On November 28, 2019, Signing Ceremony for the Agreement of the Dual Masters Degree Program between Tsinghua SEM Master of Finance & London Business School Masters in Financial Analysis and iKwok Scholarship Donation was held at Tsinghua School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM).

Mansfield Freeman Chair Professor BAI Chong-En, Dean of Tsinghua SEM, François Ortalo-Magné, Dean of London Business School, Ms. Ingrid Kwok, Founder of iKwok Fund and Governing body of London Business School, and YUAN We, General Secretary of Tsinghua University Education Foundation presented the signing ceremony. XU Xin, Associate Dean of Tsinghua SEM moderated the ceremony.

The moderator of the ceremony, XU Xin, announced the beginning of the ceremony. Dean BAI Chong-En gave the opening address. He welcomed Dean François Ortalo-Magné, Ms. Ingrid Kwok and all the guests to witness this great moment, and highly remarked the academic and educational cooperation between Tsinghua SEM and LBS. Dean BAI addressed that this cooperation between Tsinghua SEM and London Business School would be a mutual benefit. "China's financial sector is undergoing a big transformation from supporting investment projects to innovation. Thus the demand for more internationally-oriented talents is very strong now. I believe in our joint program, our students will get more exposures to international education in finance. Also, we welcome LBS students to visit Tsinghua for more cultural and educational exchanges. Dean BAI Chong-En then expressed his gratitude to Ms. Ingrid Kwok for her generous support to the Dual Masters Degree Program with iKwok Scholarship.

In the following address, Dean François Ortalo-Magné expressed his confidence in this program. He mentioned the importance of partnership for LBS, “This partnership gives us the opportunity not only to teach but also to learn.” According to his remarks, the program is “about the future and about global awareness.” He believes that the program will help to cultivate the leadership skills and long-term development of young talent, as well as their global awareness and responsibility.

Ms. Ingrid Kwok, the sponsor of the iKwok Scholarship and the founder of iKwok Fund, noted that nowadays in the rapidly changing world, globalization plays an important role in everyone’s life. The understanding of different cultures has become the foundation of world peace and prosperity. Business interaction will effectively bridge the gap between cultures, facilitate cultural exchanges and integration, and promote a common value with mutual respect as the core. She addressed that the cooperation between the two top business schools in the world would help “train the best leaders in the world with the experience of overcoming cultural shocks and misunderstandings”, facilitate the cooperation between China and the United Kingdom in financial sector, as well as help build a more vigorous and effective world financial system. Ms. Ingrid Kwok sincerely believed this would be a good beginning for future cooperation for Tsinghua SEM and London Business School.

In the next session, Dean BAI Chong-En and Dean François Ortalo-Magnésigned the agreement of Tsinghua Master of Finance & London Business School Masters in Financial Analysis Dual Masters Degree Program. Ms. YUAN Wei, General Secretary of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, and Ms. Ingrid Kwok signed the agreement of iKwok Scholarship Donation.

Arnold Longboy, Executive Director of Recruitment & Admissions of London Business School, Nina Bohn, Director of External relations Asia Pacific of London Business School, FU Xuan, Director of Development of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, LIU Chun, Academic Director of Master of Finance Program of Tsinghua SEM, LI Ting, Director and REN Hui, Associate Director of Master’s Programs Office of Tsinghua SEM presented and witnessed this ceremony.

London Business School is one of the world’s elite business schools. According to the partnership agreement signed in the ceremony, from November 2019, Tsinghua Master of Finance & London Business School Masters in Financial Analysis officially establish a dual degree partnership. The dual degree program will enroll 20 students every year. The first year of study is at London Business School, and the second year is at Tsinghua University. The first cohort will be enrolled in September 2020. After the student’s study is finished and the degree requirements of both schools have been met, Tsinghua University will issue a Master Degree of Finance and the London Business School will issue a Master Degree of Science.

The iKwok Scholarship is funded by Ms. Ingrid Kwok. It is a scholarship specially set up for the Tsinghua-LBS Dual Masters Degree Program to support students studying in U.K. and making best of the cultural exchanges to improve themselves.

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