Cheng Siwei, Dean of the School of Management at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was appointed Honorary Professor to Durham University Business School on Tuesday 28 May. 

Professor Cheng has come to Durham with Professor Hong Zhao, Deputy Dean of the Academy to attend the ceremony and to discuss a series of proposed academic and educational collaborations between the two institutions. These include:
• providing courses to senior executives from the Inner-Mongolia Commercial Bank;
• the creation of a dual award MSc and Global MBA programmes featuring lecturers from both institutions; and
• an update to the international PHD programme, involving joint supervision of students by academics at both institutions.

As part of his visit, Professor Cheng delivered a guest lecture to the school’s students and fellow academics entitled ‘The Future of China’s Economy.’

The presentation covered China’s degree of resilience to the economic downturn, the growing importance of the private Sector in the Chinese economy and the need to develop a credit driven consumer society if China is to successfully navigate the journey from developing to developed economy. He also saw the development of Chinese brands as crucial component in this process and argued that what China really needs is its own ‘Apple

Professor Cheng said: “Working with Durham University Business School has been extremely rewarding process and I am pleased to accept honorary Professorship at the school. Durham has demonstrated its commitment to developing a truly cross-border educational experience and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Durham in delivering these exciting new programmes.”

Professor Rob Dixon, Dean of the Durham University Business School, said: “Professor Cheng has cultivated a respectable international reputation as an educator, ambassador for the Academy and an advocate of greater academic collaboration. We hope that by partnering together we can continue to deliver an exceptional international experience to students. We look forward to a long relationship of collaboration between our two institutions.”