BEIJING, April 28, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --
- Selection of Participants for Final Period of the EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme Completed - Competitive Scheme Reports Record-Breaking Number of Applicants - Start of the EU-Funded Programme is 17 May 2010
One month prior to the start of the final intake of the EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP), 56 managers from 22 EU member states have been chosen to become China experts. This fifth intake of the ten-month programme, that offers in-depth language training and practical experience in China, has attracted more applicants than ever before. Five executives from the UK have managed to secure places in this competitive programme. Paul Morris is looking forward to joining the programme: I work as producer and cameraman in the media sector and am very happy that the Sino-European jury accepted my business plan for a media production company. METP enables me to learn Chinese and likewise obtain first-hand knowledge to conduct business in China.
The fully-financed programme offers EU-based companies, especially small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) that often lack the resources to establish business relations with China, the possibility to train their employees to become qualified experts for the foreign market. Ideally, these experts will utilise their newly acquired skills and contacts to conduct business with China. I welcome this programme because it highlights a very important aspect of the EU-China relationship - confidence in one another. Building that confidence will be key if we are to continue to develop a deep and lasting EU-China trade relationship, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton during a meeting with the latest METP participants in Beijing.
The final intake, METP 5, will start for both the European and Chinese managers on May 17 in Beijing. Stefan Hell, Team Leader of METP, highlights the uniqueness of the programme: Since METP is not limited to specific industries or fields of expertise, it brings together participants with various backgrounds and enables them to exchange their knowledge and experience. Thereby, METP provides not only a profound knowledge of the foreign economy, culture and business ethics, but also functions as a platform where European and Chinese managers meet and build long-term relationships.
Besides the organisation of the whole stay in China, the EU covers all tuition fees and provides participants with a monthly living allowance (1,000 Euros). All graduates receive an official diploma signed by the EU Ambassador to China and the President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
For further information about METP visit http://www.metp.net.cn or contact the METP hotline at +49-69-15402-638.
The EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP) is a five-year intergovernmental cooperation project between the European Commission and the Government of the People's Republic of China. Placed within the dynamic context of continuously evolving relations between the EU and China, the non-profit programme is designed to enhance business expertise by developing European and Chinese human resources. METP aims to train and financially support internships for 450 Chinese managers in the EU and European managers in China. The programme is implemented by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade from 2006 to 2011, and total funding from the EC and the Government of China is 23 million Euros.
Enquiries: Publicis Consultants | Deutschland Steffi Fahjen, Tel.: +49-69-154-02-394 E-Mail: steffi.fahjen@publicis-consultants.de http://www.publicis-consultants.de
SOURCE: EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme
CONTACT: Enquiries: Publicis Consultants | Deutschland, Steffi Fahjen,Tel.: +49-69-154-02-394, E-Mail: steffi.fahjen@publicis-consultants.de
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