On the morning of April 26, 2014, Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) held its alumni reunion event at the University’s Gymnasium to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

The alumni reunion event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tsinghua SEM 

Founding Dean ZHU Rongji, who is the Honorary Chairman of the School’s Advisory Board, sent a congratulatory letter for the event.  About 4,000 Tsinghua SEM alumni, students, faculty and staff, and friends attended the event.  Tsinghua President CHEN Jining, Vice President XIE Weihe, Vice Chairman of the University Council SHI Zongkai, Dean of MIT Sloan School of Management David Schmittlein, and Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company Dominic Barton joined in the event.  Tsinghua SEM Senior Associate Dean YANG Bin presided over the event.

 Tsinghua SEM Senior Associate Dean YANG Bin

President CHEN Jining opened the ceremony by reading a letter from Dean ZHU.  In his letter, Dean ZHU congratulated SEM on its great achievements in the past 30 years and hoped that the faculty and students would take the 30th anniversary as a new starting point with more innovation and reform, and strive to become a world-class school of economics and management.  

Tsinghua President CHEN Jining 

Dean ZHU also wrote, in responding to a recent student letter to him:  “I’m glad to see that you not only have a global vision but also pay close attention to the poor areas in China.  Only when we combine the advanced theories in the world with the reality of China, can we educate the best talents in management."  Dean ZHU concluded the letter emotionally: “As a Tsinghua alumnus, my heart will always be with you!” 

Dean David Schmittlein of MIT Sloan School of Management, also a member of the School’s Advisory Board, said in his remarks that “tthe accomplishments of Tsinghua SEM during the past three decades have been extraordinarily impressive; even astounding.”  Dean Schmittlein also praised the collaboration between the two schools in faculty development, international MBA program and action learning projects such as the China Lab.  He also anticipates a closer and long-lasting partnership between MIT Sloan School and Tsinghua SEM in the future.   

Professor David Schmittlein, Dean of MIT Sloan School of Management  

Mr. Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, also a School’s Advisory Board member, summarized in his remarks five factors that contributed to Tsinghua SEM’s success: “First, you have taken it upon yourselves to learn from the best, emulating best practices from leading business schools worldwide. Second, you have been proactive in anticipating trends in China’s economic development and adjusting your programs to better fit that context, for example by establishing a network of research centers in entrepreneurship, healthcare management, retail and other areas. Third, you have recognized untapped opportunities early – leapfrog opportunities – for instance in the EMBA space, and innovated to meet that demand. Fourth, you have successfully balanced the interests of government, while adapting to the needs of the private sector through incremental reform. Finally, Tsinghua’s ‘can-do attitude’ has ensured excellence in executing against your goals.” At the end of his remarks, Mr. Barton encouraged Tsinghua SEM to seize the unique opportunity in the field of economics and management education, and to build a truly distinctive global institution.  

Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Company 

In his remarks, Tsinghua SEM Dean QIAN Yingyi first reflected on the series of activities for the 30th anniversary that took place in the recent months at the School.  He then expressed his gratitude to the School’s faculty and staff, retired faculty and staff, the Advisory Board Members, and many others who have contributed to the development in the School’s history.  Dean QIAN also paid special tribute to the Founding Dean ZHU Rongji for his leadership and guidance in the past three decades.  

Tsinghua SEM Dean QIAN Yingyi 

Dean QIAN summarized three key principles underlying the development of the School in the last three decades: First, educating talents to meet the needs of reform and opening up is always the priority of the School; second, building a world class school of economics and management by utilizing the international best practice; and third, continuing with educational reform and innovation according to modern educational philosophy.  In the future, Dean QIAN said, Tsinghua SEM will seize the opportunity and continue to make contributions to China’s economic and educational reform.  

Following Dean QIAN’s remarks, faculty representative XIAO Xing, alumni representatives PAN Fuxiang, YIN Yong, WANG Jiwu, GUO Ningning, and LIU Xun, and student representative HUANG Cheng also spoke at the event, elaborating on their experiences working and studying at SEM, and how the school had changed their lives.  

Alumni representatives (from upper left, clockwise): PAN Fuxiang, WANG Jiwu, GUO Ningning, LIU Xun, and YIN Yong)  

From left to right: Faculty representative XIAO Xing and student representative HUANG Cheng 

As part of the event, Tsinghua SEM Alumni Association is officially founded.  President CHEN Jining, Dean QIAN Yingyi, together with former Tsinghua SEM deans ZHAO Chunjun and HE Jiankun, unveiled a plaque of the Association.   

The founding of Tsinghua SEM Alumni Association

(Left to right: HE Jiankun, QIAN Yingyi, CHEN Jining, ZHAO Chunjun) 

Finally, a special “Mentor for life” session in honor of the Founding Dean ZHU Rongji was held.  Alumni representatives JI Dejun, MO Tianquan, and WANG Yang shared their experiences with Dean ZHU and told stories of how Dean ZHU inspired their study and work.  They all felt proud of being his students.   

Alumni representatives (left to right): JI Dejun, MO Tianquan, and WANG Yang 

The ceremony concluded with a video that pays tribute to the Founding Dean ZHU Rongji. 

Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) was founded in 1984, with Professor ZHU Rongji being the Founding Dean of the School. The School combines both economics and management education, currently with 164 full-time faculty members in seven academic departments: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, Leadership and Organization Management, Management Science and Engineering, and Marketing.  In the past 30 years, over 20,000 degree students graduated from the School and over 50,000 non-degree students studied at the School.