HEC Paris expands EMBA program

Following the tremendous success of HEC Paris's program the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council of the People's Republic of China (SASAC) took note and HEC Paris was solicited by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to expand its successful Beijing EMBA program with a second China option to be offered in Shanghai from March 2009.

Delivered under the auspices of the training center of the NDRC, the new Shanghai EMBA program is an intensive course of study for select senior managers, with a focus on market-oriented themes and general management. The NDRC has set ambitious objectives for economic reform and continued growth, and has recognized the need to build managerial skills at an international level.

What is different about the project is the strength of the links to Chinese State commissions. HEC Paris has made itself available to the government to help it achieve reform objectives, making firms in China more competitive internationally. This support is unique and is recognition of the leadership position that HEC Paris enjoys. The goal of the program is to provide international management skills to high-level executives in China, whether they are Chinese or non-Chinese, or working for Chinese or non-Chinese firms.

Taught by the HEC faculty in English, participants contribute actively to the learning process by applying their personal and professional experiences during the course. Though the language of instruction is English, all material will be translated and simultaneous interpretation will be provided too, which makes language a medium of communication not a barrier.

Participants benefit from the EMBA Program in many ways. They have fantastic networking opportunities, not only within the EMBA population, but also within the entire HEC Paris community worldwide.

An EMBA is the opportunity to build a diverse set of management skills - to be an effective leader one needs to acquire vision, and understand how the firm operates from a macro level. The EMBA specifically builds an international mindset.

State-owned enterprises are internationalizing and their leaders need to better understand Western decision-making, business values and management tools. With this understanding, the participants become more effective in helping their organizations succeed.

According to Bernard Ramanantsoa, dean of HEC Paris, "this program is a strategic expansion of HEC's international portfolio and demonstrates HEC's global reach. HEC Paris is investing in China, with the support of government partners like the NDRC, allowing us to put our expertise to the service of companies doing business in China and doing business with China." At a time when some business schools are questioning their presence in China, HEC Paris is rushing to respond to a clear need in the market.

"We called upon HEC, as Europe's leading business school, to provide the highest standard of international management tools and insights to leaders in China, who must drive their organizations to be more competitive on the global market," said Ping Du, director of the NDRC training center.

For HEC Paris this marks a significant step in the expansion of its activities in China. The new partnership with the NDRC will allow HEC Paris to engage in China-relevant research and will create a platform for HEC Paris' continuing mission to develop the skills of executives in China and the region.

The plans for HEC Paris development in China are linked foremost to the needs of firms in China and their managers. Its mission is to contribute to global competitiveness through executive development - by reinforcing managerial skills in China, all business benefits. For this reason, we will be focusing on two areas of development: applied research and in-company development.

The China context is specific and leaves room for study and analysis. Sustainable development is a global challenge and a priority for China. Are Chinese firms well-positioned to create value within increasing environmental constraints? HEC Paris faculty is pursuing research projects in some of these areas, which will allow publishing articles and business cases relating to China that will be used in business schools around the world.

Concerning in-company development, we believe that firms in China increasingly understand the link between executive development and business objectives. More than an individual perk, it is a tool to help the firm meet its strategic objectives. As such, HEC Paris offers custom-designed executive development programs, which are specific to one company, in order to address their specific needs. We hope to expand this area of our activity, where we have significant experience and add clear value to the client.

As we know, China's role in the world economy is undeniable. From an academic standpoint, people need to understand what makes the Chinese model successful, what obstacles China faces and what opportunities the internationalization of Chinese firms represents for the West.

The author works for HEC Paris as director of international development and strategic partnerships, where he is responsible for international programs and relationships of strategic institutional importance.

(China Daily 10/24/2008 page41)