In this time of uncertainty, based on its insights on the characteristics of China's economic development as well as the business community's demands for talents, the Fudan MBA Program has been endeavouring to provide innovative and future-oriented talent development scheme. On November 7, 2022, as a follow-up of the comprehensive upgrade of the Fudan MBA talent development scheme in August, an enhanced version of Fudan MBA iLab Business Consulting Project ( iLab Project in short) was officially launched for students newly enrolled this year.
Focus on the future development and unity of theory and practice
Ensuring the continuous self-improvement of each MBA student
In his speech at the beginning of the ceremony, Professor Feng Tianjun, Director of the Fudan MBA Program emphasized that the keyword for this year's talent development scheme of the Fudan MBA Program is “upgrade”.
Professor Feng Tianjun, Director of the Fudan MBA Program
The core of the upgraded talent development scheme is a future-oriented curriculum. First of all, the Fudan MBA Program has included a brand new “Future Development Module” which is composed of three mandatory courses: Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), Organizational Behavior and Leadership, and Digital Management, so as to meet the demands of high-level business talents for their future development. Meanwhile, two new directions for elective courses, Investment and Entrepreneurship as well as Business Analysis and Management, were offered for the Fudan International MBA students, so that they can select their courses based on their future career development plans.
Accordingly, the iLab action learning project has been updated to encompass two directions: consulting and investment. In addition to the possibility of working closely with the enterprises so as to provide solutions for them, students will have the opportunity to learn directly from some of the most prestigious investment institutions, get a better understanding of the investment process, and tremendously improve their skills in business analysis and investment decision making.
Since the first cooperation with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2005, the Fudan MBA iLab Project has been going on for 17 years and has become the most influential and dynamic action-learning platforms among Chinese business schools. The student times have so far completed 304 projects in collaboration with 252 outstanding enterprises. With its inspirational upgrade, the Fudan MBA iLab Project will continue to embody the paradigm of action learning in the future.
Professor Feng reminded the students to keep in mind the team work spirit, to devote themselves to the projects, and to maintain enthusiasm, which will surely benefit their future career development.
Upgraded Structure of the iLab
Achieve personal growth through solving real-world problems
Mr. Sun Long, Deputy Director of Fudan University MBA Program and Executive Director of Fudan International MBA Program, shed light upon the upgrade of the iLab project.
Mr. Sun Long
Deputy Director of Fudan MBA Program
Executive Director of Fudan International MBA Program
He pointed out that, as a 3-credit business consulting practice course, the Fudan MBA iLab is definitely not simply like an internship. The course is composed of lectures on business consulting, which takes up 1 credit, as well as the 2-credit business consulting project/investment project.
Each team will be made up of 3-5 students, who will provide potential solutions to a pertinent issue of the partner enterprise based on their study under the guidance of a professor from the Fudan University School of Management (FDSM).
As a part of the overall upgrade of Fudan MBA’s talent development scheme, this year’s iLab will incorporate projects in the field of investment and entrepreneurship, as a complement to business analysis and management projects. Students will be able to apply for the projects based on their career interests.
“Since the inception of the iLab project, we have been committed to providing consulting services to small and medium-sized enterprises,” emphasized Mr. Sun. “While helping enterprises solve practical problems, students in turn get the precious opportunity of put in use what they’ve learned in the classroom and gain personal growth in a real business environment.”
Mr. Sun further mentioned that the school has prepared a wide variety of topics and projects from diverse industries, this year in particular. 19 projects in cooperation with local enterprises have been chosen from 45 possibilities. 64.6% of these partners fall in the category of sci-tech innovation enterprises, which will help improve the students’ acumen and problem-solving capabilities in this field. He expressed his sincere expectation for the students to realise self-improvement and lay a solid foundation for their future career through these projects.
Seize the opportunity and improve comprehensive abilities through practice
At the end of the event, four seniors from the Fudan International MBA Program shared their experience in choosing the right iLab project, building an efficient team, communicating with the partner enterprise, making full use of the resources offered by the school, etc., so as to help the new students integrate theories with practice, effectively improve their comprehensive abilities, as well as get more prepared for their future career development through the iLab project.
Zhuang Yuqi，Fudan International MBA，Class of 2023
Local iLab，Schindler Project
“Be responsible, make plans in advance, make correct decisions — these are the keys to the success of the iLab project. Resilience, effective utilization resource, and timely adjustment are the best weapons to overcome challenges. We can’t entirely avoid the unexpected situations, but we can change our way to be better prepared.”
Cao Yating，Fudan International MBA， Class of 2023
Local iLab, Takeda Pharmaceutical Project
“Expectation management is essential throughout the whole process of the iLab project. With our limited time and energy, we are supposed to maintain effective communication with teammates, our tutor, and the enterprise at all times to eliminate misunderstandings, adjust the direction of the project in time, so as to achieve the ideal result.”
Ai Xue Fudan International MBA，Class of 2023
Fudan-Business Finland iLab
“Due to differences in cultural backgrounds and business habits, international iLab projects are often faced with more unexpected situations and challenges. That’s why efficient communication and time management are particularly important. Only in this way can we achieve mutual understanding and perfect the solution for the project .”
Cheng Wenting，Fudan International MBA，Class of 2022
MIT-China Lab project
“This precious practice experience not only improved my comprehensive abilities through the real-world problem-solving, but also broadened my horizons during my close collaboration with the partner enterprise, which laid a solid foundation for securing my internship opportunities at several well-known companies and landing my dream offer later.”
