Zhang Lingling is Associate Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), where she also serves as Director of the MBA Programme. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing from Harvard Business School, an MA in Applied Statistics from the University of Michigan, and both an MS and BA in Information Science from Nanjing University. Before joining CEIBS, she was an Assistant Professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, where she earned multiple Distinguished Teaching Awards. Her research spans digital marketing, healthcare marketing, and AI-powered consumer insights, with publications in Marketing Science, MIS Quarterly, and Decision Support Systems.
The original full interview was published on Poets&Quants.
Please give us your one-minute pitch for your business school. What makes your programme unique?
The CEIBS MBA programme, consistently ranked first in Asia by the Financial Times, is dedicated to cultivating future global business leaders. Our programme offers a unique blend of “China depth” and “global breadth”, preparing students to excel in both Asian and international markets.
We offer cutting-edge courses in digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and sustainability, along with personalised mentorship and a wide range of extracurricular activities. This creates a comprehensive platform for your growth. Through immersive learning, both in China and abroad, and real-world market explorations, we prepare you to confidently handle the complexities of global business.
When you join the CEIBS MBA, you become part of Asia’s most influential business elite community.
Sustainability has emerged as a major attraction to prospective MBA students. How does your full-time MBA programme integrate sustainability across its curriculum?
The CEIBS MBA programme recognises the importance of sustainability in today’s business world and integrates it across the curriculum in multiple ways. The programme offers dedicated courses on sustainable business practices and ESG, allowing students to explore how businesses can thrive while contributing positively to society and the environment.
In addition, sustainability principles are embedded into core subjects, such as strategic management, finance, and operations, ensuring that students can apply sustainable thinking across different areas of business. The programme also promotes hands-on learning opportunities, such as projects and collaborations with organisations focused on sustainability, giving students real-world experience in driving sustainable initiatives.
How does your school incorporate technology into the curriculum and how has it engaged students and faculty on the use or incorporation of such new, emerging technologies?
At CEIBS, technology is deeply integrated into the MBA curriculum to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly digital world. The school has embedded emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and digital transformation, into both core and elective courses. These topics are designed to help students understand how technology is reshaping industries and how they can leverage these tools for strategic advantage.
CEIBS also provides hands-on learning experiences through partnerships with tech companies and startups, allowing students to work on real-world projects that involve applying emerging technologies to solve business problems. This integration is supported by dedicated labs and resources focused on innovation and digital skills development.
To engage both students and faculty, CEIBS hosts regular workshops, seminars, and guest lectures featuring industry leaders and experts in tech.
These events foster discussions on the latest trends, such as the role of AI in business decision-making and the future of blockchain in finance. Additionally, CEIBS faculty members are continuously involved in research that explores the intersection of technology and business, ensuring that the curriculum stays at the forefront of innovation.
By incorporating technology into both the academic and extracurricular aspects of the MBA programme, CEIBS ensures that its graduates are well-equipped to lead in an increasingly digital and tech-driven business landscape.
What are some key elements in your teaching of leadership? What types of options does your school offer that deepens student experience with leadership and makes them more competitive in the marketplace?
Experiential Learning. CEIBS places a strong emphasis on experiential learning, where students engage in real-world leadership challenges. This includes case studies, leadership simulations, and hands-on projects that allow students to apply leadership principles in dynamic and complex situations.
Personal Leadership Development. The programme offers personalised leadership coaching and development workshops, where students can assess their leadership styles, receive feedback, and work on specific areas for improvement. The goal is to help each student develop a unique leadership approach that aligns with their strengths and career aspirations.
Global Leadership Exposure. CEIBS provides opportunities for global leadership exposure, such as global study trips and exchanges with top business schools worldwide.
Leadership in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. CEIBS has a strong focus on entrepreneurial leadership. Through its Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre, students have access to resources like startup incubators, pitch competitions, and mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs.
All MBA students are encouraged to take the leadership roles in a diverse array of big student-organised events, including TEDxCEIBS for sharing groundbreaking ideas, the Investment Forum for finance enthusiasts, the Female Leadership Forum for empowering women in business, the Healthcare Forum delves into medical industry trends, the Social Impact and Responsibility Forum (ESG Forum) to explore and promote sustainable business practices and ESG initiatives.
These leadership development elements, combined with the diverse learning environment at CEIBS, ensure that students leave the programme well-prepared to take on leadership roles across industries.
What are your two most popular traditions at the school? How do these reflect the spirit and mission of the institution?
Shanghai Night. Surrounded by our motto “China Depth, Global Breath,” Shanghai Night started in 2005 and has been one of the most remarkable annual MBA events. CEIBS offers a vibrant student life that combines world-class education with the dynamic culture of Shanghai. The event has successfully become an opportunity for students of different programmes to network and create memories with one another, alumni, directors, esteemed faculty, and staff.
