How Can An MBA In China Prepare You For The Future Business World?

China has long been ahead of its time in its use of technology. Cities including Shanghai, Beijing, and Hangzhou are home to thriving global tech hubs, helping China assert its dominance as a technological superpower.

China is also one of the best countries to start a business, according to the U.S. News 2022 Best Countries rankings. This is based on factors including affordability, access to capital, and manufacturing costs.

Here are some of the ways an MBA in China prepares you for the future business world. 

An MBA in China teaches you about implementing technology 

Whether or not you’re hoping to launch a career in tech, it’s useful to know how to embrace new technology in the evolving business world.

One of the many reasons that Kyrgyzstan-born Chyngyz Sher , an alum from Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua-SEM), chose to pursue a Global MBA in Beijing was to take advantage of China’s knowledge in this area.

With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Chyngyz had a career that spanned across working with the investment departments of the Kyrgyzstan government to working with a Chinese company on helping to build an ecommerce platform between China and Eurasia. 

Across these roles, he witnessed a large influx of investment from China.

“I realized that companies in China need someone with tech knowledge and an understanding of business development,” he says.

In the Tsinghua MBA, students can learn about the implementation of tech in business in courses such as ‘Global Technology Strategy’ and electives in ‘Artificial Intelligence’ and ‘Internet+’.

You’ll get to understand global business markets 

You might be forgiven in assuming an MBA in China will just be focused on Chinese business markets but there are many programs that blend these learnings with knowledge about business beyond China.

The Tsinghua MBA is an example of this.

The curriculum includes courses on management and business practices in China in the ‘China Roots’ module that’s aimed at international students, but there are also courses, such as the MIT Sloan immersion, that consider business from beyond the realms of China.

In each cohort, 50 Global MBA students travel to the MIT campus in Boston for courses on entrepreneurship and marketing.

“One of my main weaknesses [before the MBA] was that I didn’t understand the language and jargon used in economics, accounting, and finance,” Chyngyz says.

He was attracted to Tsinghua’s collaboration with MIT Sloan and credits this partnership with helping him to grasp business terms across different countries.

You’ll get involved in immersive projects during an MBA in China

There’s only so much you can learn from within the confines of the classroom. Putting your skills to the test in an experiential learning environment is the best way to improve your business knowledge.

The Tsinghua MBA teaches the importance of strategic thinking by offering a consulting project where students work with a local company to help with a real-world business issue. 

Chyngyz worked with visiting MIT students on a project at Xiao Zhu—a short-term home rental platform based in Beijing. 

“The Chinese market is changing so fast—I learned you really need to be adaptable and stay aware of what’s going on,” he says.

There are also the x-lab incubators, where MBA students mentor budding entrepreneurs. 

Since Tsinghua is ranked as one of the most innovative Chinese universities due to its high patent asset index, students can be inspired by entrepreneurial ventures that have been created by Tsinghua students. 

Chyngyz is using these learnings to inform the development of his consulting and advisory venture, the China-Eurasian Business Council, which will help Chinese companies expand to the Eurasian region and the companies from Eurasian regions enter the Chinese market.

“It was during my MBA that I realized the huge opportunity,” Chyngyz says. 

You’ll be more prepared for working in a diverse business world

An MBA isn’t just about learning technical skills—it’s also about developing cultural awareness and the ability to lead in different contexts.

As more and more companies wake up to the value of different perspectives and voices in the workplace, these learnings will be important for working in the future business world.

A report from McKinsey even found that there was a link between diverse executive teams and the likelihood of improved financial performance.

The Tsinghua Global MBA is comprised of around 40% international students, with 17 countries and regions represented.

Together with his classmates, Chyngyz formed the International Development Club at Tsinghua, which offered networking opportunities and invited speakers, including the then President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, to provide advice on business in China.

“It’s important to understand Chinese business etiquette and how to work alongside people from different cultures,” he says.

Leveraging this knowledge of the Chinese and global business sphere gained from his MBA, Chyngyz says he’s excited about propelling his new business venture into the future business world.