On August 30, 2024, emlyon business school welcomed nearly 100 exchange students from France and other European countries to participate in the Asia Campus Semester (ACS) program.

The Opening Ceremony was successfully held at East China Normal University. The students stepped into the brand-new campus life with great expectation, and we could feel their vision and enthusiasm for the future. We wish every student a fruitful and fulfilling learning journey!

Guest Speeches —— Experiencing Chinese culture and promoting Sino-French friendship

Mr. Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai, Dr. Professor William Hua WANG, Associate Dean of emlyon business school, Dean of emlyon business school Asia and French Dean of Asia Europe Business School, Mrs. Jing Cheng, Vice President of East China Normal University, Mrs. Jessie Zhenya Ma, Vice President, People & Development Employee Communication, GCSEA of Ralph Lauren, and other distinguished guests were invited to attend the opening ceremony of the ACS program.

They also expressed their best wishes for the development of cooperation between China and France and the future of international students coming to China to experience Chinese culture.

▲ Speech by Mr. Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai

Mr. Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai, warmly welcomed all the international students and discussed the significance of exchanges between China and France using his own experience in China as a starting point, encouraging students to deeply experience Chinese culture, feel the charm of different cultures, and make their own contribution to Sino-French exchanges.

▲ Dr. Professor William Hua WANG, Associate Dean of emlyon business school, Dean of emlyon business school Asia, French Dean of Asia Europe Business School

Dr. Professor William Hua WANG told a funny story at the beginning of the seminar, which was fascinating and vividly introduced to the students the rapid development of e-payment and AI technology in China, which led them to take the first step to understand China. He encouraged the students to study seriously, experience a different world and open a new chapter in China.

▲ Mrs. Jing Cheng, Vice President of East China Normal University

Mrs. Jing Cheng recalled the deep history of cooperation between the two universities and emlyon business school since 2007, and emphasized the joint efforts of both sides in education and cultural exchanges. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, she expressed her best wishes for the future development of cooperation, wished the students a full and enjoyable study life, and at the same time pinned high hopes on them to create a new glory of Sino-French cooperation and exchanges.

▲ Mrs. Jessie Zhenya Ma, Vice President, People & Development Employee Communication, GCSEA of Ralph Lauren

Mrs. Jessie Zhenya Ma emphasized the importance of this journey for the future development of the students, and encouraged them to take advantage of this exchange opportunity to fully expand their insights and contacts, and empower their personal growth.

We also invited two outstanding alumni of emlyon business school, Sophie COULON and Echo ZONG, to share their personal experiences with students, hoping to summarize their experiences.

▲ Alumni of emlyon business school, Ms. Sophie COULON and Ms. Echo ZONG

As an alumna, Ms. Sophie COULON participated in the ACS program in 2016, an experience that led her to stay in China to develop and start her own business.

By describing her experiences from her first day on campus to stepping into a brand new environment in China and finally integrating into it along the way, she hopes to encourage the incoming students of ACS 2024 semester to try and explore bravely, practice the school's spirit of creativity, and achieve a better version of themselves.

Ms. Echo ZONG gave a full comparison and summary of her undergraduate experience at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the PGE program at emlyon business school in France.

She will also be the ICP supervisor of L'Oréal in this semester's ACS program, and will be able to communicate more closely with the students, helping them to integrate into the environment and improve themselves more quickly.

emlyon business school Asia Campus has always been committed to promoting exchanges between China and France, providing international students with more opportunities to expand their horizons. We will witness the growth of students here, experience the collision and fusion of multiple cultures, and build a more solid bridge of friendship between China and France.