Here’s why business schools in China should be on your radar

Countries such as the US, UK and Europe are some of the top regions that typically come to mind when deciding where to attend business school abroad.

But China’s prowess in the higher education scene cannot be disputed, with more institutions being featured in world university rankings, including the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020.

As the second largest economy and with Chinese being among the most widely spoken languages in the world (Babble estimates that roughly 917 million of the population speak Mandarin), studying in China can be a launchpad for success for many business minded individuals.

For all its economic might and growth, it’s unsurprising why China has already attracted close to half a million international students to its shores. 

Here’s why you should consider attending a business school in China: 

Top business schools 

Business schools in China — as well as Hong Kong — have been steadily climbing up world university rankings. 

The 2019 QS Global MBA Rankings: Asia lists the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and the University of Hong Kong as among the top three institutions that are offering top full-time MBA programmes in the region. 

“This Chinese business school achieves its highest score for entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, a metric which is particularly significant given the growing demand from students for MBA programmes to incorporate entrepreneurial elements,” said QS.

Meanwhile, according to The Economist, when the Financial Times first published its annual ranking of the world’s 100 best MBAs list in 1999, no Asian school made the cut. 

“This year 17 have done, nine of them Chinese. Seven Chinese institutions are among the 90 or so worldwide to boast the coveted “triple crown” of accreditations — from bodies in America, Belgium and Britain,” it said. 

CEIBS and HKUST Business School were ranked fifth and 19th respectively in Financial Times’ Global MBA Ranking 2020, while other schools that appear in the top 50 include Fudan University School of Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Antai, the Renmin University of China Business School (RMBS)Featured business school, the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics: College of Business and the CUHK Business School.

This further attest to the prowess and quality of education for aspiring business graduate students.

Affordable education

For many, cost is a major factor when deciding on a business school. But quality education aside, China can offer prospective business students an affordable education when compared to traditional powerhouses such as the US and Europe.

The prices will invariably vary between institutions and your location, but reports suggest that getting an MBA in China may cost you anywhere between 24,000 Yuan (US$3,500) and 320,000 Yuan (US$46,000) for the entire course, depending on the institution and duration of the course.

According to the recent BusinessBecause Cost of MBA Report 2020, the average total MBA cost by location is US$123,000 in the US and US$118,000 in Europe.

Without a doubt, China can offer students a more affordable alternative than traditional B-school destinations.

Potential job opportunities

China is home to several of the world’s global financial centres and renowned corporations in the world, including ByteDance, Huawei and Alibaba, making it an attractive location for potential job opportunities.

For instance, a whopping eight cities in mainland China were on the top 100 list in the 27th edition of Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI 27), including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Qingdao and Tianjin.

Xinhuanet reported that Shanghai ranked among the top five in fields of banking, investment management, insurance and professional services in all of the last four index reports. “It leaped to second place in investment management in GFCI 27,” it said.

As the country strengthens its economic competitiveness, that can only mean more growth and job opportunities.

Without a doubt, China is growing in its appeal as an affordable business school location without sacrificing on its quality of education, making it ideal for those who want to carve themselves a slightly different route from traditional destinations for a business education.