METP Bridges Chinese and European Managers
The fact that the European Union is now China’s largest trading partner while China is the EU’s second largest trading partner makes it compelling for both regions to understand and be proficient in each other’s business practices. To meet such demands brought about by rapidly developing commerce, a four-year EU-China Management Exchange and Training Programme (METP) was launched last year.
Training Chinese and European managers is the core activity of METP, which aims to train 400 managers—half from China and half from Europe—in four groups over the planned time span of four years.
METP 1 started in August 2007 with 38 Chinese and 18 European managers. Taking two weeks of intercultural training and a pre-departure briefing, Chinese managers attended a 7-week management course and are currently at internships in Europe. And European managers are at present learning Chinese business language at the university of International Business and Economics in Beijing. This month, they will begin their 3-month internships in China.
METP 2 began in March after enrollment selections in Beijing and Brusssels in late November to mid-December 2007. 48 Chinese and 28 European managers are now in the programme.
METP 3 is now inviting applications. Courses will begin on October 20, 2008 and the training of METP 4 will start in late May 2009.
For non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and business federations in China who take an interest in enriching their managerial expertise, the METP meets their needs by transferring know-how to key players in China, which helps to facilitate China’s reform process. And for the EU, as increasing numbers of European companies are making investments in and taking roots across the country, the programme helps EU managers to enhance their confidence in the Chinese business environment and improve their capability to succeed.
Popularity: 7%