Delegations from the universities

On April 19, a group led by Professor BAI Chong-En, Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University (Tsinghua SEM), went to New York to discuss expansion of the school's dual-degree program with Columbia University. They also visited Tsinghua students currently studying in the dual-degree program at Columbia University. Professor XU Xin, Vice Dean of Tsinghua SEM, Professor WANG Chun, academic director of the Tsinghua-Columbia Business Analytics Dual Master's Degree Program (TCMiBA), REN Hui, director of the Master's Program Office, and WANG Jing, TCMiBA project manager, joined the delegation.

Professor Soulaymane Kachani, senior vice Provost for Columbia University, welcomed the Tsinghua SEM delegation. During the meeting, Professor Garud Iyengar, senior associate dean of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (Columbia Engineering), said he appreciated how since the launch of TCMiBA program in 2016, Tsinghua SEM and Columbia Engineering have achieved fruitful results. He said he looked forward to further developing the TCMiBA program in the future, given a renewed agreement signed in 2022. Professor Jay Sethuraman, director of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR), Columbia University, highlighted the excellent performance of previous TCMiBA students and praised Tsinghua SEM for its teaching and project management abilities.

Delegates discuss at the meeting.

Dean BAI Chong-En discussed the rapid development of China's digital economy and the challenges it poses for talent development. He reviewed the history of cooperation between Tsinghua SEM and Columbia University and highlighted Tsinghua's efforts for the TCMiBA program. BAI said he hoped to deepen cooperation in education and research. Both schools expressed their willingness to invest more resources, recognize each other's courses, provide joint paper guidance, and improve the teaching level of the dual-degree program. The also aimed to develop research cooperation and cultivate cross-disciplinary and compound talents with international competitiveness in business analytics.

Dean BAI Chong-En meets students from the TCMiBA program Class of 2021.

Associate Dean XU Xin meets students from TCMiBA program Class of 2021.

On the same day, the Tsinghua SEM delegation visited students studying for their dual-degree program at Columbia University. During the visit, Professor BAI Chong-En expressed the school's concern for their education and life in the United States, and encouraged them to cherish their learning opportunities and strive for success while studying abroad, reassuring them that the school will do its best to provide support. Professor XU Xin reminded the students to improve their research abilities, balance their academic and personal lives, and enhance their ability to cope with environmental uncertainties. Professor WANG Chun also encouraged the students to make good use of their oversea experience by following the latest technological and industrial developments and working hard to learn cutting-edge knowledge, while also enjoying a fulfilling life.

Professor David Yao meets students from TCMiBA program Class of 2021.

Professor David Yao of IEOR, Columbia University, who served as a distinguished professor at Tsinghua SEM and facilitated the TCMiBA program, also visited the students and encouraged them to make the most of their dual-degree learning opportunities, progress in their studies, and serve as examples for future students.

Tsinghua SEM delegation with TCMiBA program Class of 2021

More than 20 students from the Class of 2021 attended the event and participated in genuine conversations with the Tsinghua SEM faculty. The students appreciated the school’s care and expressed their happiness in meeting the teachers who traveled so far to visit them. They said they gained warmth and strength from the visit to support them in their future endeavors.