MIU’s 2025 graduating class set a new record, with 13 students from China graduating with doctoral degrees. No single country has had more students graduate from MIU with PhDs than China.

These students were part of a special PhD program in sustainable management designed for Chinese students.

Most of them are business owners or managers of their companies, taking the PhD program alongside their regular jobs — yet most of them succeeded in completing the program within four years.

“This is quite an amazing achievement,” said Professor Yunxiang Zhu, Vice President of Asian Expansion and Professor of Business Administration, who helped create the program. “It’s a tribute to the quality of students we attract and to their work ethic and desire for higher knowledge.”

Partnership with two major Chinese universities

The program involves a partnership between MIU and two Chinese universities — Shenyang Jianzhu University in Shenyang and the School of International Policy and Affairs of Shanghai Jiaotong University in Shanghai.

Through this partnership, which Professor Zhu helped orchestrate, Chinese students can enroll in an MBA in Sustainable Business or a PhD in Management, depending on their qualifications. Courses are taught by MIU professors and the host universities.

“International collaborations with universities in China have been very popular in the past decades,” Professor Zhu said. “The foreign education market in China is very competitive. Most Western universities operating in China are offering bachelor’s and master’s programs, which were hard for MIU to compete with.”

But MIU was one of the first to establish partnerships with Chinese universities for a doctoral program.

“While more Western universities are now offering doctoral programs in China, the good reputation and word of mouth we have built up over the past twenty years will help us stay strong there.”

— Professor Yunxiang Zhu

“Our PhD in Management gave us the ‘first mover advantage’ in China when we entered into the Chinese market before the pandemic,” Professor Zhu said. “While more Western universities are now offering doctoral programs in China, the good reputation and word of mouth we have built up over the past twenty years will help us stay strong there. This new group of very satisfied graduates will give our program a big push in China. One of our PhD graduates has already asked to be our representative to promote our programs there.”

“It has been a great joy working with this group of PhD students from China,” said Professor Lijuan Cai, the Administrative Director of MIU’s China programs. “They are very intelligent, kind, and very devoted to their study. I am very impressed with them.”

The 13 new MIU PhD graduates from China

杜宝印 Baoyin Du

Baoyin Du is a senior executive in one of China’s top five real estate companies. He also invests in and operates his own education and international cultural exchange company. His doctoral dissertation – “Innovation Models for Sustainable Development of Real Estate Enterprises under the Circular Economy Perspective: A Case Study of B Group.”

Baoyin Du was this year’s outstanding PhD graduate from MIU. In his speech, he expressed his appreciation to the faculty who had guided him, both at MIU and at Shenyang Jianzhu University.

“I have not only gained the courage and insight to confront risks and challenges in enterprise management but have also cultivated within myself a spirit that is serene, resolute, and unwaveringly strong through my practice of Transcendental Meditation.”

— Baoyin Du

“I have not only gained the courage and insight to confront risks and challenges in enterprise management but have also cultivated within myself a spirit that is serene, resolute, and unwaveringly strong through my practice of Transcendental Meditation,” he said in his speech. “You have elevated my perspective, enabling me to connect with the vibrant world from a higher dimension. Becoming an outstanding graduate of this esteemed university is definitely one of the most important moments in my life.”

杨传飞 Chuanfei Yang

Chuanfei Yang is the Executive Deputy Director of Shanghai Financial Intelligent Engineering Center, responsible for the center’s daily operations and external business development. He is also Director of the Certificate Center of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Lifelong Education College, responsible for the issuance of individual certificates for the education and training programs of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “Non-degree Education Quality Evaluation Based on the CIPP Model.”

江南 Nan Jiang

Nan Jiang came to MIU with a Bachelor’s of International Commerce and a Master’s in International Finance, graduating with distinction from one of the top ten universities in UK for her master’s degree. She then gained ten more years of experience in the banking sector and worked as the senior manager in a state-owned bank before joining MIU in 2021 to pursue a PhD in management.

Her doctoral dissertation is entitled “Impact of ESG Practices on the Cost Efficiency of Listed Banks in China.”

陈威 Wei Chen

Wei Chen is the owner and president of Zhejiang Unijia Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., a company committed to biodiversity conservation. They developed and produced an AI bird feeder that has become popular in North America.

The company has long-term partnerships with Costco, Walmart, and Amazon. Its TT Nature Bird Feeder with Camera — a best-seller on Amazon — delivers immersive birdwatching to your phone and to the cloud and can identify more than 10,000 species of birds.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “Influence of Environmental Regulation on Green Innovation for Heavy Polluting Enterprises: A Heterogeneity Analysis.”

李艳 Yan Li

Yan Li is deputy director and associate professor in the Sports Department of Shenyang Jianzhu University. An international referee, she has participated in refereeing at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and World Games. She has frequently been named Outstanding Teacher, Advanced Individual in Teacher Ethics and Teaching Style, Outstanding Referee, and has been recognized as an outstanding educator at her university.

Her doctoral dissertation is entitled “Public Sports Service Innovation in Shenyang, China: A Comparative Case Study.”

田依 Yi Tian

Yi Tian is an Associate Professor and full-time faculty member at the School of Design and Art, Shenyang Jianzhu University, specializing in visual art and design. She holds patents in hydrogen-rich cup design, cups that use advanced technology to infuse regular water with molecular hydrogen — hydrogen-rich water is believed to offer various health benefits. She also holds patents in decorative wall lighting.

Her doctoral dissertation is entitled “Enhancing Pedestrian Satisfaction: A Quantitative Analysis on Visual Perception Factors.”

孙震 Zhen Sun

Zhen Sun is the Senior Project Director in the Academy for Education Development and Innovation at the Education University of Hong Kong. Specializing in teacher education and related disciplines and with a total student enrollment of more than 9,000 students, EdUHK serves as a hub for educational development and innovation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (comprising eleven cities in southern China). In that capacity he oversees the admissions of four professional master’s degree programs along with school operations.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “Impact of Internal Resource Allocation on Strategic Execution.”

吴国峰 Guofeng Wu

Guofeng Wu is the Chairman of Hainan Chengxi Investment Co., Ltd., in Hainan, China. The company recently made a significant philanthropic contribution of HK$6 million to the Education University of Hong Kong to support innovation in artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and child development research. Guofeng Wu also serves as Chairman of the Beijing Zhongshan Century Culture Communication Company, a company involved in cultural promotion and media-related activities. He has held senior positions in many well-established companies, including president of the Huabin International Group Limited (Hong Kong).

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “Research on the Management Mode of ‘Nursing Home + Kindergarten.”

黄士升 Shisheng Huang

Shisheng Huang is the director of compensation and performance division of Taiping Pension Human Resources Department, part of Taiping Pension Insurance Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese pension insurance provider specializing in enterprise annuities, occupational pensions, and employee welfare plans. The HR department oversees talent acquisition, staff development, and internal welfare programs that support the company’s mission to deliver high-quality retirement and insurance services across China.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “The Impact and Mechanism of Supervisor-subordinate Relationship (SSR) on Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) in Enterprises: Evidence from Chinese State-Owned Enterprises.”

屈彤 Tong Qu

Tong Qu is the Chief Operating Officer at Hong Kong Unknown Future Education Development Co., Ltd. She has strong experience in curriculum  development, data analysis, project coordination, and brand promotion, along with a wide range of skills, including managing course lifecycles, supporting strategic decisions, organizing publicity events, and producing professional documents. ​

Her doctoral dissertation is entitled “Study on the Impact of Digital Economy on Regional Coordinated Development under the Perspective of Labor Mobility.”

赵青 Qing Zhao

Qing Zhao is the regional general manager of Shanghai Dahua Commercial Group. He is responsible for the investment promotion, operation, property management and other matters related to shopping malls and commercial districts.

With more than 20 years of experience in commercial project development and operation management, he is committed to creating better commercial projects and providing consumers with better services.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “Research on the Influence Mechanism of Shopping Mall Operation on Consumer Loyalty: An Analysis of the Mediating Effect of Tenant Attachment.”

郑杨 Yang Zheng

Yang Zheng currently works at the Shanghai Branch of Dongya Qianhai Securities Co., Ltd., where she specializing in wealth management and delivers expert financial services to high-net-worth clients and listed companies. With many years’ experience as a senior manager, she excels in innovative areas of the securities industry, including bond and brokerage business.

Her doctoral dissertation is entitled “The Mechanism of Generational Succession on The Family Firms’ Financialization – Analysis of Chinese Listed Companies.”

桑锦海 Jinhai Sang

Jinhai Sang is the Director of Shanghai Fuxihui Catering Co., Ltd., overseeing foreign investment and public relations business. He also extensive experience in mall management, having led department store investment, operations, and marketing. He developed and executed work plans, drove sales performance, and ensured overall profitability.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled “Research on Business Strategy Factors of Healthy Fast-Food Industry Based on Service Quality Model: The Market of Shanghai.”

Reporting by Professor Yunxiang Zhu and Professor Lijuan Cai.