Are you ready for an English-language EMBA in China?

There are around 50 EMBA programmes in Mainland, graduating 6000 alumni every year. Three courters are programmes delivered in Chinese language (including classes taught in English than translated in Chinese) and one courter is programmes delivered in English. 90% of students are enrolling in Chinese EMBA programmes and only 10% are in English ones. Therefore, English-language EMBA programmes are playing in a niche market in China.

There are around 50 EMBA programmes in Mainland, graduating 6000 alumni every year. Three courters are programmes delivered in Chinese language (including classes taught in English than translated in Chinese) and one courter is programmes delivered in English. 90% of students are enrolling in Chinese EMBA programmes and only 10% are in English ones. Therefore, English-language EMBA programmes are playing in a niche market in China.

We got a lot phone calls from executives to consult on which EMBA programme should be applying. To tackle this question, we should start from a big picture.

The major providers of English-language EMBA programmes in China can be divided into two groups:

1. To target expatriate segment.

    HKUST-Kellogg EMBA，Tsinghua-INSEAD Dual Degree EMBA，USC Marshall-Shanghai Jiaotong GEMBA are recruiting executives in multinational headquarters and expatriates in Asia market. They provide students cross border experience and encourage mutual understanding beyond cultures. In 2008, Hong Kong University-Columbia-LBS EMBA-Global is also entering into this sector to compete.

2. To target Chinese managers with international responsibility.

One example is the Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School, which has run a joint venture EMBA programme with Fudan University since 2002. Wash U-Fudan EMBA supplied about 60 students per year who are able to run Chinese company in a global context and to run a multinational firm in China market. It was ranked No.7 worldwide by Financial Times EMBA ranking. CEIBS EMBA International Class could be grouped into this sector. However, students who consider applying for CEIBS are more willing to enroll in its Chinese language EMBA Class for better networking in local society.

Here to summarize some market trends of English-language EMBA programmes in 2008.

Globalization

1、To fly professors, to fly students and to fly classroom

      A typical example is EMBA-Global launched by London Business School, Columbia Business School and Hong Kong University Business School. It delivers classes in London, New York, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Another case is Spain Barcelona based IESE global EMBA. Students fly from home to different destinations to take their classes and to visit companies. They learn more about local environment and business culture from study trips, meanwhile keeping contacting with one another through online activities.

2、Global campus

    Quite a few leading business school set up satellite campuses in other continents. France based INSEAD established Singapore campus to catch up opportunities in Asia developing economies. Students also got chance to move from one campus to another. Canada based Richard Ivey is also setting up Asia campus in Hong Kong to deliver its Asia EMBA.

3、Joint programmes

    HKUST works with Kellogg to launch its KH EMBA. INSEAD together with Tsinghua launch dual degree EMBA to meet the needs from global market. With 50/50 resource input from Tsinghua and from INSEAD, the dual degree EMBA deepens expatriates’ exposure in China with more Chinese case discussion and business culture orientation.

Shanghai starts to be a major playground

The market is quite competitive in major city such as Shanghai.

The market size of English-language EMBA in China is growing remarkably slow.

“The number of students enrolled in English-language based EMBA programs aimed at meeting China’s talent shortage is growing remarkably slowly.” Said by Prof. Patrick Moreton, Managing Director of Washington University – Fudan University EMBA

“Our estimate is that since the China Ministry of Education began authorizing Sino-Foreign joint EMBA ventures in 2002, total enrolments have been growing by 6% to 7% per year, approximately 1/3 as fast as total employment in foreign invested companies has grown over the same period. Total enrolments in five leading English-language EMBA programs in Shanghai that we track has reached only 230 per year, which is less than the annual enrolment at any one of several Chinese-language based programs in Shanghai.”

English-Language EMBA Program Price List 2009 Spring Admission
(1USD=6.9RMB )

Tuition fee      Programme Name

828000    London Business School-Columbia Business School-HKU Business School
EMBA Global Asia
645840    Kellogg-HKUST EMBA
545600    Richard Ivey School of Business Hong Kong EMBA
517500    Tsinghua - Insead Dual Degree EMBA
452400    USC-Shanghai Jiao Tong GEMBA
435000    Washington University-Fudan University EMBA
370000    CEIBS EMBA International Class
315744    The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) One MBA - Global Executive MBA
282900    The Rutgers International Executive MBA Program
274275    University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business EMBA Shanghai
260000    Sun Yat Sen University Lingnan College - Minnisoda University Karlson CHEMBA
218750    Wisconsin EMBA in Motorola University China

  Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou Area
Kellogg-HKUST EMBA
Richard Ivey School of Business Hong Kong EMBA
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) One MBA - Global Executive MBA
Sun Yat Sen University Lingnan College - Minnisoda University Karlson CHEMBA
The Chinese University of Hong Kong EMBA

Beijing Area
Tsinghua - Insead Dual Degree EMBA
The Rutgers International Executive MBA Program
University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business EMBA

Shanghai Area
USC-Shanghai Jiao Tong GEMBA
Washington University-Fudan University EMBA
CEIBS EMBA(International track)
The Rutgers International Executive MBA Program
University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business EMBAWisconsin EMBA in Motorola Univeristy China

WhichMBA.net is a cross media platform publishing business school guide books and magazines to give advice for potential candidates. Affiliated professional website www.whichmba.net is providing online search and comparison of programme information. Students, who want to catch up market trend and to choose a right programme from overseas providers or local players, use our online service.