China Aviation Industry and Boeing join forces to Promote Higher Education

Boeing today announced that it is joining forces with Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and Chinese airlines in the sponsorship of more than 200 CAAC and airline personnel in pursuit of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degrees.

Inductions of the first MBA candidates started in early 2003 and will continue for the next five years. The sponsorships will provide tuition and textbooks fees. City University, CIBT School of Business and Beijing University of Technology will cooperate to deliver this Boeing sponsored MBA program.

"Continuing education has always been a high priority at The Boeing Company," said David Wang, president of Boeing China, at the opening ceremony of the MBA program. "We are honored that CAAC and the Chinese airlines have once again partnered with Boeing in their management education program."

Candidates, who must be nominated and approved through the selection processes of their respective organizations, will engage in two-year curricula jointly offered by City University and CIBT while concurrently pursuing their careers. Instructors from the United States will teach business administration courses in English, emulating City University's education system in Europe and the United States. Additionally, candidates will be able to specialize in selected fields such as finance, marketing, economics, and project management.

"Considering China's status as the world's fastest growing aviation market, Chinese aviation authorities and airline management will be faced with great opportunities and challenges," said Rob Laird, vice president of China Sales – Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Graduates of this management education program will be better prepared to create a world-class air travel system and aviation industry in China."

Since 1993, Boeing has trained more than 23,000 Chinese aviation professionals and assisted China in improving its air traffic management (ATM) system and in training air traffic controllers. Additionally, Boeing recently hosted a number of management courses at the renowned Boeing Leadership Center in St. Louis, Missouri, for its Chinese partners.