Rebuilding global flows

The post-COVID reset has seen a resurgence in China’s standing as a study destination.

Professor Kok Wei Khong, Dean of Nottingham University Business School (NUBS) China tells QS Insights Magazine that his institution is seeing a shift in behaviour following post-COVID and geopolitical changes.

“Students in Europe are returning to China as exchange students, while there is a good influx of students coming from ASEAN. Our business school is thriving with the influx of international students.”

Professor Majid Ghorbani, Deputy Director of Global MiM China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) (Switzerland)-ESCP Double Degree Programme also notes a similar surge of international students on CEIBS programmes.

He tells QS Insights Magazine, “In some of our programmes, the proportion of international students exceeds 40 percent, ranging from Eastern and Western Europe, various countries in Africa and Latin America, as well as numerous Asian countries.”

Durham agrees with the sentiment, adding that the appetite among international students to study in China, and specifically at IBSS (the largest English-language business school in China), continues to grow.

“Many are motivated by the opportunity to immerse themselves in the richness of Chinese culture while benefiting from a fully English-taught curriculum and dual degree option that opens doors globally.

“They are pragmatic too (and increasingly discerning!) seeking value for money, exposure to China’s dynamic innovation ecosystem and career opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.”

Student experience in China

Immersion, not just instruction, is what sets high-ranking schools in China apart; they don’t only teach about China,- they embed students in the culture.

Professor Ghorbani says CEIBS helps international students with cultural career integration, and that by starting their studies in the vibrant, international metropolitan city that is Shanghai, students experience a soft introduction to China.

“We offer Chinese classes and tutoring to all full-time students who need it; we have many clubs and cultural activities that familiarise international students with life and work culture in China,” he says.

Offering both cultural and educational trips to cities enables students to get a feel for what working and living in different cities across China is truly like, Professor Ghorbani notes.

“For our MBAs and future master’s students, we sharpen their skills and talents and help them refine their career goals. Our Innovation Lab [formerly eLab] helps anyone interested in starting a venture to get help through all stages of startup.

“Through mentorship, internship, consultancy projects, company visits, executive seminars and working with our extensive alumni network, our students get hand-picked for key positions,” he adds.

IBSS’s model is similarly experiential.

Durham says students are offered a myriad of opportunities like consulting with companies in Suzhou Industrial Park, earning Bloomberg certifications on the Trading Floor, and accessing networks such as QTEM, which links them to top institutions worldwide.

“In short, they gain global perspectives while experiencing business in China first-hand,” he adds.

Curriculum of the future

China’s business schools are reimagining what business literacy should mean in the 21st century. At IBSS, for example, AI is integrated into modules, assessments and applied projects.

“The aim is to equip students with the fluency, judgement and confidence to use AI responsibly - whether that’s scanning markets, forecasting trends or building customer insight at speed, “Durham says.

“This is backed up by our state-of-the-art facilities such as our recently upgraded Trading Floor, complete with Bloomberg terminals and professional data feeds, where students learn to make decisions under real market conditions;”

NUBS takes a similar approach.

“For a business school, AI is not about being technical but rather a managerial process of managing technology,” says Professor Khong.

“Traditional modules like people or team management will soon be moving to having AI as part of the team and resource management, via AI agents and development.”

As China’s first and only PRME Champion, ESG and responsible management are no longer just electives at IBSS, sustainability is embedded into teaching and research.

“For IBSS, ESG principles are not an afterthought but hard-baked into our teaching and research, ensuring graduates leave with both the skills and the values to lead responsibly,” Durham emphasises.

Yidan Liu is a Transferable Skills Training Specialist at IBSS. Liu says that in 2023, the business school conducted a survey with around 50 local and multinational employers in the Yangtze River Delta.

Employers highlighted five core skills as most critical for graduates’ sustainable career growth: communication and relationship-building, teamwork, fast learning and interdisciplinary integration, problem-solving, and adaptability. They also pointed to the growing importance of presentation skills, personal branding and AI literacy and application.

“IBSS responded by embedding these insights into employability training delivered by IBSS Work Placement, Employability and Career Development Team,” says Liu.

“This includes CV and interview preparation (with AI-enabled practice), presentation skills workshops, teamwork development using the Belbin Team Roles framework, and guidance on the responsible use of AI tools. Through these initiatives, IBSS prepares students not only to be job-ready, but role-ready for a rapidly evolving workplace.”.

The importance of ESG, sustainability, AI and technology across programmes learnings are understood by the Chinese Business schools, with Professor Khong noting NUBS will prioritise “responsible and sustainable business education, AI, interdisciplinary research areas like innovation, entrepreneurship, fintech and deeper engagement with business practices to enhance student employability and societal impact.”

Positioning in a crowded landscape

Competition in China’s business education space is intensifying.

On one side are elite domestic giants; on the other, nimble international joint ventures and hybrids hoping to carve out their own story and positioning.

Professor Khong is candid about the status quo: “In terms of domestic reputation, elite Chinese business schools still dominate. In terms of resources and philanthropy, CEIBS or Tsinghua are in another league.”

But he notes that NUBS China’s tri-campus UK–Malaysia–China model is a clear differentiator. “We are positioned as a bridge between China and the world, with the school focusing on sustainability, innovation and global mobility.”

IBSS leans into the benefits associated with a global faculty that boasts 23 nationalities, with all of them holding overseas doctorates and/or international work experience which brings authentic global expertise into the classroom, according to Durham.

To attract both national and international talent, Durham notes that IBSS operates with both an international and domestic strategy, each tailored to the priorities, expectations and media habits of its audience.

“While the emphasis differs, both strategies are joined by an overarching message that cuts across and lands with both audiences: ‘We Connect’: East with West, intention with action, and theory with practice. The key is that both audiences see the same DNA: an international, innovative, and industry-connected business school,” Durham says.

CEIBS and ESCP Business School recently announced one of the latest joint ventures between business schools from East to West, the CEIBS-ESCP Global Master in Management; a fast-track dual degree programme that allows students to complete their studies in just 14 months across four international business hubs: Shanghai, Paris, London and Zurich.

Aimed at offering “China Edge, Global Experience”, the joint programme delivers international immersion and deep exposure to China’s fast-evolving business environment.

2025 marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, and the world in which we live, learn and work has changed substantially during this period.

Europe remains a highly developed region, but China will continue to make significant strides, often leading in many areas that are vital to the future.

The rising tide of English-taught programmes, accreditations and joint ventures is forcing all players to elevate their global offer.

CEIBS, NUBS and IBSS are doing just that, by offering an education for the next generation of young talent - one that is deeply connected and fully aware of the business landscape in China, Europe and beyond.

Challenges & opportunities

As China’s business schools ascend in global relevance, they must navigate no shortage of challenges and seize bold opportunities.

Professor Khong flags two especially pressing headwinds:

“With the geopolitical situation and the potentially shrinking population, business education will become more competitive, and we are already seeing the slice of the pie is getting smaller.”

Yet the opportunities are equally compelling.

“For the opportunity, it will definitely be China’s push for cross-border initiatives in innovation, green and sustainable transformation, and international engagement.

“China needs to have cross-cultural agility when pushing its cross-border initiatives, and we see NUBS China as the conduit to help Ningbo and its province achieve their goals,” he adds.

For CEIBS, the path ahead lies in expanding influence and thought leadership.

“From my perspective, the best advantages of CEIBS are its roots in both China, Europe and even in West Africa. We are fully integrated into the business networks in all these locations.

“We have first-hand knowledge and experience from insiders’ as well as outsiders’ perspectives. We can identify the challenges, biases, taken-for-granted assumptions, differences and advantages better than everyone else,” Professor Ghorbani reflects.