Why Now Is The Right Time For Business School In China | 6 Advantages You Will Gain

With China having one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and an e-commerce market that dominates the globe, it might just be time to say ni hao to a business career in the country.

In the first 11 months of 2024 alone, the nation raked in more than US$1.9 trillion in online shopping sales, a staggering 7.4% increase compared with the same period in 2023. The most exciting part? The sector is only projected to grow, with revenue expected to reach as much as US$2.36 trillion by 2029.

But even if your interests lie outside of e-markets, China is famously home to some of the most technologically advanced cities in the world. Hangzhou is a tech hub, hosting the headquarters of major players such as Alibaba, Ant Group, and more recently, AI company, DeepSeek. For aspiring business moguls, studying a degree in a financial hub such as Beijing or Shanghai can provide the connections needed to elevate your career.

So, why is now the best time to study business in China?

1. Study in a global economic hub

With China home to a population of 1.4 billion, the Chinese market provides innumerable opportunities for business school students in the realm of entrepreneurship, research, and enterprise.

“If you’re doing anything to do with international business in this day and age at an MBA level, you cannot pretend that China isn’t an important market,” says Amber Miller-Greenman, a graduate of the International MBA (IMBA) program at the Renmin University of China, Renmin Business School, which is located in Beijing.

Growing up in New Zealand with Chinese heritage, Amber always had an interest in Chinese culture. However, it was only after starting her degree that she realized that making connections in China was integral to propelling her career in tourism.

Now a strategy leader for Tourism and Events Queensland, she focuses almost exclusively on the Chinese market in her day-to-day work.

2. Learn from a leader in e-commerce

While most of us know Alibaba for its well-priced electronics, there’s a lot more to the multinational online supplier than meets the eye.

Using cutting-edge technology such as AI and data analytics, the Chinese e-commerce behemoth has been able to completely dominate the industry, with annual sales for 2024 reaching more than US$130 billion in revenue.

For Rong Chen, who did a Global MBA at Zhejiang University School of Management, being able to connect with innovative businesses such as this has had a massive impact on his career.

Zhejiang University is based in Hangzhou—Alibaba’s corporate home and a hub for several well-known companies. A graduate of the university founded DeepSeek, the AI organization that is disrupting the sector in 2025.

“Companies often take risks which don’t always pay off, so learning from their mistakes in case studies is better preparing me to innovate successfully in my own career,” Rong says.

3. Enjoy experiential learning opportunities

The best way to learn is by doing, which is exactly what experiential learning at business school aims to tap into.

A popular teaching tool within business schools in China, students take up hands-on projects with real-world companies, which pushes them to put theory into practice.

When US-educated Annie Hu began a Global MBA at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, Beijing, she found that having the opportunity to complete a project with a renowned investment company enabled her to become a lot more familiar with the Chinese style of management.

“It was an amazing opportunity to liaise with a real company, have regular meetings, conduct research, and compile a presentation,” she says.

4. Learn through cultural immersion

It can be hard to avoid faux pas in the world of international business, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come prepared.

When Alexander Peterson traveled all the way from Denmark to study an MBA at Jiao Tong University Antai College of Economics and Management, China, he was determined to learn as much about the culture as possible.

“[The MBA] was really broad with the elective courses that you could choose. Some topics went into Chinese culture so I enrolled in them because I think, as a manager, it’s not only the hard skills that are important, it’s also about how you develop as a person,” Alexander says.

It was only by picking up invaluable Chinese management and networking skills that Alexander was able to launch his successful global business, Laiba Beverages.

5. Be at the center of tech innovation

Home to expertise in everything from VR to robots, China is one of the top places to be if you want to start a career in tech, not least if you’re able to combine it with global experience.

At Fudan University School of Management, Shanghai—which has a pioneering Sci-Tech Innovation Strategy—students in the International MBA program are able to study a dual degree with two of the US’ top, cutting-edge business schools, Yale and MIT.

“We’ve gotten tons of insight into the high-tech prospects between China, the EU, and the US,” says Jiaming Liu, who studied at Yale School of Management as a part of his Fudan IMBA.

Now he uses the innovative skills he learned while on his course to run his international supply business, which involves distributing Chinese-made products to the US.

6. Develop a global network

For anyone looking to launch a global business career, making international connections is crucial. But what’s the best way to go about it?

Studying in China can provide business school students with a wealth of exciting opportunities to collaborate with peers from across Asia and around the globe. Find out how some MBA students nurtured international networks during their studies.

This is a sponsored article, paid for by the featured business school(s).