Dean's Message
Fangruo ChenPhD
  • Dean and Guanqi Chair Professor
  • Antai College of Economics and Management
    Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), has its root in 1918, when the department of railroad management was established. The department then evolved into a management school, which eventually grew to be the present-day Antai College. Thanks to the efforts of generations of SJTUers, Antai is now a full-fledged business school, and is widely recognized as a top business school in China. This status has been repeatedly demonstrated in domestic and international rankings and assessments.

Our new vision is to become a world-class business school that is deeply rooted in China. To achieve this ultimate goal, the College has taken concrete measures to broaden its research portfolio, to include not only academic research but also industry research. The idea is to cultivate a fertile ground for knowledge creation and use the created knowledge to inform teaching and increase impact. It is hoped that a new model for business school will arise as a result of the search for a healthier way for business knowledge creation.

Antai College’s connection to Singapore dates back to the early 1990s, when it opened an outpost in Singapore for the purpose of educating graduate students. Subsequently, in the early 2000s, by partnering with Nanyang Technology University (NTU), Antai launched the ASEAN MBA Program. This program has since been in operation and has so far produced more than 600 graduates. Between 2014 and 2016, Antai also provided a highly successful executive education program in Singapore, formally known as the ASEAN CEO Program. This executive program has admitted five classes and produced 150 graduates in all. A common theme of all these programs is to provide business leaders in the region with China-specific knowledge so that their businesses can thrive in China.

In 2019, SJTU Asia-Pacific Graduate Institute Ltd. (SJTU-APGI) was established in Singapore. This represents a university-wide effort, with the goal to eventually build an overseas campus. Within SJTU-APGI are various centers and labs, and the Antai Asia-Pacific Center is a main one among them. This is undoubtedly a new beginning for Antai’s operations in southeast Asia. We hope for the years ahead, Antai will play an increasingly important role in educating business leaders in the region and beyond.

All the best for the Antai Asia-Pacific Center!