[Message from the editor: Manufacturing industry in China has grown by leaps and bounds in just 30 years, so its transformation and upgrading need to be supported by a large number of highly-competent talents with operations management knowledge and global perspective. To echo the needs, School of Management at Zhejiang University, in cooperation with McGill University, launched a double-degree program of Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management (GMSCM) in 2013. Since its launch, the number of applicants has increased owing to the development of manufacturing industry in Yangtze River Delta region. What fascinates these students to come all the way for this program? Let’s find out the answer with the following stories of GMSCM faculty, students and alumni.]

SHOU Yongyi

Professor, School of Management, Zhejiang University

Director of GMSCM program

“MBA education in China has increasingly focused on localization, globalization and professionalization. So we make a great effort to develop customized MBA in segment market,” said Prof. SHOU Yongyi.

SHOU constantly explores how to better integrate theory with practice while delivering operations management courses, and encourages students to learn from real business practices through company visits in Wensli Group, Supor, etc.

According to SHOU, students of the program come not only from Yangtze River Delta region, but also from Circum-Bohai Sea Region, even from Northeast and Southern China. In order to take the courses, some students transfer before dawn and some take weekly round-trip flights.”

LI Bin

GMSCM Cohort 2013

CEO, Ulti-Wisdom Consulting

One of the first batch of students of GMSCM Program, LI Bin enrolled after he just completed an MBA at Zhejiang University. He returned to join GMSCM as a student again without hesitation. Speaking of the two years’ learning experience of GMSCM, LI said, “Some of my classmates came to school by plane or train every week. Compared with them, I was so lucky to be able to drive to the school in one hour.” In his opinion, traditional MBA program focuses more on business operation, capital and market model, giving him a broader horizon, whereas GMSCM program concentrates on the details of operations management of R&D, production and quality, making him more professional. The combination of the two programs helped him enhance strengths and make up for weaknesses.

NING Haiyuan  

GMSCM Cohort 2018  

CTO, DTStack

At the end of 2015, NING Haiyuan resigned from Alibaba and started his own business of DTStack. In the process of starting a business, he felt the bottleneck in management. In the past, NING led a team of 20-30 in Alibaba and he was familiar with all of them. Within a year of starting new business, his company has expanded fast and recruited more than 100 employees. He found it hard to match the names and faces of many of them. His partners are from diverse industry backgrounds, offering different perspectives.

Encountering these new challenges, the “veteran” with years of experience had the idea of pursuing an MBA at Zhejiang University. DTStack is mainly positioned to provide service in data intelligence. He met customers in various industries, many from new retail and manufacturing industries. Therefore, this English-taught program attracts him as he is able to gain management knowledge systematically and could be awarded double degree from both Zhejiang University and McGill University.

LU Meijuan

GMSCM Cohort 2019

OEM Purchasing Manager

Suzhou Nilfisk RD Co., LTD

When sharing with newcomers, LU Meijuan once said, “Milan Kundera said life is elsewhere. I want to tell you that dreams are in ZJU.” She believes the experience in GMSCM program is a precious spiritual journey for her.

Since graduation, she has been engaged in supply chain and manufacturing industry. The changing world makes her think about the questions like how traditional manufacturing grasps the impetus brought by technological development, and the future of individuals, companies and even the entire industry. Professional courses and top professors from Zhejiang University and McGill University fascinated her, and she felt the program was tailored for her.

WANG Qiang

GMSCM Cohort 2019

Used to work in Procter & Gamble, Mars, Hershey and Lego

In 2018, WANG Qiang made an important decision to apply for GMSCM program of Zhejiang University. A friend asked him: “You got a postgraduate degree 10 years ago, and you started working as a management trainee in a multi-national company. Why do you need an MBA?” What he was searching for is neither a diploma nor general management theory. What Zhejiang University attracts him most is the open and positive attitude towards life.

At his 30s, pursuing new possibilities and higher dreams needs both courage and luck. In WANG’s opinion, he agrees what Dean WEI Jiang said at the opening ceremony “It is often impossible to find answers to life’s problems with the current pattern and cognitive level. At this time, you need put aside the useful things in front of you and spend time on ‘useless’ knowledge to improve your cognition and open your horizon.” Only in this way can you go further and higher in the future.

JIN Xin   

GMSCM Cohort 2019   

Overseas Sales Director  

Zhejiang Skyherb Biotechnology Inc.  

As a veteran with extended exposure to traditional manufacturing, Jin Xin needed a graduate program that would challenge him to think outside the norms that were took for granted. The GMSCM program at Zhejiang University, plus one exchange semester at McGill University, helped him bridge the gap by acquiring high-value industry skills, building connections, and preparing for real-world challenges. In retrospective, he feels the three things that contributed most were – his MBA colleagues, the professors, and the amazing MBA office staff. Jin Xin cherishes every moment spent being part of the one and only GMSCM program and will always be grateful for everything he learnt!

Source: School of Management