Why MBA: Shanghai Jiao Tong University—Antai

Why MBA: Shanghai Jiao Tong University—Antai


Anais Pothon wanted to dive deep into the world of China business. She chose an MBA at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Antai College of Economics and Management and saw her career prospects transformed. Here, she explains why she chose Antai and shares her tips for MBA students in Shanghai.To get more news about Antai business college, you can visit acem.sjtu.edu.cn official website.

With more professionals chasing dreams of building a career in China—Shanghai alone houses 200,000 international residents—the country is building a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting locations for MBA students.

According to a recent report from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), MBA programs in the country have also reported growth in the last year. Among 22 responding programs in the country, 41% saw growth in international applications, with a further 23% reporting stable international applications.One top Asian MBA program is the International MBA program offered by Antai, based in Shanghai—and it was here that Anais Pothon decided to pursue her dreams of working in China.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Management in 2014, Anais worked in various hotels in Switzerland and Cambodia, before finally relocating to China. After two years in the country, she knew she wanted to stay—but there was a catch.

She knew she needed to deepen her knowledge of business in China, improve her Mandarin, build her network, and gain experience of industries beyond hospitality. “I therefore decided to offer myself a one-year break dedicated to learning.,” she says.

While there are a host of MBA programs in the country, and elsewhere in Asia, Anais chose Jiao Tong’s because of the university’s historic status—it’s regarded as the one of the oldest universities in China and was founded in the 19th century—and its vigorous academic MBA curriculum, which offered Anais the chance to “interact with both multinationals and local companies,” she says.The MBA at the Antai College of Economics and Management is consistently ranked among the best in the world by the Financial Times and the school offers an extensive curriculum focusing on global business and business in China.

Over the two-year program, students cover topics including international marketing, business law, doing business in China, project management, and business ethics.Out of all the classes, Anais cites the corporate social responsibility module as one of her favourites—a “mind-blowing” two-week class dedicated to sustainability, and how to embody CSR into decision-making, she says.

Between classes, students at Antai have the opportunity to meet local companies in the city face-to-face during company visits, as well as offering trips to local areas of cultural interest so students can really immerse themselves in Chinese culture. “Antai is very supportive from the start in maximizing each student’s exposure to opportunities,” Anais explains. “Whether these are job fairs, online portals, or competing in cultural and professional prizes.”

Despite the program’s focus on China, students on the course can also benefit from a varied and multicultural class. A significant number of the 2017 MBA class came from China, with 43% of students hailing from North America and a further 14% from Europe.