Liz Farquhar, liz.farquhar@asu.edu
(480) 965-7774
September 29, 2003

Beyond Borders: Shanghai welcomes ASU MBA for executives

Editor's Note: Beyond Borders is an ongoing series highlighting ASU's international programs.

W. P. Carey delivers a speech at the opening ceremonies in Shanghai, recognizing the partnership with the government of the People's Republic of China and ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business to offer an MBA program.ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business can lay claim to being the first U.S. business school to partner with the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to offer the new W. P. Carey MBA Shanghai. The program will be key to China's efforts to prepare senior executives and government officials for global business competition.

In contrast to the proliferation of online degrees offered by U.S. schools in China, the W. P. Carey MBA Shanghai will be delivered face-to-face in Mandarin, pairing some of the world's most brilliant scholars with a representation of China's economic leadership.

The first W. P. Carey MBA Shanghai class, which kicked off Sept. 20, includes many of the most senior executives and government officials in Shanghai. Two-thirds of the class of 65 hold the position of chairman, chief executive officer, or executive/senior vice president in China's largest state-owned enterprises. The program has attracted senior officials of government agencies who oversee Shanghai's financial markets and state-owned companies.

The faculty is equally impressive. Internationally renowned W. P. Carey scholars will lead a teaching team that includes professors from other major U.S. business schools, including MIT, New York University, Stanford and Yale. W. P. Carey faculty who will teach in Mandarin include Professors Buck Pei, YuChang Hwang, Lin Zhou and former W. P. Carey faculty member Kalock Chan. Other W. P. Carey faculty who will teach with the assistance of a translator include Professors Jeffrey Coles, James Boatsman and former W. P. Carey faculty member Michael Hitt.

"Shanghai is not only the economic and financial center of China, but also the future powerhouse for its tech, bio-tech, auto and software engineering sectors," says Pei, associate dean for Asia Pacific Programs at the W. P. Carey School. "The leaders in Shanghai will most likely lead China in the future - and many of them are enrolled in the W. P. Carey MBA."

Pei says the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China looked to the W. P. Carey MBA for this degree program program because ASU is already regarded as one of the best of the highly-prized American management programs. The W. P. Carey MBA Beijing program launched its first class five years ago to prepare high-potential Chinese managers for advancement within Motorola China.

"The W. P. Carey School of Business and Motorola China have enjoyed a great partnership on management training and development," says Ruey-Bin Kao, executive director and acting president of Motorola China. "The W. P. Carey MBA Beijing provided in cooperation with Tsing Hua University has been an important cornerstone of our management localization strategy here in China. We believe the Shanghai program will have an even greater impact."

ASU Executive Vice President and Provost Milton Glick says that the impact of the program will be positive and substantial, and "will be felt for years to come."

"ASU and the state of Arizona will gain valuable recognition as global players in education and the regional economy," Glick says. "Bringing this program to China's business and economic center, directly to the country's most prestigious executives, is an outstanding achievement for the W. P. Carey School and ASU."

In November 2001, China succeeded in being admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Realizing the potential impact of WTO accession on global collaboration and competition, the business leaders and government officials in Shanghai have made it a priority to invest in human capital.

"The true source of the competitive edge of a firm is its managerial talent and ability to learn," says Zhang Guangsheng, chairman of the board of Pudong Development Bank and an incoming student. "By enrolling in this program I am setting an example for my colleagues."

Farquhar, with the W.P. Carey School of Business, can be reached at (480) 965-7774 or (liz.farquhar@asu.edu).