On August 5, 2012, Diane M. Ryan, senior officer at West Point, along with three cadets visited BiMBA to communicate over the study of leadership with Dean Zhuang Yang and nearly 100 part-time MBA students.

Colonel Ryan has had 23 year career as a U.S. Army Signal officer. She is an Academy Professor and program director of General Psychology for Leaders in the department of Behavior Sciences and Leadership at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. Colonel Ryan had also served in Iraq. The event started with the three West Point cadets talking about their experience at the academy. They talked about qualities of a leader at West Point. They also articulated on characters of a leader, various training methods, curriculum, and etc.

The event went on for over 2 hours in a harmonious atmosphere. BiMBA students came with tons of sharp questions for Colonel Ryan and the cadets. Some of the questions focus on whether leadership course at West Point is open and suitable for both male and female; the difference and similarity between leadership courses at West Point and Harvard Business School; the future career of West Point cadets after graduation; the balance between military leadership and business leadership. By the end of the event, the BiMBA students were deeply impressed by Colonel Ryan’s confident and enthusiastic responses to their questions.

Over ten international students who had just enrolled in BiMBA full-time class had also participated in this event. This early experience helped them to understand the unique leadership course at BiMBA. By the end of the day, many students were still communicating with the cadets even after the group photo, trying to learn just a little more before farewell.

Professor Zhuang Yang remarked on this event. He thanked Colonel Ryan for coming to BiMBA and giving BiMBA students an accurate impression about the feature and uniqueness of West Point Leadership. Professor Zhuang Yang also recognized the positive attitude and sophisticated thoughts of the BiMBA students.

Professor Zhuang Yang pointed out that one of the strengths of BiMBA is international partnership and communication. The partnership with West Point went all the way back to 2004, when Daniel Christman, formal superintendent of West Point visited China and spoke in Peking University. During the visit, Daniel Christman was deeply impressed by the student quality and leadership program at BiMBA. He suggested further communication and partnership between the two schools. In May, 2004, West Point opened a communication on the subject of leadership with BiMBA graduates who went to the U.S. for commencement ceremony. The event received positive feedbacks from the BiMBA students. Since 2005, BiMBA and West Point have been exchanging students and faculty members to further study and communicate on the subject of leadership.

>In February, 2009, LTG Franklin Hagenbeck, superintendent of West Point, visited Peking University. He addressed on “the Leadership of West Point” and discussed on the topic of leadership development with BiMBA faculty and students. In May, 2012, Professor Ho-Mou Wu, executive vice-president of NSD, and Professor Zhuang Yang visited West Point with graduating EMBA students for a curriculum in leadership. They exchanged thoughts with LTG David Huntoon, current superintendent of West Point, over the subject of leadership at the famous service club.

Colonel Ryan and the three cadets not only participated in the leadership curriculum at BiMBA, but also visited Tai Yuan, Ping Yao, Xi’An, Lo Yang, and Shaolin Temple with Professor Zhuang Yang to study Chinese history and culture.