Milestones
2006
Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University is founded as unique Sino-UK joint venture. The then Department of Business Economics and Management (BEM) launches its first undergraduate degrees.
Launch of the first master programme, the MSc Finance.
2011
2012
Department of BEM faculty reach 50 members.
Official launch of IBSS under the school’s first Dean, Professor Sarah Dixon.
IBSS becomes a signatory of Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative.
Graduation of the first PhD student.
2013
2014
Launch of the International MBA for Executives (IMBA) and the school’s first Executive Education programme with Stanley Black & Decker.
2014–16 Launch of nine new MSc programmes.
Agreement with IBM and local SIP Data Centre to establish the Big Data Analytics and Technology Centre (BDATC).
2015
2016
IBSS becomes the youngest school in history to be awarded Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) initial accreditation.
Faculty reaches 100 members from 24 countries and serves 5,000 students.
2017
2018
IBSS launches its new and iconic business school building.
IBSS is awarded EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) initial accreditation.
Appointment of new Dean, Professor Jorg Bley.
2019
2020
IBSS overcomes COVID-19 challenges with a successful switch to online teaching and new feedback mechanisms, while IBSS staff raise funds to protect their overseas colleagues unable to return to China due to the pandemic.
IBSS is awarded the EFMD Business School Impact System (BSIS) label.
IBSS is granted Business Graduates Association (BGA) initial accreditation for IBL Programme.
The awarding of Association of MBA (AMBA) initial accreditation makes IBSS the youngest school in the world to achieve coveted Triple Crown accredited status, a strong signal of business school quality and devotion to continuous improvement.
IBSS hosts international PRME Research Conference and serves as founding member for China PRME Chapter.
2021
2022
IBSS is named host of the RCE Suzhou (Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development) by the United Nations University.
IBSS’s 15 Ways in 15 Weeks carbon reduction initiative wins Best CSR and Sustainability Initiative 2022 from the Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association (AMBA & BGA).
IBSS becomes the first and only PRME Champion business school in China.
IBSS and Changzhou University Business School co-hosted the 2nd Annual Meeting of the China Academic Committee for Responsible Management Education (CACRME) and the China Forum on Responsible Management Education and Sustainable Development at which Professor Mohan Munasinghe, Nobel Prize and Blue Planet Laureate and Professor Mette Morsing, PRME Head.
The RCE Suzhou wins two awards at the 13th RCE Global Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
While it is a comparatively young business school, IBSS has achieved a great deal since its inception. Below is a timeline of key events in the school’s history.