The appointment of former President of the European Council Charles Michel as Distinguished Professor at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), has raised eyebrows at a time of heightened sensitivity between Brussels and Beijing.
Although Michel’s appointment was officially announced on May 8, it has only recently begun to attract significant attention across Europe—largely due to the geopolitical issues surrounding a senior EU figure collaborating with an institution based in China.
CEIBS described Michel as an “esteemed former European leader,” stating that his appointment underscores the school’s commitment to fostering high-level dialogue between the European Union and China.
Unlike in the EU bubble, where Michel is a divisive personality, the Chinese educational institution lavished him with praise.
“He was elected as Belgium’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 38; during his mandate, the Belgian government focused on ambitious social economic reforms, praised by the OECD, to attract investment, create jobs, and significantly reduce debt and the budget deficit,” gushes the CEIBS website.
“Following his term, Mr Michel was elected unanimously in 2019 and re-elected in 2022 as President of the European Council, serving until 2024.”
CEIBS Vice Chairman Eric Cornuel said: “Michel had promoted international cooperation on climate change, strengthened dialogue with China, and contributed to shaping the European approach that seeks balance, openness, and responsibility.”
Following his appointment ceremony, Michel said the world needed “more cooperation, more coordination, and much more effort to understand each other better.”
Unlike former European Commissioners, the former President of the European Council was not subject to the so-called cooling-off period, the restriction from engaging in professional activities involving lobbying or advocacy to avoid possible conflicts of interest.
Michel was only required to notify his successor, António Costa, who approved the appointment without informing the rest of the Council.
European People’s Party MEP Miriam M. Lexmann voiced concern about the post on X, and said: “As EUCO President, Charles Michel was always only too happy to accommodate the CCP – so hardly a surprise that his first gig is with CEIBS.”
She added, “I’m curious when offers will also start rolling in from Baku.”
In a later post, Ms Lexmann warned: “On China European leaders need to stop thinking that they can have the cake and eat it. The Chinese are not sharing, they are devouring it.”
🎉 As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of China-EU relations, we're excited to announce that former President of the European Council and former PM of Belgium Charles Michel has been appointed Distinguished Professor at CEIBS. Learn more: https://t.co/3YMt5h6eul pic.twitter.com/ohqOwI92Pb
— CEIBS (@CEIBS) May 13, 2025
Just a few months ago, relations between the EU and China had reached a new low, with both economic powers slapping retaliatory anti-dumping measures on each other.
Initially, Brussels began imposing tariffs on Chinese electric cars, which were flooding the European market after then-US President Joe Biden had imposed higher tariffs on imports.
Beijing has since launched an anti-dumping probe into EU-derived liquor products, a probe against pork-derived imports and a probe against the European dairy industry.
European lawmakers have also been highly critical of China’s human rights track record, particularly how it handles the Uyghur minority. China’s implicit support for the Russian war in Ukraine also has been a sensitive topic.
COMMENT: The EU Parliament's resolution condemning China's treatment of Uyghurs is a rare, blunt move. But will Europe back it with real action, or keep turning a blind eye? asks @BogdanosK. https://t.co/ob0ktpCeGA
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 15, 2024
The CEIBS is consistently ranked among the top business schools globally, particularly for its MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) programs.
It ranked #12 globally for its MBA and #1 globally for its EMBA in the Financial Times 2025 and 2024 rankings, respectively. It holds the #1 position in Asia for its MBA program and is a leader in China for business education.
Belgian news outlet La Libre Belgique noted that a lot of European politicians have worked for the Chinese school in the past.
This included Herman Van Rompuy, former Belgian Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, former French Prime Minister, José Manuel Durão Barroso, former President of the European Commission, Enrico Letta, former Italian Prime Minister, and Pascal Lamy, former European Commissioner for Trade.
The CEIBS has campuses in China, Ghana, and Switzerland. Michel will remain in Belgium, but will travel to various sites.
CEIBS is notably also co-funded by the European Union.
In a reaction to La Libre Belgique, Michel said: “In these troubled geopolitical times, universities and schools play a critical role in fostering mutual understanding between powers. They are poles of dialogue and bridges between continents.”
According to the newspaper, he would be open to teaching in other institutions as well, or as an advisor for public and private companies.
After leaving his job as President of the European Council, Michel was entitled to what is called a “transitional allowance” of around €260,000.
Brussels Signal reached out to the Council, but did not receive a reply at the time of publication.
Belgian Labour Party MEP Marc Botenga has called for an end to European “exit allowances”, citing what he called the “indecent golden parachute” of European Council President Charles Michel. https://t.co/g102Lp0CaQ
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) September 19, 2024
