Leading graduate Business Schools in Asia

27 Jul 2017

Seeking entry into the ever-changing sphere of business, today’s business graduates understand the benefits of following market needs and identifying business hubs, as these are the skills that allow them to select the world’s best business schools that guarantee unique, sought-after opportunities.

Currently, six of the CNBC’s Top Ten Business Hubs of the World are Asian cities like Tokyo and Hong Kong, with Singapore being the highest-ranked Asian city for its position as the West’s gateway to ‘key Asian markets’.

Dominic Wrench, of Taylor Vinters, highlights the reason behind the city’s hub status. “Singapore’s strategic position at the confluence of the East and the West has established the city-state as an important hub for global trade. Its geographic location enables easy access to markets in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar.”

Additionally, Singapore is #2 out of 190 countries in Doing Business 2017 rankings, with consistently high scores in categories like Starting a Business, and is Rank #1 in Protecting Minority Investors, a very attractive prospect for future entrepreneurs and business graduates.

With a thriving financial climate of solid funding and infrastructure, it makes complete sense for any aspiring business graduates to capitalise on Singapore’s Business-supportive environment by choosing to study business in Asia’s flourishing corporate climate.

SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY (SMU)

Despite being established in 2000, SMU has already carved its spot as one of the world’s most reputable business schools. With a 5* rating from the prestigious QS World University Rankings, AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, SMU is also ranked the top university in Singapore – and 3^rd in Asia – UTD Top 100 Worldwide Business School Research Rankings.

Image courtesy of Singapore Management University

Establishing itself among some of the most esteemed specialist institutions on the globe – including the London School of Economics and Political Science, Sciences Po Paris, the University of St Gallen and Hitotsubashi University – SMU is dedicated to refining applicable research to aid with real-world societal issues. Through various flagship programmes like the MBA, Executive MBA (EMBA), and the MSc in Wealth Management (MWM), SMU is developing tomorrow’s most influential business leaders.

Each of these programmes has been recognised in its own unique way, with the MBA boasting a 90 percent rate for graduate employability and 100 percent paid internship placements; the EMBA earning 9^th place among all Asian Business Schools and 32^nd in the world in the FT EMBA rankings for 2016, with SMU’s EMBA participants also standing amongst the highest-paid and most experienced graduates in work pre-EMBA; the MWM being recognised as the best in Asia by FT, and 3^rd globally in the 2017 Masters in Finance Post-experience ranking.

With its strong global network and industry connections – complemented by an international alumni family and mentorship programmes – SMU students have access to more than 2,000 respected companies worldwide, granting the option to pursue invaluable internship or placement opportunities with companies like Amazon, Google and Microsoft, just to name a few.

Most of SMU’s specialised business programmes incorporate overseas segments that allow students to gain first-hand experience of the political, economic, social and legal environments across several global continents.

Enriched by interactive seminars and industry visits to some of the world’s leading companies such as Dupont and GSK, these trips expand students’ outlook of both Asia and the wider world, providing them with the global perspective required of today’s leaders. For some programmes, students also venture outside of SMU’s city campus to the campuses of SMU’s partner institutions such as Wharton and Babson College.

HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHOLOGY (HKUST)

Ranked 1^st in Top Asian 200 Young Universities, and 2^nd for Young Universities Worldwide, HKUST is a rising star international research university. HKUST cultivates links with many research centres and institutes of learning around the world, and promotes the importance of collaborating with mainland China and other global designers.

HKUST is a University dedicated to educating well-rounded students that possess ‘strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking’ and interdisciplinary education, the crucial skills needed to continue the innovation of technology.

There are five main schools at HKUST that encourage diverse specialisation of study: the School of Science, School of Engineering, School of Business and Management, School of Humanities and Social Science, and the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School and Research Institute.

Popular with international students for its ethos and standard of learning, over 80 percent of HKUST’s student base are non-local from over 60 different countries.

“In just two decades, we have established ourselves as a top university globally, rising fast through our leading research breakthroughs and top international faculty, our holistic education for undergraduates and postgraduates, and our drive to change lives for the better,” says Tony F Chan, the institution’s President.

“Our ethos has drawn over 30 nationalities from six continents to our spectacular coastal campus situated in cosmopolitan Hong Kong on the southern tip of China and the heart of Asia,” he explains. “And such hallmarks of a HKUST education enable our graduates to fly high in careers and community activities around the world and as creators, researchers and entrepreneurs, who seek to realize dreams and improve all our lives.”

CHINA EUROPE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL (CEIBS)

Co-founded by the Chinese government and European Union (EU) in 1994, CEIBS is China’s only business school to originate from government-level association, and as such, is committed to teaching globally-minded courses that embody the motto “China Depth, Global Breadth”, which stems from the school ethos of “Conscientiousness, Innovation and Excellence”.

Offering coordinated degrees, PhD’s and MBAs in Financial and Executive fields, CEIBS aims to exceed all over establishments in offering the most practical and industry-specific courses. With 19,000 alumni from over 80 countries worldwide, and over 80 percent of its staff from overseas, CEIBS embraces the cultural mixing pot of industry and global business that has named Asia the main business hub of the World.

“With a world-class faculty and excellent staff, CEIBS has achieved remarkable success in teaching and research since its establishment, winning worldwide recognition for its high-quality programmes and innovative operational model. The school takes pride in its impressive alumni base of over 19,000 members across the globe,” the CEIBS Presidents explain.

“The road ahead is long and challenging,” they add. “To nurture and develop more business leaders with global vision and cross-cultural insight, CEIBS will further sharpen its competitive edge and keep a high level of originality by delivering high-impact research findings based on management practices and business models in China. It will also reinforce its relationship with students and alumni, and always be conscious of acting on its values and fulfilling its social responsibility,” the Presidents conclude. “More importantly, it will better serve as a think tank for China’s economic transformation, as well as a bridge for cultural and economic exchange and collaboration between China and Europe.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International