Over 40 MBA students from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) recently joined the Guanghua School of Management to conduct two-weeks of study in Beijing and Xi’an through Guanghua’s "Doing Business in China” (DBIC) Program. The students explored issues ranging from China's economic reforms and market development to future global trade trends and challenges. They also visited local business communities, including an innovation incubator and a coffee culture startup community, and roamed important cultural sites including the Great Wall and Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. This customized program enabled students to synthesize multiple perspectives on China into their own unique understanding of the country. The cohort from IIMA marked the first DBIC cooperation between an Indian university and the Guanghua School of Management. It created an opportunity for promising talent from China and India to interact and provided a reference for further collaboration on academic and cultural exchanges between Chinese and Indian universities.

Coursework for understanding China's development

Relying on Guanghua’s teaching and research strengths, the academic sessions of this program were especially designed for IIMA students based on their backgrounds and the feedback they provided in a pre-program survey. The courses covered China's Economic Reforms and Future Economic Challenges, Marketing in China, and China in Transition, which encompassed topics such as Institutional Legacy and Reforms, Changing Growth Models, China’s Social Structure and Cultural Norms, and the Embeddedness of Business Practices. Guanghua’s professors possess in-depth research and teaching experience in these fields, enabling them to answer a range of questions about China's economic evolution, provide new ideas for future development ideas, and discuss the implications for India's economic development with the students. “The clarity and candor of Guanghua professors impressed me, and I learned a lot from their unbiased views about the current and future economic challenges that China has to address,” said one student. Another remarked, “The marketing courses helped me understand Chinese consumers’ ideas and the similarities and differences compared with those of Indian and western consumers. It will be of great benefit whenever we want to enter the Chinese market in the future.”.

In addition, the program arranged time for participants to interact and build connections with Guanghua MBA students, allowing them to discuss two countries’ cultures, program teaching methodologies, and the benefits joining an MBA program has generated for their professional lives.

Understanding industrial services through innovation incubator visits

Private enterprises have been key contributors to the rapid development of China’s economy. The birth and growth of private enterprises in China is intimately linked to the vibrant innovative and entrepreneurial atmosphere, the continuous improvement of institutional services, and the promotion of a positive environment for development by all levels of government. Program participants visited Zhongguancun INNO Way in Beijing, Yeahmobi in Xi’an, and Xi’an INNO Start-up Wonderland. The tours helped participants understand how entrepreneurial communities can help start-ups grow, promote project implementation, support industry integration, and create value by creating platforms to accelerate industrial ecosystem development. These communities also encourage cooperation across enterprises, universities, investment institutions and entrepreneurs globally. Through this field trip, the students fully felt the vitality of the entrepreneurial environment in China.

Experiencing centuries-old culture

Beijing, China’s capital, and Xi’an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, were specially selected for hosting IIMA’s DBIC program. In Beijing, the students experienced the cultural heritage of the Peking University campus before climbing Mutianyu Great Wall to become a “hero”, as the Chinese saying goes. In Xi’an, the students visited the Terracotta Warriors and other historical sites including Huaqing Pool and the Ancient City Wall, to understand the essence and charm emanating from the city as one of the "four ancient civilizations of the world". Both China and India have long civilizational histories, though they are marked with mysterious differences. Two weeks was just enough to plant seeds of curiosity in the hearts of each student, encouraging them to come back to China in the future and further build their appreciation for the depth of Chinese culture.

This is the first time for students from an Indian university to participate in the DBIC program, and for most of them, it was also the first time they have had the opportunity to visit China. Pragya, one of the cohort’s students, shared, "I like China very much. This journey to China has brought me many surprises. I can see a lot of similarities between China and other countries, but those differences, I think, have determined why China can take a leading position in the world today.” The participants also praised the program’s design. “DBIC is an amazing program for MBA students from all parts of the world to see and understand the Chinese economy. It is a window to understand the Chinese way of doing business. As the world tilts toward the East, it is imperative for future leaders of businesses to understand China.” Said Vishwajeet, another of the cohort’s students. This short but precious learning experience at Guanghua School of Management of Peking University left IIMA students with unforgettable memories and started them on their journey to understand China.

Doing Business in China (DBIC) Program

DBIC is a short-term international exchange program hosted by Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management since 2006. It aims to deepen collaborations in international management education and provide students of our partner schools with an opportunity to understand China's development. Guanghua has already hosted 79 program cohorts, including nearly 3,000 students from all over the world. DBIC has gradually attracting increasing numbers of overseas partners and seen a steady increase in participation in each year. Participants have included students from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, New York University Stern School of Business, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, National University of Singapore Business School, and University of Warwick-Warwick Business School.