2020-21: A Year Worthy of Investment

After a two-year long decision-making process, I am about to embark upon a new learning and self-discovery journey starting this September.

The moment that I opened the offer letter, signed by the two schools, was a real joy.

I shared it with my wife, my daughter, with my parents, and with all the coaches who have helped me to be ready for this opportunity.

I chose the Tsinghua-INSEAD Executive MBA (TIEMBA) programme for its brand of two great schools and for the dream that I have to build my own brand.

I've been in connection with the recruiting teams at INSEAD and Tsinghua for three years. I actually deferred my original admission to the Global EMBA (GEMBA) last year, and made the exciting decision to transfer to TIEMBA this year in 2020. 

I am ready - it's the right time. The world is full of uncertainties. The only constant is to be able to learn and get oneself fulfilled and enlightened with knowledge.

Learning about new fields and learning from and with people. Amidst the COVID-19 situation and other uncertainties, I have more faith than ever that investing in professional education is the best investment to combat all these uncertainties.

As a world citizen from a central Chinese village, I have always had aspirations to explore the bigger world - bigger than the village I grew up in, bigger than the city I lived in during my middle school years, bigger than Beijing where I pursued my undergraduate education, and bigger than Kansas State where I completed my Master’s studies.

It's here, at the Business School for the World where I want to continue this exploration, to broaden my visions and to see the bigger world, after 11+ years in different industries climbing the corporate career ladders.

I value the people I encounter in my life just like INSEAD values the diversity of its student body and faculty. The experiences I have gained in two leading agriculture companies have prepared me well to take on the challenge to meet people from other industries, to learn from people with other backgrounds, and to contribute to this learning journey.

With the professional background I have today, I aspire to further sharpen my leadership skills in the digital era of modern business. I expect my 22-month long TIEMBA experience to challenge my personal, professional, and intellectual growth as a learner, a father, a husband, and a leader.

It feels like as if it were only yesterday that I received the offer letter for the TIEMBA. I am excited, and as I prepare to start Module 1 in a few short days, the sense of “back-to-school” is urging me to gear up and get ready to spend the dedicated (virtual - in some cases due to COVID-19!) classroom hours/days/weeks in this self-discovery journey.

Learning and growing is also about giving back in the longer run.

I challenge myself to give back in every single module for the coming 22 months as I exchange and debate with my peer classmates and professors. I challenge myself to give back to our Tsinghua/INSEAD community with whatever I have to offer, financially and intellectually, in the future.

Stay hungry, stay foolish.