Defying global geopolitical currents, China’s business schools are actively resisting the mounting risks of decoupling from the West, according to a leading accreditation body.
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Its top executive said that instead of retreating into isolation amid rising US-China tensions, Chinese institutions remained deeply committed to internationalisation as they prioritised global talent and diverse cultural backgrounds to boost their competitive edge.
“No [Chinese business] school that I visited expressed resistance to international talent; instead, they actively highlight diverse cultural backgrounds to enhance global competitiveness,” said Lily Bi, president and chief executive officer of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
“Chinese schools are ambitiously bridging East and West – that’s a beautiful thing, with many boasting faculties where 45 per cent or more hold PhDs from overseas,” Bi told the South China Morning Post after visiting several accredited business schools in Shanghai and Beijing earlier this month.
Founded in 1916, the AACSB is a US-based organisation with regional offices in Asia and Europe that certifies business schools. Core standards encompass leadership and resources, teaching and learning quality, academic research impact and societal influence.
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It represents more than 2,000 institutions in dozens of countries. Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management was the first in China to achieve full accreditation in 2007, having joined as a member in 2002. Today, China has 52 AACSB-accredited business schools – second only to the United States, which has more than 500.
At least 40 additional Chinese institutions are in the accreditation pipeline, underscoring sustained demand for international validation.