A New Paradigm in Global Education: Peking University's "Future Leaders" Program Welcomes Sixth Cohort
BEIJING, Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Peking University's Guanghua School of Management welcomed the sixth cohort of its "Future Leaders" International Undergraduate Program this September. Pioneered by Guanghua in 2019, the dual-degree program cultivates leaders with deep China insight and a global vision. It has since established a network of 15 leading international business schools, attracting 235 high-achieving students from 35 countries and regions.
The program's distinctive model brings together top students carefully selected by each partner university, who, after two years at their home institution, join PKU Guanghua in China for an immersive two-year experience. Students pursue a rigorous curriculum and collaborate with leading enterprises, with studies spanning not only Beijing but also Guanghua's satellite campuses across China. This structure provides direct exposure to the nation's diverse economic dynamics and innovative spirit, equipping them with a practical understanding of Chinese markets within a globally diverse cohort.
The program's innovative approach was further highlighted at the recent Future Leaders Deans Forum in Beijing, where deans from 16 institutions convened. The forum culminated in the signing of the Consensus on the Future of Business Education, emphasizing digital transformation, sustainability, interdisciplinary learning, and ethical, globally minded leadership.
"Business education is at a crossroads," said Professor Liu Qiao, Dean of Guanghua School of Management. "We must prepare our students not just with technical skills, but with imagination, values, and the courage to tackle complex societal problems."
Admission is highly selective, drawing students from the top 20% of their universities through a rigorous two-stage evaluation, ensuring a cohort that is academically accomplished and globally diverse.
Graduates pursue impactful careers across finance, consulting, technology, and social innovation — including Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Tencent, and the United Nations — or launch ventures or pursue advanced degrees at institutions such as Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford.
Niklas Muennighoff, from the inaugural cohort and now pursuing a PhD in AI at Stanford University, said: "The Future Leaders Program gave me a real understanding of China's business culture and how to work effectively across borders. The capstone project experience was transformative in shaping my professional outlook."
As the network grows through dialogue with institutions in the UK, Australia, Mexico, Indonesia, and beyond, the "Future Leaders" Program is evolving into a broader experiment in how universities can collaborate to prepare students for an era of shared global challenges.
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