Distinguished guests, professors, alumni, and students,
Good evening!
Time has flown as we now find ourselves at the end another year, facing a fresh start in a new year. As we say farewell to a year filled with great achievements, we usher in this New Year, full of hope for what 2019 holds. Every year at this time, we gather together and take a look at the year's successes and joys, and look forward with expectation to what we will accomplish in the coming year. On behalf of PHBS, I would like to express my earnest wishes and most sincere appreciation to the students who are studying hard and forging ahead, to the over 100 dedicated faculty and staff members, to the alumni from all over the world, and to the friends from all walks of life, all of whom have been caring and supporting the development of Peking University HSBC Business School.
A great university has always been closely tied to the fate of its country and its country's people. 2018 was the commemorative year of China's 40 years of reform and opening up and an important year in the history of Peking University.
In 2018, Peking University celebrated its 120th anniversary. It was 120 years ago, that a turbulent Qing Empire, in the midst of crisis, gave birth to a crucial decision, establishing Jingshi University Hall, the first school in China to bear the name "university". The now named Peking University has, since that beginning, embarked on a century-long endeavor, and sometimes struggle, spanning three centuries and completing two 60-year cycles.
In 2018, we commemorated the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the National Southwest Associate University. 80 years ago, in the midst of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II, a critical period of national survival, in order to survive themselves, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University, together, formed the National Southwestern Associate University in Kunming. Holding the motto “Resolute and Steadfast,” the persistence and hard work exhibited by this temporary collaboration produced important scientific research for China, and educated a large number of the nation's leading scholars during the war, who went on to make great achievements and outstanding contributions to the development and progress of China and the world at that time.
In 2018, we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the resumption of the National College Entrance Examination and of Reform and Opening Up. 40 years ago, with the beginning of China's reform and opening-up, the first group of PKU students admitted by the resumed national college entrance exam entered PKU. Since that first group, generations of PKU students, with a sense of purpose and patriotism, have held to the motto "Uniting and Rejuvenating China." Together they have laid a strong foundation for the country's development and established themselves as the backbone of China's industry and national development.
2018 was also an important year for Peking University's HSBC Business School. Looking back, 2018 was a successful year! On the path to building a world-class business school, we have achieved a series of new achievements. This year, we launched the UK campus of Peking University HSBC Business School and wrote a new chapter in the history of Chinese higher education. 200 years after Robert Morrison established the first British school, “Ying Wa College,” in China, we established the first Chinese school in the UK. Alumni have said that this is one of the biggest highlights of Peking University's 120th anniversary celebration. The first group of international students enrolled at the UK campus in September. They will study in the UK for one year and then study in Shenzhen for one year. At the same time, already, 81 students from the Shenzhen campus have gone to the UK campus to spend a module of study, increasing the breadth of their knowledge and broadening their horizons.
This year, PHBS was officially granted AACSB accreditation putting us among the world's leading business schools. As the youngest internationally-focused business school in China, we are based in Shenzhen but are facing the world. More than 90% of our professors have Ph.D. degrees from well-respected overseas universities, and we have established partnerships with 110 institutions in 42 countries. Our brand influence and recognition is booming. In QS's article, “Top Business Schools with Employers in 2018,” Peking University ranked 9th, giving special mention to PHBS.
This year, our faculty number has grown stronger and our research level has continued to improve. This year, another 9 professors joined our team of faculty. The total number of teachers in the school has reached 70, including 27 associate professors, which now account for 38% of the total faculty. All our professors have devoted themselves to research and achieved outstanding results. Since 2017, they have published 58 papers in SSCI International Journal, including 21 papers in top international journals. This year PHBS revised the standards for faculty tenure and promotion titles, further improving the requirements for teachers in research, teaching and service. PHBS is becoming a first-class research business school.
This year, we continue to be innovative and hold ourselves to international standards of excellence, and we continue to emphasize both breadth and depth in student learning. The Sargent Institute of Quantitative Economics and Finance has actively played a role in promoting the education of doctoral students in the field of economics. In January, the first “Quantitative Economics Winter Camp” was successfully held, with the goal of encouraging outstanding undergraduates to discover their academic enthusiasm and research potential and to encourage them in this pursuit. In September, a total of nine Ph.D. students entered PHBS. This year, PHBS also established a new MA degree program, the Master of Finance-Fintech program, which was successfully launched with the enrollment of the first batch of 22 students in September. Keeping in line with the standards set by other world-class universities, we have set a minimum GPA requirement for graduation, emphasizing the quality standards of PHBS. In the current fast changing society, we commit ourselves to a wide scope, high standards, and strict requirements, aiming to produce students with advanced cognitive abilities and the ability to creatively analyze. We want our students to be able to be leaders at the forefront in the era of artificial intelligence.
This year, we opened the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Innovation and entrepreneurship are the eternal driving forces of economic development, and Shenzhen is an important base for innovation and entrepreneurship in China. Being based in Shenzhen, conducting research and education in innovation and entrepreneurship, incubating students' start-ups and innovative plans are its key development goals. In November, HRH The Duke of York, visited PHBS, personally unveiling the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and cutting the ribbon for our Future Media Lab. The “I-Forum” organized by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has hosted many lectures from industry leaders, which have broadened the students' horizons and provided inspiration for the students' enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship. The Future Media Lab integrates practice, teaching and research, simulating the broadcast scenes of international leading financial media organizations, and effectively linking the theory of news communication with the practical skills of the media.
This year our students have made outstanding achievements and achieved remarkable results in various athletic competitions. This year we held the first PHBS Sports Games. EDP students successfully defended their title in the 4th Industrial and Commercial Avenue Gobi Desert Expedition. MA students placed first in the New Student Cup at PKU Shenzhen's Fun Sports Games. MBA students won the “Shaqi” Shaou Award and the EMBA students appeared in the “Xuanzang Road Business School Gobi Challenge”. The MA and PhD students went on weekend outdoor activity trips and the faculty and staff participated in a health and fitness competition. As a business school we value physical activity, health and strength, knowing that physical activity is not only good for students’ health, but also lays a good foundation for their future capability. As well, these activities help to cultivate a spirit of cooperation and teamwork and help to instill the grit necessary to be successful in future challenges.
Students, professors and friends,
We cherish and reflect on the past in order to build a better future. As a school, our goal is to become a world-class business school in China, and to educate students that have leadership skills, have self-discipline, and are able to be visionary business leaders. As individuals, I believe that your goal is to achieve success in all walks of life.
Whether it is building a world-class business school or being successful in a personal career, it cannot be done with one simple effort. Not only must we have a vision to work toward, but we must also have the grit to achieve that vision. Looking back 120 years, 80 years, and 40 years, we can easily see that the realization of all great goals stems from a great vision, the firmness of faith, the love of career and the tenacity of perseverance.
"If you do not look at the overall situation, you will lack the full amount of information. If you do not make a well thought out plan, it will not be sufficient to last." In the face of the development and progress of the times, in the face of changes in the world, we must raise our sights higher, embrace the challenges the world brings, not forget our original intent, and make unfailing efforts. We need both vision and grit.
"Vision" is establishing a clear goal, an idea of the future, something that you can then work toward accomplishing by building your knowledge, gathering resources, developing abilities, and even learning things that seem useless at the time, but have the ability to help you achieve this vision in the long run. Visionaries focus on the big picture, they maintain an open mind, are creative and are focused and present.
"Grit" means to have the perseverance to achieve your goals, showing resilience in spite of challenges and discouragement, and continuing to press on toward the goal. Just like the teachers and students of the National Southwest Associated University in the past, persevering in the pursuit of education in the midst of war, those who can show this level of perseverance in the pursuit of their vision will be capable of achieving great success.
Students, professors and friends,
As 2018 is about to pass, and 2019 approaches, we are filled with expectation. The coming year will be a year full of opportunities and challenges for China. For PHBS, it will also be a year of strengthening our development.
In 2019, we will persevere in the pursuit of excellence, developing rigorous and international standards. We will work to attract more distinguished professors and research teams, continue to encourage academic innovation, and vigorously promote scientific research. We will realize the full potential of the Sargent Institute and the Research Center for Macroeconomics and Finance, through the cooperation with Ping An Technology, building on the theoretical and empirical research of macroeconomics and finance, and making advancements in academic research. We will continue to adhere to our strategy for international development; increasing the number and quality of international students we attract using our UK campus and our new summer school. We will continue to improve our rules and regulations, increasing the rigor of our standards in academics, integrity and discipline. We will continue to pursue the goals of "morality, knowledge, well-being and ability," enhancing the overall quality and core competitiveness of our students.
In 2019, we will further improve the establishment of the UK campus and continue to promote exchange and cooperation with world-class universities. We will continue to improve the teaching and management system of the UK campus, recruiting full-time professors, streamlining the relationship and communication with the Shenzhen campus, and arranging for our Shenzhen campus students to study in the UK. We are also preparing to build a dormitory on the UK campus in order to house more outstanding students. We will launch an MBA program in the UK to train Peking University alumni in the UK business community. Through the UK campus, we will actively promote and deepen the cooperation between Chinese and British education and research, strengthen our exchange and cooperation with Cambridge University, and implement projects for joint training of students.
In 2019, we will further our development in accordance with international standards to enhance PHBS's domestic and international influence. With the foundation of our EPAS and AACSB accreditations, we will next pursue the European Quality Development Certification System (EQUIS) and Associations of MBA's (AMBA) accreditations, working to continuously improve our international recognition. We will gradually begin to participate in the ranking of world-class business schools. In the past ten years, we have been working hard, moving forward, focusing on internal development and construction, and not participating in any rankings. Despite this, we have gained the attention of the international ranking system. From next year, we will study the indicators of international rankings, improve our own deficiencies, and strive to become one of the best business schools in the world.
Professors, students, friends!
Thousands of sails compete for a hundred streams, and the career road is competitive. Looking back, we understand the difficulties of yesterday and the value of today. Looking forward, we are more determined to achieve our vision. In the New Year, we wish that everyone’s academic and professional careers will be met with a bright future！
Lastly, we wish everyone health, success and happiness in 2019.
Happy New Year! Thank you!
Edited by Sophie Wu
