XJTLU and Standard Chartered Bank join to enhance student career opportunities

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Standard Chartered Bank (China) last week to jointly enhance students’ career development opportunities.

As part of the agreement, Standard Chartered Bank and XJTLU will jointly conduct an annual training camp that will offer courses on employable skills for 10 students and two staff. In addition, SCB will recommend six senior managers to take part in the XJTLU external mentor progamme to provide tailored guidance to students on their future career development.

Dr Minzhu Yang, vice president of XJTLU, pointed out the long history of collaboration between XJTLU and SCB. He said that SCB Suzhou Branch provides between five and 10 internship positions for XJTLU students each year and that three XJTLU alumni are currently working for SCB as full-time staff.

“XJTLU is exploring new models for training international talents and trying hard to cultivate students to have international perspectives and competitive capabilities,” said Dr Yang. “I hope that both sides can strengthen their cooperation in future to provide students with more high-quality educational resources and platforms for development.”

Yaming Zhu, director general manager of the Personal Financial Department at SCB (China), said that two senior managers from SCB have already joined the external mentor programme and that the bank would recommend more senior staff to be involved in the programme.

“Our senior managers will help XJTLU students to know more about the development of global capital markets and investment theories, and broaden their international horizons. We expect to train more talents who have innovative spirit together with XJTLU,” she said.

Chuanjiang Li, who graduated from XJTLU last summer and is now working at SCB, said that XJTLU had equipped him with solid professional knowledge and practical skills, especially independent learning abilities: “Independent learning is very important when you are working in an international company like Standard Chartered Bank. You need to learn and study a lot of things by yourself,” he explained.

Another graduate Yang Yu, who was among the first cohort of students to graduate from XJTLU and now also works at SCB, also attended the signing ceremony. He recalled his university life by saying that he benefited from developing team working skills and an international perspective through tutors’ guidance: “All the knowledge and skills I obtained built a solid foundation for my further overseas study and work,” he said.

Zhulin Han from the Student Admissions and Career Development Office at XJTLU said that XJTLU was the first university in China that has cooperated with SCB (China) as a strategic partner.