On the occasion of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s visit to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) on November 12, 2016, the University of Michigan- SJTU Joint Institute (UM-SJTU JI) and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business jointly announced the launch of the Automotive Executive Development Program. The program aims to help promote China’s automotive industry and smart car development by inviting renowned professors and scholars to provide innovative ideas, insights and practical guidance to Chinese automotive executives in strategic planning, future business trends, organization and management models, and consumer research.

Powerful collaboration to foster China’s future leaders in automotive industry
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The Automotive Executive Development Program is designed for senior managers, business leaders and future leaders with more than 10 years of management experience in the automotive and related industries, including primary and secondary supplying, technology, finance, banking, mergers and acquisitions, as well as professional services. The program will provide two weeks of immersed learning experience in North America, complemented by visits to famous enterprises and high-level exchange with academic experts. The goal is to help students understand the causes and processes of changes in the automotive industry and learn to master the strategies.
The joint launch of this Executive Development Program (EDP) for China’s auto industry is the second collaboration between JI and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business following the Michigan Ross Master of Management – Shanghai Cohort Program. This program brings together outstanding professors from both schools to provide senior managers with a comprehensive learning experience, with a deeper and extensive look at Chinese auto industry’s positioning in the global economy, and to evaluate and optimize their management style to achieve a more effective leadership.

DSC_0841Dean Huang and Associate Dean Krishnan being interviewed by journalists

Dean Peisen Huang of JI remarked that to reach the strategic goal of “China’s Manufacturing in 2025,” the automotive industry plays a major role to achieve innovation-driven transformation and upgrading in the manufacturing industry. In order to better survive and develop in the global automotive market, China’s auto industry must understand the future trends, learn new knowledge and forge the upgrades. It is based on this understanding that the two schools jointly launched the Automotive Executive Development Program. It also marks a breakthrough in JI’s development in international cross-disciplinary education. In the future, JI will continue to improve the quality of education and introduce more multidisciplinary education program to meet industrial demands for highly skilled professionals.

M.S. Krishnan, Associate Dean of the UM Ross School of Business, spoke highly of this collaboration:”We look forward to working with the Joint Institute and are excited to bring this course to China, which provides not only the latest management research and theory but also practical methods and tools for China and the global market. It helps senior managers build comprehensive skills. When students complete this course, they will gain deeper and broader insight for promoting China ‘s auto industry in Asia and beyond in the increasingly globalized market.”
Expanding cooperation and promoting international education

DSC_0751Jiang Sixian holding talks with Governor Snyder

DSC_0821Leaders of SJTU and the Michigan delegation

Governor Snyder and his delegates arrived in Shanghai on November 11 to kick off a 10-day visit to China. They were at SJTU’s Xuhui Campus on Nov 12, visiting the SJTU History Museum and holding talks with Jiang Sixian, Chairman of SJTU Council. The two sides exchanged views on Sino-foreign cooperation in education.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business is one of the top business schools in the United States with world reputation in business and management. Ross School of Business is unique with its revolutionary management philosophy, strong overall academic advantages, as well as “teamwork, practice-oriented” type of high-impact teaching model. It has been ranked as one of the top 10 best business schools in the United States by “Business Week” and “US News and World Report” for many years. The “Business Week” gave top scores for its MBA’s “analytical ability,” “teamwork skills” and “global perspective.” According to the 2016 ranking of American graduate schools of business administration by “US News and World Report,” UM Ross School of Business’s MBA program ranked fifth in the United States.
Founded in Shanghai in April 2006, JI was a joint effort of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Michigan to build a world-class institute for training global innovative leaders on China’s soil. As a successful example of international cooperative education, JI has been at the forefront of the internationalization of higher education. In the course of development over the past decade, JI has created a well-known model through fusing the educational ideas and characteristics of the two countries. In recent years, JI has received several high-level awards, including the “Model for China’s Higher Education Reform” recognized by China’s Higher Educational Reform Committee and the “Andrew Haskell Award for Innovation in International Education” which is one of the highest achievements in international education. In August 2016, both of JI’s undergraduate engineering programs, mechanical engineering (ME) and electrical & computer engineering (ECE), achieved ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation.