HEC Montréal Joins Forces with China's Most Prestigious Business School
Agreement cements relations between the School and China
September 11, 2008
On June 30, HEC Montréal signed a co-operation agreement with the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management in Beijing, the fruit of discussions between the two institutions begun in 2004. The final terms were worked out and the agreement ratified when HEC Montréal Director Michel Patry visited China.
The agreement provides for student exchanges between the two institutions at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, starting in 2009. The Tsinghua School of Economics and Management was founded in 1984 and is now considered the country’s top business school. It was the first school in China to be accredited by EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), in February 2008, and AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), in 2007.
“The fact that HEC Montréal holds the three most prestigious international accreditations in management education was a key factor for the Tsinghua School,” notes Director Michel Patry. “And our ranking as one of the top ten MBA programs outside the United States by BusinessWeek, our presence on the Forbes biennial list and in the Which MBA? guide published by The Economist, and the gold medal won by our team of students at the international MBA case study competition in Singapore are all achievements that helped strengthen our brand image for our Chinese partners.”
Cementing relations
Hassan Taghvaï, Regional Director for International Projects, is particularly proud of the hard work by the HEC Montréal International Projects team, which was involved at every step along the way up to the final signing. “Our constant presence in China since 1983 has allowed us to consolidate our reputation as an extraordinary higher education institution in the field of business,” he explains. “Our patience, perseverance and persistence in remaining committed to China now open new doors for us and are giving us a chance to explore other forms of collaboration.”
This summer, 25 MBA students took part in a Campus Abroad trip to China, visiting businesses and factories and talking with company directors and managers. This kind of trip, lasting a few weeks, gives students the opportunity to soak up local business culture and develop business relationships that can prove useful later in their careers.
This fall, HEC Montréal will be offering a new Introduction to Business Chinese course for students in all programs. The focus will be on learning the language and using Mandarin in a professional context. Students will also have a chance to learn about Chinese culture.
HEC Montréal and China
HEC Montréal has been present in China for 25 years, cultivating close ties with the university and business communities there. The School has become one China’s important partners in education for training managers and international exchanges. Since 1983, the School has welcomed Chinese students into its graduate and postgraduate programs year after year, and conducted a growing number of training activities in China. In 1998, HEC Montréal joined forces with a number of major Quebec and Chinese firms to offer a first graduate diploma in energy sector management. Since then, the School has earned an excellent reputation in this sector, training hundreds of Chinese managers.
From left to right: Hassan Taghvaï, Regional Director, International Projects and Michel Patry, Director, HEC Montréal, June Xiaojun Qian, Associate Dean, Director of Programs, Tsinghua School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua University), and Sylvain Landry, Director of International Projects, HEC Montréal.