On 5th November, 2025, Professor Mario Hayek, Dean of the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), and Mr. James Monahan, Director of Graduate and International Admissions, visited the School of Business Administration (SBA) at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL). The two sides held in-depth discussions on multi-level educational cooperation, marking a new milestone in the partnership between the SBA and U.S. higher education institutions and laying a solid foundation for advancing high-quality international exchange and collaboration.
The first meeting focused on MBA education cooperation. Participants included Professor Wu Haitao, Dean of the SBA and Director of the MBA Education Center; Professor Du Peng, Vice Dean of the SBA and Deputy Director of the MBA Education Center; Associate Professor Wu Yingna, Vice Dean of the School of Economics and Trade; and Ms. Zhu Yanzhen from the SBA Office of International Affairs and Accreditation.
Scene from the First Meeting
At the beginning of the session, both sides introduced overall development, disciplinary strengths, talent cultivation features, and international achievements of their respective universities and schools. This was followed by a broad discussion on the potential for MBA program collaboration. The two parties exchanged views on promoting faculty and student exchanges, joint curriculum development, and collaborative training programs. They ultimately reached a consensus on exploring multiple pathways for cooperation and agreed to further enrich the substance of their partnership.
Group Photo after the First Meeting
The second meeting focused on undergraduate education cooperation. Participants included Professor Mao Jianghua, Director of the Department of Business Administration; Associate Professor Ran Yaxuan from the Department of Marketing Management; and Ms. Zhu Yanzhen from the Office of International Affairs and Accreditation.
Scene from the Second Meeting
The two sides conducted a detailed discussion on models of international cooperation at the undergraduate level, engaging in in-depth exchanges across multiple areas such as faculty and student exchange, resource sharing, and joint program development. Both parties agreed to further deepen collaboration on this basis and to work together to enhance the level of internationalized education.
Group Photo after the Second Meeting
The SBA will continue to uphold the principles of pragmatism and orderly advancement, prioritizing the implementation of key cooperative areas that are ready for launch. Building upon this exchange as a new starting point, the school aims to expand its high-quality international collaboration network, deepen partnerships with world-class universities, and contribute new momentum to China’s education internationalization strategy while enhancing ZUEL’s global influence and core competitiveness.