GMAC CEO Joy Jones Brings Focus to Student Mobility and Skills in Visit to China

Trip aims to shed light on the outlook for graduate management education

RESTON, Va. (February 12, 2024) – The number of candidates interested in pursuing international study destinations remains strong as the effects of travel restrictions ease and more are seeking to upgrade their skills in light of the persisting economic uncertainty and job market volatility, affirmed Joy Jones, CEO of Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). At the same time, Chinese schools are also invested in seeing the return of some international students as a complement to their domestic student populations. Jones discussed these trending topics with government officials and industry leaders amidst her week-long trip to China in late January. The conversations underscore how individuals, especially women and those among Gen Z, could benefit from advanced business education pioneered by leading business schools in China and beyond that are expanding their offerings to meet the demand of today’s business environment.

“According to GMAC’s own research, while the educational experience is valuable unto itself, prospective students and employers agree that in the current environment, data analytics, strategy, and leadership are the most important business skills of today and tomorrow. Chinese learners are an important group because they represent one of the largest Gen Z populations in the global talent pool. The country also enjoys a candidate pipeline constituted mostly of women, with six out of 10 GMAT test takers and nearly seven out of 10 respondents to our prospective student survey being female. Addressing many of them during this trip was a much-appreciated opportunity to emphasize a global view of how graduate management education can upgrade their skills and refresh their career outlook,” said Jones. “The insights shared between GMAC and its school partners inform everything we do, from the redesign of our flagship GMAT exam with Data Insights as a focal point, to the rich research we provide business school professionals to tap into the massive talent pool and increase the diversity of their campuses.”

Jones met with leaders from China Europe International Business School, Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School, Fudan University School of Management, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School, Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, Renmin University of China Business School, Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Antai College of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, University of Hong Kong Business School, as well as the National Education Examinations Authority (NEEA). In addition, she interviewed with China Daily, the official national newspaper, speaking directly to Chinese candidates about the benefits of graduate business education and its wide spectrum of offerings that aim to cultivate multidimensional skill sets and increase employability. 

GMAC is a global association representing 227 leading business schools around the world, including 10 member schools in the Greater China region. GMAC’s “Study in China” campaign is one example of the many efforts the organization makes to increase global mobility of business school aspirants pursuing their career and life dreams.

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry as well as resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s platforms, including mba.com, GMAC Tours, and BusinessBecause, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams, and get advice on how to successfully achieve their business education and career goals. GMAC is a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:

Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
Mobile: 202-390-4180
thsu@gmac.com