China National MBA Education Supervisory Committee (CNMESC) and Temasek Foundation have joined hands to launch a program to build capabilities of business schools in universities in China’s western-interior region. The foundation will provide S$2.5 million (RMB 12.6 million) in funding to support the program.This was announced at the launching ceremony of the “Western - Interior China MBA Schools Faculty Development and MBA Capacity Building Program” in Tsinghua SEM, Beijing on June 25, 2008.

(Mr Goh Geok Khim and Professor Zhao Chunjun sign on the donation agreement)

The ceremony was witnessed by Madam Wu Qidi, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Member of the Education, Science Culture and Public Health Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr Lian Ji, Vice Chairman of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and President of Inner Mongolia University, Mr Li Jun, Vice Director of the Office of the Academic Degree Committee of the State Council, Mr Xie Wei He, Vice President of Tsinghua University, Professor Zhao Chun Jun, Deputy Chairman of CNMESC and Vice Chairman of Academic Committee of Tsinghua University and Mr Goh Geok Khim, Chairman of Temasek Foundation.

(VIP participants and Deans from the east and west schools take group photo)

Five of China's top universities in the eastern region will partner with five universities in China's western-interior region. The participating universities are:

Tsinghua University, partnered with Inner Mongolia University;

Peking University, partnered with Chongqing University;

Renmin University of China, partnered with Guangxi University;

Fudan University, partnered with Yunnan University;

Shanghai Jiao Tong University, partnered with Sichuan University

(Vice President of Tsinghua University Xie Weihe address at the ceremony)

The program will train 135 participants from the western-interior universities in three key components: a. The MBA Dean Leadership Development Program will provide the opportunity for 15 Deans and Associate Deans to learn from international best practices through discussions on strategic planning, program management, faculty development etc. to help these leaders to build their schools to be centers of excellence; b. the Business Faculty Development Program consists of a semester-long mentorship program for 90 interior school faculty members at a coastal school MBA program. Each participant must develop an MBA course syllabus and write Asian-based case studies as part of their learning. They will eventually return to their home universities to teach the course they have developed. c. The Administrative Leadership and Management Program will train 30 MBA administrators in the areas of admission and recruitment, student affairs, career development and alumni services.

ABOUT CHINA NATIONAL MBA EDUCATION SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE (CNMESC)

CNMESC is a nationwide organization of experts in management education to supervise and guide the development of MBA education in China. It was founded in 1994 and is made up of 25 well-known management educators and business leaders appointed by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council and the Ministry of Education of People's Republic of China.The mission of CNMESC is to promote, guide and coordinate the development of MBA education in China, to strengthen the links between MBA education and the industry, and to facilitate international exchanges and cooperation. Its functions include advising the Ministry of Education on policies about MBA education, to stipulate common standards and regulations, to assure and improve the quality of MBA programs in China through evaluation, accreditation and training, and to promote the admission exam and other reforms of MBA education.

ABOUT TEMASEK FOUNDATION

Temasek Foundation is a non-profit philanthropic organization anchored in Singapore that seeks to contribute to sustainable growth and a bright future of hope and opportunities for people in Asia. The foundation works with partners to support programs that develop people through healthcare, education and research, programs that build bridges between peoples, programs that build institutions of excellence through good governance and ethics, and programs that rebuild lives and livelihoods affected by natural disasters.