On July 9, 2025, a delegation from the Asia School of Business (ASB), led by Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Founding Chair and Co-chair of ASB and former Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, and Professor Joseph Cherian, CEO, President, Dean, and Distinguished Professor of ASB, visited Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance (PBCSF). During the visit, the two institutions held in-depth discussions on collaboration in the field of international finance education and research, and formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Professor Jiao Jie, Dean of PBCSF, Professor Zhang Xiaoyan, Associate Dean, along with heads of relevant departments, attended the meeting and signing ceremony.

According to the MoU, the two institutions plan to carry out deep cooperation in multiple areas including faculty and academic exchange, joint research projects, student exchange and global competency development, degree and non-degree program collaboration, and co-hosting high-level international conferences and forums. This MoU not only lays a solid foundation for future collaboration but also contributes to strengthening ties between China and Malaysia in education, research, and youth academic exchange.

Photo: Signing ceremony of the MoU.

Front row (from left to right): Professor Jiao Jie, Dean of Tsinghua PBCSF; Professor Joseph Cherian, CEO, President, and Dean of ASB.

Back row (from left to right): Professor Zhang Xiaoyan, Associate Dean of Tsinghua PBCSF; Dr. Zeti Aziz, Founding Chair and Co-Chair of the Board of Governors of ASB; Mr. Enki Tan, Member of the Board of Governors of ASB.

Following the signing ceremony, Professor Joseph Cherian delivered an engaging lecture to faculty and students of PBCSF, offering an in-depth analysis of the seven pillars of a sound retirement savings system and the unique development opportunities in Asian markets. His insights sparked enthusiastic responses and thought-provoking discussions among the audience.

Photo: Professor Joseph Cherian delivering the lecture.

Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance is committed to building a world-leading finance school with Chinese characteristics. Guided by the development vision of becoming “More Professional, More Technological, More International, More Humanistic, and Most Tsinghua,” the School has prioritized global engagement as a key pillar of its overall development strategy and actively promotes globalization. On January 17, 2025, Dean Jiao Jie led a delegation to visit ASB, during which the two parties reached preliminary consensus on collaboration. Establishing a strategic partnership with ASB marks an important step in expanding the School’s global network and reflects the shared commitment of both institutions to cultivating global financial leaders and advancing regional and international financial research.

Founded in 2015 by Bank Negara Malaysia in collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Management, the Asia School of Business is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a globally-oriented business school rooted in Asian practice, ASB is dedicated to advancing emerging markets through high-quality education, research, and leadership development.

Looking ahead, Tsinghua PBCSF and ASB will seize the opportunities presented by the "Golden 50 Years" of China-Malaysia relations to deepen high-level cooperation, jointly advance global financial education, and contribute to the development of a “high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future” through educational collaboration.