CEIBS’s Europe President: As AI Transforms Business Education, The War For Talent Is Just Beginning

As artificial intelligence upends every corner of industry, business schools must brace for a revolution of their own — or risk being left behind. That’s the message from Dominique Turpin, European president and professor of marketing at China Europe International Business School. Turpin spoke with Poets&Quants in a wide-ranging conversation last fall on the future of business education, technology, and China’s evolving role on the global academic stage.

“We haven’t seen anything yet,” he says, describing demonstrations by Microsoft and Google that left him stunned — remembering in particular a tool that allows users to dictate a topic — say, “the future of the oil industry and the impacts on Saudi Arabia” — and instantly generate a full slide deck, complete with visuals and content in multiple languages.

Another tool, Google’s NotebookLM, turned a short article Turpin wrote into a polished 20-minute podcast — automatically scripted, voiced, and enriched with external sources.

“This is mind-blowing,” he says. “And it’s only the beginning.”

TIME TO ACT — AND FAST

For educators, these innovations present both opportunities and existential challenges. Traditional written exams and assignments are already under threat, Turpin warns, as AI-generated work becomes harder to distinguish from human effort. Some schools, he says, are exploring oral exams as an alternative — even considering robot examiners to remove bias and increase efficiency.

Turpin calls on business schools to act fast, highlighting three priorities: helping students develop critical thinking skills to evaluate AI-generated information, embracing new technologies in curriculum design, and recruiting a new generation of faculty fluent in digital tools.

“There’s going to be a bloody war for talent,” he says. “Every school will want to hire these young professors who understand what AI can do for education.”

NEW PROGRAM PLANNED TO APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

At CEIBS, the transformation is well underway. The school last year launched an internal committee on AI, led by younger faculty, to assess the technology’s implications across disciplines and industries. CEIBS is also in constant dialogue with its alumni network, gauging how AI is reshaping business needs on the ground.

Turpin brings deep experience and international perspective to the challenge. A renowned marketing expert and Japan specialist, he joined CEIBS in 2022 after a decades-long career at IMD, where he served as president, dean, and Nestlé professor from 2010 to 2016. He was also the Dentsu Chaired Professor of Marketing and Dean of External Relations. Earlier in his career, he represented a French firm in Tokyo, where he later earned a doctorate in economics from Sophia University. He holds a master’s degree in marketing from ESSCA and has taught and consulted across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Turpin is a prolific author, with over 100 publications and numerous award-winning case studies to his name. He serves on the boards of several academic institutions and is Chairman of DAA Capital Partners, a Geneva-based private equity firm focused on impactful trends.

Turpin says CEIBS’ AI ambitions go beyond staying technologically competitive. The school is preparing to launch a new academic program specifically aimed at attracting more international students, he says — a strategic move in response to declining foreign enrollment across China’s higher education sector.

“We’re at 17% international students right now,” he says. “We want that number to grow.”

While the details are still under wraps, the proposal is slated for discussion at the school’s board meeting next week. “The European side of the board has already asked these kinds of questions: What are you doing to attract more students and more foreign professors?”

‘YOU CANNOT MAKE A GREAT SCHOOL WITHOUT GREAT STUDENTS’

That question is particularly urgent given China’s broader post-Covid challenges. International tourism and expat populations have yet to rebound, and even domestic demand for MBA programs is softening — a trend Turpin attributes to economic uncertainty.

“When the economy slows down, people hesitate to stop working and enroll in a program,” he says.

Still, Turpin sees China’s market as too important to ignore — and believes that CEIBS remains a unique gateway for those eager to understand it.

“You cannot make a great school without great students,” he says. “We still have a strong applicant pool, we’re selective, and we have something other top Chinese schools like Tsinghua don’t have — a truly international faculty and a willingness to engage with difficult topics.”

Despite global concerns about academic freedom in China, Turpin emphasizes that CEIBS continues to foster a “fairly good freedom” of discussion. “I’ve seen professors be very critical of the Chinese economy in class,” he says, “as long as they are balanced and make a convincing argument.”

‘WE’RE NOT IN THE CONVERSATION WITH HBS & GSB’

Another strength for CEIBS is its leadership in gender representation. The school has the highest percentage of female MBA students in Asia and recently celebrated the graduation of nearly 90 women from its WELA (Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Africa) program, which brings together female entrepreneurs from across the continent’s linguistic and national divides.

But Turpin is candid about the school’s biggest challenge: international recognition.

“We’re not in the conversation with Stanford and Harvard,” he admits. “That’s a major weakness.” And while European and Asian institutions remain open to collaboration, pressure from U.S. authorities is making partnerships with American schools more difficult — even as some U.S. deans privately express support.

As the global landscape shifts, Turpin believes CEIBS’ future will depend on maintaining academic rigor, embracing innovation, and strengthening its international profile.

“We need great students, great faculty, and an innovative curriculum,” he says. “If we keep those three things, we’ll be ready for what comes next.”

DON’T MISS THE P&Q INTERVIEW: DOMINIQUE TURPIN, CEIBS EUROPEAN PRESIDENT and THE SKINNY: WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE TO STUDY AT … CEIBS