“Every great achiever is inspired by a great mentor.”
Lailah Gifty Akita

October 13, 2019. Shanghai – The CEIBS Mentoring Programme officially commenced today for the MBA class of 2021. The launch ceremony involved an information session by MBA Programme Deputy Director Ms. Ma Ning and a coaching session for mentors by Assistant Professor of Management Byron Lee on how they can effectively nurture their mentee’s development. The kick-off was followed by a luncheon where mentees formally met their mentors.

Established in 2004, and now part of the MBA Leadership Journey course, the hugely successful Mentoring Programme pairs current MBA students (mentees) with CEIBS alumni (mentors), who, having gone through the same journey as their mentees, have a thorough understanding about the nuances involved and are thus perfectly suited to impart valuable knowledge, offer guidance, share experiences, and suggest ways students can develop. In the 15 years since its inception, over 1,800 MBA students have benefitted from the programme. Although the programme is entirely voluntary, it has received an overwhelming amount of support from the alumni community, who view it as an opportunity to “give back”. To date, over 800 alumni have participated in the programme.

As part of the today’s event, Albert Yen (EMBA 2006 alumnus) received the CEIBS Mentoring Programme 10-year Service Award. “Although the official scope of the programme is limited, the mentor-mentee relationship lasts a lifetime,” he said. “For me, it is a very fulfilling experience to help a mentee live up to their full potential.”

Charlie Kuan (MBA 1997 alumnus) and Alan Zhou (EMBA 2011 alumnus) also received their 5-year Service Awards today. Albert, Charlie and Alan, along with 97 other alumni, will serve as mentors to the 174 students of CEIBS MBA 2021 cohort.

The CEIBS Mentoring Programme, along with MBA Office, Career Development Center and faculty advisors, form a comprehensive support system for the MBA students, helping them realise their goals – both professional and personal.