Fifteen Tsinghua IMBA Students’ Chinese New Years Experience at Stanford

March 5^th, 2006

On January 22^nd, fifteen selected Tsinghua 2^ndyear International MBA students accompanied by Tsinghua Venture Capital and EntrepreneurshipAssistant Professor Wei Zhang, embarked on an inaugural seven day student exchange to Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). The spirit of the program is to engender cross cultural learning and network building between Tsinghua SEM and Stanford GSB. This student run – school sponsored event is lead byVictor TsengandPhilip Chang. The seven day program at Stanford GSB – organized by their students with support from Stanford – includes a comprehensive program of academic sessions, business visits and cultural/social events.

The students had the opportunity to feel what it is like to be a Stanford MBA student by attending their classes. Some notable classes includes: Paths to Power taught byProfessor Roderick Kramer, Competition and Strategy taught byProfessor Eric Zitzewitzand Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital taught byProfessor Peter Wendell. As well the students had an opportunity to attend a specially arranged lecture by Nobel Prize LiterateProfessor William Sharpe. Business visits included Google, Apple, Ritz Carlton San Francisco and premier Silicon Valley Venture Capital firms Kleiner Perkins and Accel Partners. High profile Silicon Valley executives Kaifu Lee from Google and John Doerr from Kleiner Perkins hosted the students. The students also got a dose of American culture by visiting the famous Napa Valley, getting a tour of San Francisco and attending a NBA game.

Throughout the week there was a series of breakfasts, lunches and dinners hosted by Stanford GSB officials. The students had opportunities to meet with the Stanford GSB’sDean Robert JossandSenior Associate Deans John RobertsandDavid Kreps. The students also had opportunities to meet with various Stanford Professors and people from the Global Management Program.