China and Spain: Forging ties in the education sector

IESE, one of the leading business schools in the world, has strong links with China

The 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Spain and China on March 9 is cause for celebration in many areas, one of them being the close ties forged between the countries in the education sector.

According to the most recently published stats by Spain's Ministry of Universities, there were 12,571 Chinese students enrolled in Spanish higher education programs in 2020, nearly double the number than in 2015. In 2003, there were just 202 Chinese students at Spanish universities. China trails only nearby Italy and France, as well as Ecuador and Colombia, in international student representation. Around 2,500 Spanish students, meanwhile, are studying in China.

"The exchange of bright young students between Spain and China is a bedrock of relations between the two countries and how they've grown closer over the years," said Pedro Nueno, Emeritus Professor of Entrepreneurship at IESE Business School and the founder and honorary president of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).

"Today's university students have a global outlook unrivaled by that of previous generations, thanks in large part to the digital technology they grew up with," he continued. "Related to the latter, Spain and China have over the past decade made some of the most intense commitments to entrepreneurship and innovation in the world. That shared drive to achieve within the framework of perpetually transforming technology is a strong link between Spain and China, and it will immensely benefit them both."

IESE represents one of the strongest of those educational bonds between the countries. The school, which was founded in 1958 in Barcelona and also has campuses in Madrid, Munich, New York and Sao Paolo, began its activity in Asia nearly 40 years ago. Today, a vigorous knowledge transfer thrives between the business school, its campuses on three continents, and China, in the form of MBA student recruiting, formal partnerships between prestigious higher education institutions, international program modules and much more.

Here's a look at this ever-strengthening, mutually rewarding relationship.

IESE has been developing business leaders from China and other Asian countries for almost 40 years. The graduate business school of the University of Navarra has long prided itself on its global reach. In addition to its transcontinental campuses, it offers executive education programs throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. For more than 60 years, it's been at the vanguard of management education and leadership development. Its prides itself on having trained over 50,000 entrepreneurs and executives. And while the institution is on the cutting edge of innovation, its mission has held steady since its founding in 1958: to educate and inspire leaders who wish to have a positive and lasting impact on people, business and society.

On the strength of the school's impressive alumni and partnerships, and its international renown— including its MBA being ranked third in the world by the Financial Times in 2023 and its executive education programs being ranked at number one in the world for a record six years in a row in recent years —it has built a portfolio of world-class programs in the region. And all of them are tailored to the specific needs of Chinese CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs and board members while at the same time providing a global context that is critical to succeeding in business today.

A landmark moment in IESE's relationship with China arrived in 1994 when it helped establish CEIBS in Shanghai. CEIBS was the first business school in mainland China to offer a full-time MBA, one modeled on IESE's, which in turn was inspired by Harvard's, with which it maintains strong ties.

IESE has long been eager to recruit talented Chinese students to its selective programs. Many of those alumni return to the country and broader region, new skills in hand.

Approximately 25% of IESE´s MBA students come from Asia and 10 Alumni chapters serve more than 800 graduates in the region. More than a quarter of those Asia-based alumni (260) live and work in China.

The International Friendship Award showcases another facet of the IESE-China bond, this one shining a light on the business leaders and intellectuals contributing to China's dynamism and a global understanding of it.

The honor was created by Prof. Nueno, who felt inspired after in 2009 receiving China's Friendship Award, the Chinese government's highest award for foreigners contributing to the country's economic and social development. People including Spain's Secretary of State for Education, Professional Training and Universities, Marcial Marín Hellín, have attended past ceremonies. At the 2019 ceremony, Spain's Queen Letizia presented the awards at IESE's Madrid campus.

IESE reinforced its interest in and commitment to China in January, just before the Lunar New Year, when it launched its official logo for Mainland China, with its name translated into Mandarin characters. The word for IESE in Chinese Mandarin, 耶萨, (pronounced yesa in Chinese Pinyin) was chosen for its phonetic similarity to how IESE is pronounced in English and Spanish.

The new logo marked another milestone in IESE's long-term presence in Mainland China and wider Asia. Announcing the logo, IESE highlighted that its close ties with China helped to develop and deliver programs and modules in the region, produce relevant research, work with companies and entrepreneurs, support students and alumni, offer MBA exchange opportunities and forge strong links with partners throughout the continent.

IESE and China's enriching relationship exemplifies the many benefits of Spanish-Chinese diplomatic relations, be they in the educational, economic or sociocultural fields. As that bond grows, it will surely reap even greater rewards in the years and decades to come.