Under this context, the Program in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Global Leadership (PIEGL) was first launched by the School of Management, Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, in the year of 2017 in collaboration with four other CEEMAN member institutions from countries along the Silk Road: Almaty Management University (Kazakhstan), IEDC-Bled School of Management, Postgraduate Studies (Slovenia), Kozminski University (Poland) and RISEBA University (Latvia).
PIEGL students are expected to be global players for the future world who understand the real business stories happened in China and other emerging markets, and are able to collaborate with peers from various cultural backgrounds to solve real business problems. To achieve this goal, PIEGL puts great emphasis on connecting the new knowledge from the emerging markets with the well-established theories which have been repeatedly tested in the developed economies. So far, the program has recruited three cohorts, including 73 excellent international students from 40 different countries worldwide. Among them, more than 62% students are from the countries along the Belt and Road route, and others are from developed countries in North America and Europe. Moreover, we are very happy to mention that several students from CEEMAN accredited schools, such as RISEBA joined the first PIEGL cohort in 2017, and they are PIEGL alumni now.
Participant Testimonial
“In 2019 I graduated from the first CEEMAN Accredited school in China – Zhejiang University School of Management. Now, holding a Master’s Degree in Enterprise Management from one of the TOP-3 universities in China and a TOP-54 in the world (QS 2020 rankings), I feel excited about the future ahead of me! Many of my 30+ course-mates before coming to study PIEGL could only imagine what a chance and actually an advantage it is to be in China and experience the digitalization and AI by ourselves in everyday life. As a result, I decided to extend the stay in China and absorb even more knowledge: I started a HI-Tech company just next doors to Alibaba Xixi campus. And well, here I am - in Hangzhou which is considered to be one of the most (if not THE most) Entrepreneurial cities in China - being curious to see what is behind the next turn, and challenging you to join the ride!”
-- By Ervins Gorelovs, Member of 1st PIEGL Cohort, Founder & CEO 杭州欧文蓝豆科技有限公司, Blue Dot Ltd., Aka Latvia (Non-Governmental Organization)
The program is academically rigorous, whilst incorporating practical elements through action learning and experiential visits. It offers a series of courses focusing on global impact, innovation and entrepreneurship, for example, Entrepreneurship, Globalization and Emerging Markets, E-business and China’s Experience, Marketing in China, and Action Learning. Especially, in the action learning course, students will be working with an academic supervisor from the School of Management faculty, and a senior manager from excellent local companies such as Alibaba, Netease, Vanke, and Sunac. The combination of experiential on-site learning and academic problem-solving processes allow students to apply the knowledge from classroom to real business practice.
The program also offers dynamic extra-curriculum activities with emphasis on developing students’ leadership skills and entrepreneurial spirits. Students are encouraged to participate in entrepreneurial competitions, teaming with students from other programs to explore local culture, or to join in all kinds of sport events on campus. PIEGL students have opportunities to go overseas for business competitions, study tours and academic conferences. It is pound to say that some of the first-cohort graduates have started their own business in China, and many of them are working for well-established Chinese companies or multinational companies overseas.
Zhejiang University is located in Hangzhou which is well known as the most entrepreneurial city of China. The city is also the birth place for Alibaba group. School of Management, Zhejiang University is one of the top business schools in China as well as the first business school from China received the IQA accreditation from CEEMAN in 2017. As a result, PIEGL program enjoys strategic partnership with members from the CEEMAN network, while Prof Danica Purg, the president of CEEMAN and one of the co-founders of the PIEGL program, has made great effort in developing the program’s global value and impact.
Program manager: Ms. Xiaowen HUANG
Program website: www.som.zju.edu.cn/piegl/
Program email address: piegl@zju.edu.cn