From March 16 to 20, MBA faculty and students from the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University (SMU) visited the School of Business at the Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) for a cross-border academic exchange program themed “Digital Economy and Management Practices in China.” Through classroom seminars, corporate visits, and cultural activities, the program established a platform for cross-cultural business education, focusing on cutting-edge developments in the digital economy and deepening international cooperation in education.

On March 16, a welcome ceremony titled “Shining Singapore, Soaring China” was held. Lin Song, dean of CUFE’s School of Business and director of its MBA Education Center, noted that the exchange represented a deep dialogue between Chinese and international business education philosophies. He emphasized that the CUFE MBA program is committed to cultivating globally minded leaders with innovation capabilities, strengths in finance and accounting, and a strong sense of social responsibility. He expressed the hope that both sides would jointly explore new management paradigms in the era of the digital economy and promote mutual learning in international business education.

Following the ceremony, participants visited the CUFE History Museum, gaining insights into the development of China’s finance and economics education through its exhibitions.

In the academic sessions, Professor Lin Song opened with a lecture on “Digital Entrepreneurship,” outlining its core elements and evolution. Professor Dai Hongyan delivered a lecture titled “AI-Driven Business Intelligence,” analyzing how artificial intelligence is reshaping management paradigms and business models. Associate Professor Liu Shubo discussed “Strategic Leadership and Strategic Thinking,” using classic cases to highlight the importance of strategic perspectives. Associate Professor Ji Yueting presented “Digital Human Resource Management,” exploring the balance between AI applications and human-centered management. Associate Professor Yao Xiao lectured on “China’s Digital Economy,” examining industry development models and real-world challenges. At the closing session, Assistant Professor Ling Ruobing provided feedback on group presentations and engaged in in-depth discussions with students.

As part of the practical and cultural components, participants visited several sites, including the Zhongguancun Science City (Haidian District) Planning Exhibition Hall, where they explored Beijing’s innovation achievements and urban development blueprint; the Xiangshan Zizai Zen Tea Experience Center, where they learned about traditional Chinese tea culture through lectures and tasting sessions; and the iFLYTEK Artificial Intelligence Experience Center, where they experienced applications such as the Spark large language model and multilingual translation systems, gaining firsthand insight into China’s advancements in AI technology.

The program strengthened the bridge for cross-cultural exchange between the two universities and broadened students’ global perspectives and innovative thinking in business education. Looking ahead, CUFE and Singapore Management University will continue to deepen cooperation and jointly cultivate more business leaders with global vision and practical capabilities, contributing to the high-quality development of international business education.

Writers: LIU Xinfeng, GUO Xiaokun

Reviewers:LIN Song, LIU Xiaoyuan

Editors: LI Ying

Approvers: HUO Xiaoran