Alibaba Business School initiates Global E-Commerce Talent Network

Alibaba Business School today announced the establishment of the Global E-Commerce Talent (GET) Network, in collaboration with universities and training institutions from around the world. Focused on educating and equipping individuals with the skills needed for e-commerce success in the digital economy, the GET Network builds on Alibaba’s GET program to offer a full education ecosystem to network members.

The initiative was formalized in front of 1500 educators and government officials at a ceremony officiated by Mr. Yang Jun, Counsellor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC, Ms. Shen Yiqin, Governor of Guizhou Province, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN and Mr. Brian Wong, Vice President of Alibaba Group representing Alibaba Business School. It was launched under the auspices of the 11th annual China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, given the important inroads it will help make in e-commerce education across the region.

The founding members of the network also came together to sign an Article of Authorization. In attendance were representatives from participating universities as well as Dr. Sophon Napathorn, Deputy Minister for Education, Thailand, Mr. Brian Wong of Alibaba Group, and Mr. Abdul Aziz How Abdullah, Counsellor, Embassy of Malaysia in Beijing, in addition to other dignitaries.

In driving the initiative, Alibaba Business School gathered renowned universities and training institutes from across the region to jointly establish the network, which will develop high-quality courses, grow teaching platforms and train teachers to empower their educational institutions to participate in the construction of the future digital economy. While the network is initially made up of institutions who have already taken part in the GET program, plans are in place to bring further members on board from across ASEAN and beyond in the future.

“Alibaba Business School is proud to be driving an initiative so vital to the future of the digital economy. Our mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere and the GET Network is a natural extension of that. We are committing to addressing the shortage of e-commerce talent in important markets and, by empowering educators around the world, we have created a platform for youth and SMEs to understand and learn how to succeed in this dynamic industry. We are excited to be working even more closely with our key education partners to help make this all possible,” said Mr. Wong of Alibaba Group.

“As the first GET member in Asia, UTAR recognised and understood from the very beginning that this program could make a big difference for e-commerce businesses and talent in Malaysia,” said Prof. Dr. Choong Chee Keong, Vice President of Malaysia’s Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), a founding member of the GET Network. “GET has helped us enhance our offering to ensure students are receiving the most relevant, up-to-date courses and learnings for e-commerce and digital business success. Given how dynamic the industry is and how quickly demands for new skills are emerging, this will be an ongoing process – particularly as Malaysia’s Digital Free Trade Zone continues to grow in importance. Today, we are excited to be taking the next step on that journey. The GET Network will bind us even more closely together with Alibaba Group and other forward-looking partners who understand the new e-commerce context.”

“Educators have an important role to play in the development of Thailand’s digital economy,” said Dr. Charoen Chinwanit, Vice President of Thailand’s Burapha University, which is also a founding member of the network. “It is our responsibility to ensure we are delivering what the next generation of e-commerce talent needs to help businesses succeed and evolve. With a view to this, Burapha University has worked with both Alibaba Business School and the Government of Thailand on various initiatives to accelerate that level of digital proficiency. The GET Network will ensure our faculty and students remain at the forefront of e-commerce developments, and that Thailand has the talent it needs to meet the changing demands of consumers and businesses alike.”

Network members will receive access to:

Advice and assistance in setting up a GET Start-up System Incubator
GET Online Learning Platforms (including course materials and multimedia learning assets) and Simulation Platforms
GET’s online community of experts
Online and offline teacher training
The chance to visit Alibaba’s headquarters

The network is an extension of Alibaba Business School’s GET Program, which was founded to bring awareness, innovation and entrepreneurship to cross-border e-commerce through first-rate education and training. The GET Program aims to enable young entrepreneurs and SMEs to better compete in global markets. Conducted by experts from Alibaba Business School and industry practitioners, it includes up to date theoretical and practical training for local education professionals on ecommerce ecosystem, operation and entrepreneurship, offering a holistic view on the global e-commerce system and the digitization of national economies. Certified trainers then use the resources and knowledge acquired to integrate their learnings into e-commerce courses available at their respective institutions.

To date, the GET Program has benefitted 65 education partners, and having trained more than 260 lecturers, 1,600 SMEs and almost 7,000 students. The beneficiaries have come from a diverse set of countries, including Australia, China, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Turkey. The strongest demand so far has come from Malaysia and Thailand, where apart from UTAR and BUU, other leading universities such as INTI International University, Universiti Teknologi MARA, and University of the Thai Chamber of Commrce are also among founding members of the network.