The Office of International Exchange and the Faculty of International Education- Fully Implementing the International Development Strategy and Steadily Improving the International School-running Level
In the past five years, the international exchange and education work of SBS has forged ahead under the leadership of the Party Committee of the school. The numbers of students and teachers participating in overseas (outbound) exchanges have increased steadily and continuously, and our international student work has stepped into a new phase. The progresses in this regard have improved the international school-running level and international education quality of our school.
I Steady advance of student overseas (outbound) exchanges
The past five years have witnessed the ongoing progress of inter-school exchanges between Shanghai Business School (SBS) and colleges and universities in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, etc. On the basis of overseas (outbound) study tours, short visits, student exchange, and recommendation for studying abroad, the school has constantly launched new inter-school cooperation programs, such as the “2+2” dual-degree program with Northern Arizona University in the US, the “3+1+1” program with the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and the “3+1” dual-degree program with Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti di MILANO (NABA) in Italy. So far, SBS has signed Memoranda of Cooperation with a cumulative total of more than 97 overseas colleges and universities distributed in Asia, Europe, Africa, America, and Oceania, doubling the number in 2015.
Following the requirements of overall planning and adapting to the demands of internationalization, the school has further strengthened and promoted its overseas study and internship programs in the past five years, and achieved phased progress. Each year more than 300 students are visiting countries and regions all over the world for study and internship. More than 2,000 students have participated in more than 60 overseas exchange programs in more than 20 countries and regions in the past five years.
The school has also constantly strengthened its innovation and entrepreneurship education, and achieved positive progress. This progress is of vital importance for improving the quality of higher education, promoting the all-round development of students, boosting the entrepreneurship and employment of graduates, and serving the modernization of the country. The school has also launched its innovation and entrepreneurship study tour programs for college and university students with central fiscal funds. Outstanding students have been selected to first take part in on-campus expert training on innovation and entrepreneurship, and then visit world-renowned colleges and universities and enterprises for face-to-face exchanges with academic experts and corporate executives. The international innovation and entrepreneurship platforms of the school include Silicon Valley Innovation Study Tour, Summer School for Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Long Island University, Summer Vocation Academic & Campus Culture Visiting Scholar Program with West Virginia University, etc.
The school has actively sought cooperation with colleges and universities all over the world, with the purposes of further establishing close cooperation with high-level, world-class colleges, universities, and scientific research institutions, promoting diversified cultural exchanges, enhancing students’ innovative awareness, practical ability, and international competitiveness, and meeting the urgent demands of the country for high-quality international talents in related specialties and disciplinary fields. In particular, programs that provide the opportunity for students to visit multiple countries a one study tour will offer them a unique experience of different cultures, and help them improve their competence. For instance, the school offers a short-term summer vocation study program at the Budapest Business School University of Applied Science in Hungary (formerly Budapest Business School) and the University College of Business in Prague. During the two-week study tour, students will have the opportunity to study at both universities, and experience the cultural atmospheres of both countries. The program will improve students’ personal ability and diversified cultural knowledge reserve, and enrich their knowledge system.
In the context of Chinese education gradually gearing to international standards, the school is also continuously expanding its international cooperation and exchanges, and recommending more and more outstanding students to study abroad. For the purpose of regulating the management of international exchange students, the school has established a mutual credit recognition system, covering “3+1” programs, “2+2” programs, “one-semester” short-term exchange programs, and short-term study programs.
The Office of International Exchange has organized international exchange activities for different groups, aiming to advance the internationalization process of the school, strengthening the publicity of opening-up policies, expanding international cooperation channels, and encouraging and mobilizing students to take part in overseas (outbound) exchanges. The students enrolled in the exchange programs, after meeting certain requirements, can receive full funding (including one round-trip international traveling expense, insurance premium, and living expenses during the overseas study tour), which will greatly relieve students’ economic pressure. For instance, the students have taken part in several exchange activities with Da-Yeh University, Taiwan. The program lasting for 10-15 days is mainly offered to top1 students, and fully funded by the school.
In the future, the school will fully expand its cooperation and exchanges with overseas colleges and universities, especially with members of the International Business Education Alliance. The International Business Education Alliance is a, voluntary, informal collaborative organization composed of business schools and scientific research institutions worldwide as initiated by SBS. The alliance will organize high-level branded theme forums with international influence in the field of business higher education, creating a favorable atmosphere for strengthening international exchanges among business colleges and universities, promoting school-enterprise cooperation, and accelerating transformational development.
II Continuous strengthening of international influence and ceaseless increase of teachers taking part in overseas (outbound) exchanges
In recent years, the school has engaged in increasingly frequent overseas exchanges, and ceaselessly expanded the scale of overseas cooperation while strengthening the development of quality. By deepening existing cooperation and increasing efficiency, the school has solidly improved its international school-running level.
Following relevant provisions of the higher governing authorities, the school has effectively improved the efficiency and effectiveness of its overseas exchange delegations in the principles of pragmatism, efficiency, simplicity, and economy. By visiting overseas colleges and universities and scientific research institutions and learning their advanced school-running concepts and experience, the school has guaranteed the development, missions, and benefits of its programs.
The school has also strengthened its communication with Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, and actively applied for overseas visiting scholar programs for young and middle-aged teachers with the aid of the Personnel Office. By cooperating with the Scientific Research Office, the Students’ Affairs Office, and other related departments, the school creates opportunities for teachers to study abroad, engage in cooperative research and studies, and attend international academic meetings. In the past five years, the school has sent more than 100 teachers for overseas visits, study tours, and international meetings, which plays a very positive role in improving the education and teaching quality of the school.
In the past five years, our teachers have actively attended international academic meetings, and expanded their academic exchanges, and presented speeches at these meetings, including meetings of the Eastern Finance Association (EFA), The Association for Operations Management (APICS), and the IALE World Congress.
The school also actively supports students to take part in international competitions under the leadership of teachers. At the invitation of the 45thWorld Skills Kazan 2019 in Russia, our teachers have offered technical guidance, psychological counseling, and supporting services for our players, and guided them to get acquainted with the competition items and learn from other teams.
The school also actively cooperates with overseas colleges and universities to build academic exchange platforms, and offer teaching and lecturing opportunities for our teachers at abroad. Teachers of different specialties are encouraged to improve their professional competence and skills at abroad, increase communication and exchanges with developed countries in the field of business education, raise the international level of teaching and scientific research, and enhance the popularity and influence of the school among business schools worldwide. At present, several teachers of our school have given lessons at the University of Economics, Prague, attended workshops, and taken part in the international teaching resources sharing and seminar, themed by the globalization of tourism and aviation, organized by the European Union Business School Alliance.
Each year the school also organizes students to take part in overseas study tours and exchanges under the leadership of teachers at abroad. The purpose is to effectively practice the “business-rooted” education philosophy in the background of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, and cultivate socially responsible, composite business talents with theoretical attainment, practical ability, innovation and entrepreneurship spirit, and international view; and to actively answer the call of the education and cultural exchange policies and continuously promote exchanges and visits between colleges and universities across the Strait.
III A new phase in international student cultivation
In the past five years, the number of international student enrolled into SBS has increased steadily. They come from 75 countries and regions across the globe (including 51 countries along the “Belt and Road”), such as Germany, Greece, South Korea, Russia, Mongolia, and New Zealand. In terms of specialties, the number of specialties taught in Chinese has increased to 28. In 2019, the school offered four all-English specialties to international students, including Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, and Hospitality Management. The school has also built a strong international student teaching faculty team and a sound international student cultivation system. To better answer the call of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, the school approved four courses as model courses taught in English for international students, including Financial Market and Financial Institutions, International Finance, Corporate Finance, and Finance. After five years of efforts and accumulation, the school has continuously strengthened its international level and popularity, effectively improved its student enrollment and quality, and achieved the orderly development of international student cultivation. In addition, the school has performed well among colleges and universities in Shanghai in terms of the number of international students under the classified evaluation index system of Shanghai municipality.
The school offers Chinese preparatory student programs, language student programs, exchange student programs, and other non-diploma education programs for international students. The courses offered include Chinese comprehensive skills, Chinese listening skills, Chinese writing, and Chinese oral skills. Assistance is also provided to international students preparing for the HSK Examination. The school has received many teacher and student delegations from colleges and universities from countries all over the world, including the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and Japan. They visited our school for academic exchanges or short-term training, and experienced our teaching style, academic atmosphere, and campus culture. These programs lay a solid foundation for further cooperation and mutual visits, and have established the reputation and position of our school among international students.
The school attaches great importance to the experience of traditional Chinese culture by international students. In this way, it not only enriches the life of international students in China, but also offers them an opportunity to experience the essence and features of excellent traditional Chinese culture. The specific activities include Tai Chi competition, dragon boat race, poet recitation contest, Kunqu Opera experience activity,lectures on Dunhuang Culture,culture experience of Qingming Festival, international student photo contest, friendly interactions between Chinese and international students, Chinese cuisine taste contest, and Christmas parties for Chinese and international students. The rich varieties of activities enrich the life of international students, and arouse their interests in Chinese culture.
Our international students have actively taken part in all kinds of competitions and contests, and made outstanding achievements, including the winning prizes of the 2018 Poet & Essay Contest organized by Fudan University, the 2019 PoetRecitation Contest held by Shanghai University, and the 2019 Dragon Boat Race hosted by East China University of Science and Technology. In addition, the school also energetically organizes school-enterprise cooperation programs, builds internship bases for international students, and offers lectures, translation instructions, cross-school cooperation, and other platforms. These platforms help to improve the social practice ability, working skills, and professional quality of our international students.
