From March 27th to 29th, 2023, during the magnificent cherry blossom season, DSEU presented the world with a “Gift of Wisdom” in the historic city of Kyoto, known for its millennium-old heritage.

This event also marked the inaugural ceremony of DSEU’s pioneering EMBA and MBA classes. As the first batch of admitted students and friends from around the world gathered online, they witnessed the formal commencement of this university that integrates the essence of Eastern and Western cultures, sharing its timeless wisdom.

“DSEU is like cherry blossoms. The fragrance of cherry blossoms attracts more people to come closer, and the classic wisdom of DSEU will also attract more people to join. The power of classic wisdom itself is remarkable,” said Geshe Michael Roach.

What makes DSEU’s EMBA and MBA programs unique? Let’s listen to Geshe Michael Roach’s explanation.

The uniqueness of DSEU’s EMBA and MBA programs

When asked about the uniqueness of DSEU’s EMBA and MBA programs, I must honestly say that if they weren’t truly unique, I wouldn’t have been interested in getting involved in this project. After all, establishing a large-scale global university is an incredibly challenging endeavor. However, what makes me extremely proud is that I am very certain that our programs are unique, our approach is unique, and our faculty team is unique.

Firstly, let’s delve into the specific courses offered in the EMBA and MBA programs. Our curriculum is unlike any other found in any university worldwide. You won’t find the courses we provide anywhere else in the world. It is an exceptionally unique curriculum that combines the essence of both Eastern and Western knowledge. Moreover, through studying these courses, you can obtain an authentic MBA or EMBA certification.

Secondly, you’ll gain additional benefits beyond just the degree. You will learn the synthesis of great ideas from both the Eastern and Western worlds. I like to say to my friends, “Look! About 600 years ago, people discovered that the world is round. Can you believe it?” Indeed, the world is not just America or China; the world is round. We exist in both the East and the West.

Unique Aspect 1: Rooted in Classics

What sets us apart is that we draw upon the timeless wisdom of classical knowledge that spans thousands of years. We strive to integrate the traditions, innovations, and great ideas from both the Eastern and Western realms. Furthermore, we incorporate modern knowledge, which is crucial in the business world. Hence, we encompass a holistic approach that encompasses both the East and the West, the modern and the classical, ensuring that we have everything in place.

Unique Aspect 2: In-depth Extension Education

1. Curriculum Selection

Firstly, when it comes to curriculum selection, all the founders of the university, regardless of being Asian or Western, share a common characteristic: we all have successful entrepreneurial experiences.

Personally, I have found one of the world’s largest diamond and jewelry companies, which was acquired by Warren Buffett when its annual sales reached $250 million. Ms. Zhou Xiaoping, the president of DSEU, and Mr. Chen Tang, the vice president, have also established their own highly successful enterprises. Our curriculum is designed to provide the knowledge necessary to become entrepreneurs. All EMBA and MBA courses follow a strict logical sequence in their design. Since we are all experienced entrepreneurs who have gone through the hardships of starting businesses, we understand the correct logical order of courses and the essential knowledge needed to become an entrepreneur. Therefore, decisions regarding which course to take first, which to take later, whether to include or exclude certain courses, and whether to add new ones are fundamental and significant. Our ability to make these decisions is based on real precedents of our business success and our extensive experience spanning six to seven decades.

2. In-depth Extension Education

Secondly, we offer in-depth extension education. I like to compare in-depth extension education to the seasoning in a meal; we provide delicious, healthy, and nutritious main courses. The main courses alone already offer an excellent business degree, but we also provide additional “side dishes” to make our curriculum stand out.

Regarding these additional “side dishes,” I will introduce them from the following six aspects:

First, “comparison and contrast.”

In every course, we emphasize “comparison and contrast.” What does comparison mean? Let’s say an outstanding Chinese businessperson visits a factory in the United States, carefully observing and seeking to understand the advantages of the business or what they can learn from the company. This is a comparison. When I was in the diamond and jewelry business in the past, I traveled to many countries, often on business trips of around three weeks. I still keep my work reports from that time and enjoy reading them from time to time. I would visit factories in South Asia or Europe and spend two weeks observing how they operate on the production line. This is a comparison. We compare the great ideas of the East and the West, as well as the modern and classical.

At the same time, we also engage in contrast. What does contrast mean? “Hey, maybe this is better than that. If we adopt systems from other industries, this industry’s system could become easier to manage. Or maybe we can borrow the strengths of other ideas in terms of cognition and business systems, some of which may have a history of a thousand years. Because we focus not only on the East and the West but also on the modern and the classical.

I believe our approach of “comparison and contrast” is unique worldwide.

Second, “Physical Exercise.”

We strongly encourage students to maintain good health. We have studied different systems, both Asian and Western. Personally, I have a good background in Western sports. I was a member of the Princeton University rowing team and later studied for many years at ancient universities in the Himalayan region. Our teachers taught us to exercise our bodies, practice yoga, and maintain good physical shape. I believe this is something truly unique. We place great emphasis on taking care of our bodies for the long term, ensuring that we remain healthy and energetic for many years to come.

If you want to achieve long-term business success, there is one very important thing you must do: you have to work and not be bedridden. When I was working in New York, I rarely took sick leave. We must pay serious attention to our physical and mental health.

Third, “Modern and Classical Languages.”

If you have traveled to many places, even if you only landed at another airport or strolled in a foreign city, you would have seen different ways of doing things and learned many things. For example, I remember my trip to Brazil, where I went to purchase various types of gemstones. I visited offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, as well as small offices in Teresópolis and Belo Horizonte. I learned a lot from each place.

When you meet people from other countries, you engage in conversations using a foreign language, which expands your thinking. This morning, I was reading a book written 300 years ago in the Himalayan region, and it was extremely exciting. I learned a lot from it. We encourage everyone to learn another language.

We do not expect everyone to become masters of a particular classical language, but we sincerely encourage everyone to learn. To understand new concepts that our country or era may not have, we need to learn new vocabulary. Using these special words fluently, just like learning new words for computer devices, greatly expands our thinking.

Fourth, “Mindfulness or Meditation Techniques.”

At DSEU, we attach great importance to the cultivation and exercise of focus and concentration. We engage in interesting and exciting exercises to improve focus and the ability to concentrate our consciousness on a problem. If you regularly practice these exercises, you will develop strong concentration skills, and your consciousness will become more powerful. This will help you solve business problems, medical problems, legal problems, or even philosophical problems.

Undoubtedly, the internet and smartphones have somewhat weakened people’s ability to sustain attention and concentrate. Therefore, we teach students simple techniques to improve their focus and concentration. Through such training, you will be able to face very difficult personal and business problems, allowing you to focus your attention on the problem and come up with excellent solutions.

Fifth, “Creative Elective Courses.”

With the development of DSEU, we hope to incorporate the customized learning experience that benefited me greatly at Princeton University. At that time, I was studying Russian at Princeton, and I wanted to spend time researching Russian works on Asia. However, none of the other students at the university were interested in that. So, I went to the Dean of Studies with a suggestion.

I asked, “Can I design a course and recommend it to a professor, convincing them to supervise me in completing a course that involves reading Asian classical texts in Russian?” The Dean replied, “Yes! You can give it a try!” That was the Princeton spirit during my time there, and it was truly amazing.

The school agreed to let me choose a professor and persuade them to set goals with me. Then, at regular intervals, the school would review my progress. If I passed, I would receive credits, and once I completed the required credits, I could graduate.

So, I did just that, and I succeeded. I always feel that it was one of the most precious experiences of my life.

DSEU may not be able to achieve this immediately, but we believe it can be done in the future. To develop a strong team of professors, we need to develop a methodology to deliver this customized experience, which will definitely become our unique feature and commitment. As DSEU grows and expands, we will strive to achieve this goal and commitment as soon as possible.

Sixth，”Sustaining a Vision that Unites East and West.”

My current career has branches in many countries. When you have branches globally and start engaging with other cultures, and interacting with business professionals from different cultural backgrounds, both you and they inevitably become stronger.

All founding members of DSEU have already made arrangements for projects that unite the East and the West because we believe they can truly help the world. That’s why we call it a vision that sustains the union of the East and the West. “Sustaining” means we will not give up. We genuinely encourage students, especially those pursuing MBA and EMBA degrees, to engage with other cultures and business professionals.

We want our students to have the willingness and ability to collaborate with people from around the world. We believe this will create successful businesses and foster a global sense of intimate cooperation rather than tension. In the long run, through such collaborations, we can avoid destroying the world because if that were to happen, nothing else would matter.

We must talk about this from time to time. I believe that as a responsible university founder, one must constantly reflect on the fact that no matter what we teach or learn, if it does not contribute to fostering collaboration among nations, all universities will perish, and all countries will disappear. This is not a theory or a mere possibility; it is something that can very well happen. A responsible university must take action to collaborate with people from around the world to ensure the well-being of the world and enable us to continue engaging in business activities in the future.

These are the six key points of “Deeply Expanding Education” that set us apart, and I believe they are the reasons why DSEU is truly unique.