Associate Dean for Internationalisation and Global Partnerships

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University – International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)

POSITION OVERVIEW

Academic Leadership Role: Associate Dean for Internationalisation and Global Partnerships

Role Terms: Three years in a term, Renewable subject to satisfactory review, Total Two Terms

Preferred Academic Qualification: Senior Associate Professor / Professor

Contract Type: Fixed-term, Renewable subject to satisfactory review; 3rd contract is open-ended

Reporting to: Dean, IBSS

ABOUT XJTLU

In 2006 Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was created by the University of Liverpool and Xi’an Jiaotong University – a top ten university in China. Offering a unique international education experience, XJTLU brings together excellent research practice and expertise from both institutions and gives students the skills and knowledge they need to secure careers in a global marketplace. XJTLU now has over 25,000 enrolled students in both Suzhou and Liverpool in the UK, with plans to grow to about 28,000 students by 2025. There are currently about 2,000 staff, among which about 1,000 academic staff, with an almost even split between citizens of the People’s Republic of China and international passport holders. XJTLU offers our undergraduates and postgraduates over 100 programmes with a diverse spectrum of courses.

XJTLU is entering a new and exciting phase of its development as part of its strategic priorities for the next ten years. Adopting a new higher education model based on the concept of Syntegrative Education (SE), XJTLU is currently opening a new Entrepreneurial Education site in Taicang, part of wider Suzhou, where the Entrepreneur College (Taicang) is located. The Taicang site will be a pioneer of, and educational model for, the future campus in addressing challenges arising from the 4th Industrial Revolution. Other new initiatives include new working partnerships with Xi’an Jiaotong University, the continued development of the four new Academies, and exploration of further potential locations to develop the SE model.

With a focus on innovative learning and teaching, and research, XJTLU draws on the strengths of its parent universities, and plays a pivotal role in facilitating access to China for UK and other institutional partners. At same time, XJTLU is exploring future education by blending the educational theory, best practice and culture from west and east.

For detailed information about the university, please visit www.xjtlu.edu.cn.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL SUZHOU (IBSS)

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is growing in size and influence in pursuit of its vision to be a leading international business school. The school is based on strong principles of internationalism, innovation, inspiration and integrity, which together ensure that we have a positive impact on society through our teaching, research and business engagement. In that pursuit, IBSS became the youngest business school to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in 2016, and again, the youngest School to receive EQUIS accreditation in 2018. Receiving joint accreditation of AMBA and BGA in 2020, IBSS became the world’s 103rd triple accredited business school.

The five departments of IBSS are Accounting, Economics, Finance, Intelligent Operations and Marketing, and Strategic Management and Organizations with over 170 faculty members and more than 6,000 students from over 60 different countries. IBSS delivers a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, PhD and Executive Education programmes across all major business disciplines.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Associate Dean for Internationalisation and Global Partnerships (AD IGP) plays a pivotal strategic leadership role in advancing the international ambitions of IBSS, in full alignment with XJTLU’s institutional vision as “根深中国的国际大学，国际认可的中国大学”—a deeply rooted Chinese international university and a globally recognised Chinese institution. Reflecting IBSS’s mission to bridge the local and the international, this role is designed for a senior academic leader who can connect global expertise with local relevance, building partnerships that are globally impactful and contextually grounded.

At its core, the role is responsible for developing and maintaining a diverse and high impact strategic portfolio of international collaborations—including academic mobility programmes, institutional agreements, joint research, and co-delivered educational initiatives. These efforts aim to enhance IBSS’s global profile while also reinforcing its role as a connector between international networks and the Chinese education and business ecosystems. The Associate Dean will act as IBSS’s representative in high-level institutional dialogues abroad, cultivating relationships that position the School as a bridge between China and the world.

The AD IGP also carries a clear revenue-generating mandate. The role involves leading the internationalisation of IBSS’s executive education programmes—driving global marketing, building client relationships, and designing co-developed offerings with international partners. These initiatives must generate revenue, expand global reach, and, critically, reflect the integration of international standards with insights rooted in China’s economic, business, and innovation contexts.

Promoting “internationalisation at home” is also a vital element of this portfolio. The Associate Dean will work to embed global perspectives across the academic environment, expand intercultural learning opportunities for all students, and support curriculum innovation that prepares graduates to operate confidently in both global and local settings. In parallel, the role supports international student recruitment and student body diversification by working with upstream stakeholders—such as international high schools and scholarship bodies—in close coordination with marketing and admissions teams.

Finally, as a member of the senior leadership team, the AD IGP collaborates closely with the Dean, Deputy Dean, and other Associate Deans to ensure that internationalisation is deeply integrated into IBSS’s broader transformation into XJTLU’s Business Intelligence Hub. In doing so, the Associate Dean will help ensure that IBSS not only connects China with the world but also contributes meaningfully to shaping the future of global business education.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Global Partnerships and Institutional Relations
• Cross-Border Executive Education and International Programme Development
• International Student Recruitment and Global Market Development
• Strategic Integration, Local Relevance, and Institutional Leadership

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

Essential and Desirable qualifications listed.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Strategic thinking, diplomacy, etc.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT

Details on allowances, insurance, holidays, etc.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application on our university website via the ‘Apply’ button above. Applications must be submitted in a single pdf file that includes a cover letter, a current CV, and contact details for three references. Informal enquiries may be addressed to the HRBP Ms. Ye (Gloria) Lan at ye.lan@xjtlu.edu.cn.