the west. There is something else in the world that people need to understand.

4. What are some interesting cultural/historical facts about studying in Beijing? What are some places you must visit or activities you should do when you are there?

· There is a high level of mutual respect among everyone, especially for professors and seniors.

· Places to visit include the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden palace, Summer Palace and of course the Great Wall of China are some places you must visit when you are in Beijing. These places will give you some valuable insights about Beijing’s historical and cultural significance. When in Beijing, you must eat, KTV, travel and learn Chinese (you can practice it every time you order food!) to get the wholesome Beijing experience.

· Everyone has culture shock in China regardless whether you had an Asian background. Visit other cities while in China, for example, visit Shanghai/Guangzhou, you will see the vibes are entirely different.

5. What are the economic/job prospects like in China?

The past decade has seen continuous and steady growth of the size of economy and the number of job opportunities in China. Recently the growth has slowed down but China still has a lot of good opportunities across a variety of industries. Most of the jobs that are available to students who only speak English are still limited to the so called “first-line cities), i.e., Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. A proficiency in Chinese will open the door to many more job opportunities both in these cities as well as in other cities in China. It should be noted that for non-Chinese citizens, work visa application can be time-consuming and a potential obstacle to employment and internships in China. The students are advised to carefully consult with the potential employers on the visa issue as early as possible.

“I honestly don’t think that I would have had some of the learning opportunities I did in the past 4 months, if I went to another school for my CEMS exchange. I met people with different backgrounds, experiences and cultures but mostly I enjoyed the chance of understanding and learning the local culture-which is so unique, and you must be here to learn about it. I’m already hoping that I get an opportunity to come back sometime soon to spend some time learning the local language, working here and understanding the culture more deeply.” – CEMS Student, studying at Tsinghua SEM.”