Sprouting in spring and growing in summer, all creatures are refreshed. On the morning of May 19th, the Opening Ceremony of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA 2023 Spring Cohort was grandly held in Beijing. Industry elites and business executives from all over the country gathered together to set sail with digital intelligence and explore a better future.

▲ The ceremony auditorium

Prof. Isabelle Huault, Dean of emlyon business school, Prof. Nicolas Pejout, Associate Dean of emlyon business school, Prof. William Hua Wang Hua, Associate Dean of emlyon business school and Dean of emlyon Asia, Mr. Weiwei Zhang, Director of Executive Education (EMBA, MBA & EDP) Programs, Ms. Jing Wang, Deputy Director of EMBA Program，Mr. Yue Du, Deputy Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Division of BUPT, Prof. Wei He, Dean of BUPT School of Economics and Management (SEM), Prof. Xiaohang Zhang, Associate Dean of BUPT SEM, Ms. Fan Yang, Director of EMBA Program, and other leaders and guests, as well as Qi Han, representative of emlyon North China Alumni Association, Shusen Meng and Hansong Liu, current student representatives, and all students of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA 2023 Spring Cohort attended the event. The ceremony was presided over by Prof. Xiaohang Zhang, Associate Dean of BUPT SEM.

▲ Prof. Xiaohang Zhang, Associate Dean of the School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, presiding over the ceremony

With the solemn and sacred national anthems of the French Republic and the People's Republic of China, the opening ceremony officially raised the curtain.

▲ Singing the national anthems

▲ Prof. Wei He, Dean of the School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, delivering a speech

At the beginning of the ceremony, Prof. Wei He, Dean of BUPT SEM, delivered a speech. First of all, he welcomed the leadership of emlyon business school and sincerely congratulated all the freshmen for joining the program. Prof. He pointed out that facing the changes in the world, times and history, young people, as the vanguard force in building a country, can be invincible in the unpredictable business world only by upholding the awareness and capability of innovation. He mentioned that as the first post and telecommunications institution of higher learning in New China, BUPT has always adhered to the feelings of patriotism, shouldered the mission of "strengthening the country through network building", trained numerous outstanding talents in the fields of information and communication, and pioneered many firsts in the history of information and communication development in China. In addition, he emphasized that the GEMBA Program is a strong alliance between BUPT and emlyon, which integrates the spirit of "Early Makers" into its DNA, absorbs the world-class faculty and cutting-edge research achievements in advantageous fields of both parties, and makes all efforts to meet the needs of every student for career development and life growth. Finally, he expected everyone to be eager to learn, live up to their youth, bear the mission of contemporary youth with their talents and responsibilities, and glow with their brilliance in spite of the ups and downs of the business world.

▲ Prof. Isabelle Huault, Dean of emlyon business school, addressing speech

Prof. Isabelle Huault, Dean of emlyon business school, addressed a speech and expressed sincere welcome and warm congratulations to the freshmen of 2023 Spring Cohort. She noted that since its creation, emlyon has always been driven by entrepreneurship spirit and has become a major force in the world of business schools. She pointed out that in order to meet the transformation needs of Chinese executives in the process of comprehensive digital transformation, emlyon EMBA programs launched a brand-new curriculum system and specialized modules in 2018. More than ever, the managers, leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow will be makers and visionaries, shapers of the corporate world and societies, with the ability to anticipate and innovate, to experiment and transform. Therefore, she expected our students to perform managerial practices, organizations, act in a very sustainable way, shoulder social responsibility, meet emlyon’s educational philosophy and teaching objectives, and gain unforgettable experience in BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Program.

▲ Qi Han, representative of emlyon North China Alumni Association, making a speech

Qi Han, representative of emlyon North China Alumni Association, brought alumni blessings to the freshmen. First of all, on behalf of emlyon North China Alumni Association, he welcomed all the freshmen to join the community. Han stated that he believes that the spirit of “Early Makers” represents the attitude to keep curious, dare to re-learn, break the shackles of the routine, take innovation as the core driving force and transcend oneself again and again, and hold the high consciousness of social responsibility and humanity. In BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Program represented by rigorous scholarship, he learned management theories, improved leadership, fostered humanistic accomplishment and charisma, and refreshed his spiritual world. In the Gobi Challenge, he successfully challenged himself, while during the “Starry Sky and Rainbow Initiative", he also felt the power of responsibility and public welfare. He revealed that everything is the best meeting, and hoped that at emlyon, the participants would become the pioneers with “Early Maker” spirit, the half windows for each other, and the light to illuminate their own lives.

▲ Shusen Meng, current student representative of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Program, sharing his experience

Shusen Meng, current student representative of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Program, shared his experience and gains from the one-year campus life. He mentioned that the wonderful curriculum design and specialized management knowledge helped him truly realize the significance of returning to campus, and also perceived the inseparable relationship between people in the digital age. On the platform of innovation and exchange in BUPT-emlyon GEMBA, Meng has not only been improved and empowered through curriculum and practice, but also harvested excellent relationship with classmates and faculty, as well as a healthier lifestyle and colorful social activities. He hoped that the freshmen would learn knowledge and make friends on campus, and make good use of the campus resources to pursue a better and brighter future.

▲ Hansong Liu, freshman representative of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA 2023 Spring Cohort, sharing his feelings

As a freshman representative, Hansong Liu of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA 2023 Spring Cohort mentioned that in the face of the rise of intelligent technologies such as data algorithm, artificial intelligence and holographic perception, the Digital Transformation Module exclusively launched by BUPT-emlyon GEMBA has drawn a potential road map for the digital upgrading of enterprises. Liu pointed out that as the only EMBA program featuring digital transformation in China, BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Program keeps pace with the times, fully integrating emlyon’s innovation drive and BUPT’s information industry, artificial intelligence and other industry, education and research resources, so as to encourage students to deeply understand and actively facilitate the digital intelligence transformation and upgrading of their organizations. He expected to build his own differentiated competitiveness and discover the “secret recipe” of corporate development in the Program. He also wished all the students of 2023 Spring Cohort to live up to their youth, achieve success in their studies, and make steady progress in the wave of digital intelligence.

▲ Wearing school badges

▲ Swearing the oath

With the firm and loud pledge of freshmen, the opening ceremony of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA 2023 Spring Cohort came to a successful conclusion in the group photo of school leaders wearing school badges for freshmen. It is expected that in the future dream-seeking journey, the Early Makers of BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Program will live up to their youth, improve themselves, carry forward the spirit of Early Makers and create new glory in life!

▲ Group photo