UPF-BSM and ZIBS sign a long-term collaboration agreement

Last Tuesday, 20 December, the UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM) signed a long-term collaboration agreement with Zhejiang International Business School (ZIBS), of Zhejiang University.

The aim of the agreement is to undertake activities in the following areas and on the following levels in the near future: joint teaching, research, and/or cultural activities; the exchange of graduate students under various schemes; organizing and participating in international weeks for graduate students at both institutions; the exchange of academic and/or administrative personnel; participating in scientific conferences, symposia, training, seminars and in professional personnel development; and knowledge transfer of information and academic publications, among other academic exchanges to which both institutions agree.

The arrangement will benefit our students and community who will be able to take part in joint teaching and research, participate in international weeks, and get involved in exchanges under various schemes, among other projects 

The signing ceremony of the agreement was attended by large delegations from the top management teams of both schools. On the ZIBS side, the Dean, Ben Shenglin, the Assistant Dean and COO, Shen Li (Sally), the International Partnership Director, Yu Yaqiao (Kate), and the Executive Director of the ZIBS European and North American Centre, Gilles C. Meira, were present.

On the UPF-BSM side, the list of participants was formed by the Director General, José M. Martínez-Sierra, the Deputy Director General, Carles Peiró, the Associate Dean for Education & Academic Affairs, Rodrigo Cetina, the Executive Director of China Global Strategy, Qianying Zhou (Núria), the Principal Advisor for China Global Strategy, Chuenping Lam, the Principal Advisor in China for China Global Strategy, Xiaoxiao Chen Xia (Adell), and the Advisor for China Global Strategy, Feifei Chen. 

During the ceremony, the ZIBS Dean recalled: “we started our initial contacts in the spring of this year. And despite all the challenges we faced with a lack of physical contact due to not meeting off-line, the teams of both sides have worked a lot. 2022 has been a challenging year for ZIBS, for the world, for Europe and for China given the energy crisis, and COVID restrictions, among others. That's why I appreciate the fact of establishing something formal between two institutes with the same mindset that aim to do something positive, global and collaborative between the two institutions”.

"It is vital for our school to reach high standards of internationalization, and coordinate strong relationships with prestigious institutions at the national and international level who care about excellence”

“ZIBS has been facing challenges”, Dr Shenglin continued, “But we will still be able to increase the team on a staff level and on a student level, from the program side. Today, ZIBS has 6 master’s degree programs and 1 bachelor’s program. This means more opportunities to work really well together going forward. The signing of the MoU is just the beginning. I think that we should do more work to make things happen, and I hope to get something more solid, and of course to meet offline”.

The UPF-BSM Director General José Manuel Martínez Sierra stated the main goal of the agreement was to “build together with ZIBS a common path pursuing the excellence of our institutions. We must reach high standards of internationalization, and coordinate strong relationships with prestigious institutions at the national and international level, who care about excellence, about the quality of their faculty, and about a roadmap for international exchange. We educate new generations of leaders of our countries with higher standards”.

Finally, UPF-BSM Principal Advisor for China Global Strategy Chuenping Lam recalled that next year, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Spain, a relationship that has always been kept on good terms. Chuenping Lam added that “universities generate talents in order to create the future of society; and with cultural and educational exchanges, it will most probably be a new generation with a great capacity to create a better world for the days to come”.

About ZIBS

ZIBS implements a multi-disciplinary and multi-level partnership strategy with Zhejiang University, by upholding the 5"I" philosophy of being "international, interdisciplinary, innovative, inclusive and integrative". Focusing on business research and talent training in the fields of new finance, new technology and new markets, ZIBS is committed to becoming a global leading business school in China.

The school offers six postgraduate programs: Master of China Studies (MCS), Master in Communication and Management (MCM), international Master of Business Administration (iMBA), international Master of Finance (iMF), international Master of Fine Arts (iMFA) and international Master of Data Science (iMDS), and one undergraduate program in Global Communication and Management (GCM) for international students, as well as executive training and customized training programs.