▲ Asia-Europe Business School Holds 11th Joint Management Committee Meeting 

On the morning of May 12, the 11th Joint Management Committee Meeting of the Asia-Europe Business School (AEBS) was held at the Putuo Campus of East China Normal University (ECNU). Attendees included Isabelle HUAULT, President of emlyon business school; Nicolas PEJOUT, Executive Vice President of emlyon;  Jifeng TANG, General Manager of Zizhu International Education Park; Qinghua CHEN, Deputy General Manager of Zizhu;  Xuhong QIAN, President of ECNU; Jian WU, Vice President of ECNU; Shuguang KUAI, Director of ECNU’s Office of International Affairs; Zhenyu DU, Director of the Human Resources Department; and Yue Lü, Dean of the Graduate School. The meeting was co-chaired by Jiaxun HE, Chinese Dean of AEBS, and William Hua WANG, French Dean of AEBS.

High-Level Dialogue:Shaping a New Blueprint for Sino-French Cooperation

Prior to the meeting, President Xuhong QIAN of East China Normal University (ECNU) held a formal discussion with President Isabelle HUAULT of emlyon business school. In his remarks, President QIAN noted that the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and shifts in the global landscape present significant challenges for business education. He emphasized that ECNU is currently undergoing a critical phase of transformation, aiming to align with the frontiers of global science and major strategic needs. The university is actively developing cutting-edge disciplines and reforming talent cultivation models through transdisciplinary integration, innovative thinking, and intelligent systems.

President Isabelle HUAULT responded positively, affirming that ECNU is one of emlyon’s most important strategic partners in China. She expressed enthusiasm for deepening collaboration between the two institutions—particularly in emerging interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence and cognitive science—to expand academic influence. The meeting was moderated by Vice President Jian WU.

▲ Speech by Xuhong QIAN, President of East China Normal University

▲ Speech by Isabelle HUAULT, President of emlyon business school

During the meeting, Shuguang KUAI gave a dedicated presentation on the future prospects of deepened cooperation between East China Normal University (ECNU) and emlyon business school. He expressed strong expectations for expanding collaboration areas and advancing business education towards digitalization and interdisciplinary integration.

As a key outcome of the meeting, both parties signed a cooperation agreement for a dual master’s degree program in “Digital Marketing and Data Analytics.” This milestone marks a new phase in Sino-French collaboration at the Asia-Europe Business School (AEBS), driven by AI technologies, and reflects both institutions’ shared commitment to high-quality, innovative, and globalized education.

▲ Both parties signed a cooperation agreement for the joint Master’s dual-degree program in Digital Marketing and Data Analytics.

Brainstorming Together:Building a New Landscape for the School’s Development

At the Management Committee meeting, members reviewed the personnel changes in the joint management committee of the Asia-Europe Business School, and approved that due to role changes, Jian WU, Vice President of East China Normal University; Shuguang KUAI, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office of East China Normal University; and Mark SMITH, Vice President of emlyon business school, will assume the positions of new members of the joint management committee of the Asia-Europe Business School.

Subsequently, Deans Jiaxun HE and William Hua WANG reported to the joint management committee on the school’s development overview and the five-year development plan. The report stated that the achievements of the Asia-Europe Business School can be summarized as the “four highs”: high impact in building the science-business discipline, high level of internationalized education, high performance in academic research publications, and high quality in talent cultivation.

The Asia-Europe Business School has always focused on cultivating students’ creative thinking and innovation abilities, and based on the institutional and resource advantages of collaborative operation with the Shanghai International Chief Technology Officer Academy, has made breakthroughs in the interdisciplinary development field of “science-business.” Currently, international students account for 64% of the school’s student body, with student sources covering 76 countries and regions (including 48 “Belt and Road” countries); The school’s faculty have outstanding research productivity, publishing a total of 4 papers in top global business journals; nearly 60% of graduates continue their studies at top 100 global universities, and about 40% of graduates work in multinational companies or international organizations, with the quality of talent cultivation widely recognized.

▲ Dean Jiaxun HE, Chinese Co-Director of the Asia-Europe Business School, and Dean William Hua WANG, French Co-Director, reported on the school’s development achievements and the five-year development plan.

Over the next five years, the Asia-Europe Business School will focus on “Techno-Business” as its distinctive feature, implementing the development strategies of both institutions. It will base its growth on intelligent technologies and innovative thinking, planning high-quality academic programs to lead innovation in “AI+” business education.

The members of the management committee highly recognized the school’s achievements. During the discussion, participants exchanged views on the school’s strategic goals, discipline planning, program development, faculty team, student training, and international accreditation for the next five years. The meeting also confirmed the celebration of the Asia-Europe Business School’s 10th anniversary (2016–2026) to be held in 2026.

▲ Participants engaged in discussions and exchanges

Xuhong QIAN proposed that both parties deepen cooperation to create an innovative integrated development model of “AI + Quantum + Technology + Business,” cultivating high-quality collaborative projects and interdisciplinary talents in tech-driven business education to meet new challenges in the era of globalization. Isabelle HUAULT sincerely thanked East China Normal University for their trust and collaboration, expressing hope that both sides would focus on the interdisciplinary integration of management with life sciences and biomedicine. She is optimistic about the broad prospects and future development of the partnership. Jifeng TANG offered suggestions for the scalable development of the Asia-Europe Business School and affirmed that the Zizhu High-Tech Park will continue to support and empower its growth. Jian WU stated that East China Normal University will persist in supporting and advancing the development of the Asia-Europe Business School by promoting disciplinary transformation, strengthening faculty teams, enhancing exchanges between Chinese and French teachers, and improving program teaching and student quality.

Looking ahead, both parties will build on the vision, mission, and strategy of the two universities to further explore new paths for integrating education, research, and industry, nurturing more innovative business talents aligned with the demands of the AI era.

▲ Group Photo of the 11th Joint Management Committee Meeting of the Asia-Europe Business School