On May 21, 2026, the graduation ceremony for the BUPT-emlyon GEMBA Class of 2026 kicked off grandly at Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing. Prof. Mark Jonathon SMITH, Vice President of emlyon business school, Dr. Wenlong XING, Asia Dean of emlyon business school, and Prof. Jun LU, EMBA Academic Director of emlyon business school attended the ceremony. The event was hosted by Dr. Jason ZHANG, Executive Education Director of emlyon business school.

The ceremony officially commenced amid the solemn playing of the national anthems of the French Republic and the People’s Republic of China.

▲ Prof. Mark Jonathon SMITH，Dean of Programs at emlyon business school

Prof. Mark Jonathon SMITH delivered the opening speech and extended sincere congratulations to all graduates. He noted the graduation coincided with the 10th anniversary milestone of the joint EMBA cooperation between the two institutions, with all alumni standing as precious witnesses to their decade of outstanding partnership. Founded over 150 years ago, emlyon business school holds triple crown international accreditations, boasts distinguished faculty and an alumni network spanning 130 countries worldwide with globally recognized education standards. As a top-tier university specializing in information technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) has built a robust partnership with emlyon, creating a platform bridging European management insights and China’s technological innovation strengths. Over the past decade, the program has kept upgrading its curriculum by integrating cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence and big data into core courses. Keeping pace with global business shifts, it has cultivated more than 1,000 high-caliber senior managers who serve as core drivers advancing digital intelligence transformation across industries in China and globally.

Prof. Mark SMITH commented on the volatile global landscape and accelerated technological disruption filled with both challenges and opportunities. He urged graduates to retain the values cultivated during their studies, maintain rigorous independent thinking, pursue objective truth and inclusive mindsets, and put knowledge into practice for a sustainable future. BUPT and emlyon will always be home to all alumni, with the global alumni community continuously providing support. He promised deeper bilateral cooperation to nurture more cross-cultural business elites capable of creating global commercial value and wished every graduate a prosperous career.

▲ Dr. Wenlong XING, Dean of emlyon business school Asia

On behalf of emlyon business school Asia, Dr. Wenlong XING congratulated all graduates from the 2023 Fall intake and 2024 Spring intake of BUPT-emlyon EMBA. Marking the program’s 10th anniversary, he described the decade as a golden era featuring in-depth Sino-French educational integration, coordinated development of technology and management, and targeted cultivation of industrial leaders, with graduates embodying the outstanding outcomes of the program’s decade-long development.

Dr. Wenlong XING mentioned rampant uncertainties across geopolitics and technological advancement, alongside rapid AI iteration and drastic industrial restructuring. Choosing to resume studies amid sweeping changes demonstrated the students’ courage to upgrade themselves and embrace transformation. During their studies, they achieved holistic progress in expertise, mindset, vision and cognition, evolving into core pioneers spearheading corporate restructuring and organizational reform amid the AI revolution.

Upholding its core "Maker Pioneer" education philosophy over ten years, the program breaks the limitations of traditional management courses and consistently ranks highly on authoritative global rankings such as QS and FT, serving as a trusted platform facilitating Chinese entrepreneurs’ growth. Closing his speech, he shared a heartfelt advice: “Do not let technology define who you are.” He hoped graduates would stick to personal values and judgment, stay clear-headed yet warm-hearted, stay ahead of trends, and embrace new accomplishments alongside the program in the next decade.

▲ Hongrui ZHANG, GEMBA2023 Fall cohort

Hongrui ZHANG, graduate representative of the 2023 Fall cohort, delivered a wonderful address. The two-year EMBA curriculum equipped students with systematic business theories and innovative thinking, while international teaching and maker culture reshaped their mindset and helped them grasp the essence of integrating knowledge with practice. The Gobi Desert hiking activity remained an unforgettable experience, toughening their perseverance and teaching that teamwork and long-term perseverance pave the way for sustainable development.

Drawing on the resilience and teamwork forged from the Gobi challenge, Hongrui and his teammates resolved difficulties in a digital signature overseas expansion project. After tackling cross-border compliance barriers and diversified market challenges and pooling internal and external resources, they finalized a full overseas operation plan and generated steady revenue, embodying the pragmatic maker spirit advocated by the school.

Hongrui emphasized graduation marks a fresh starting point rather than the end of learning. Moving forward, all alumni will leverage global horizons to deepen development in digital cross-border industries, abide by compliance rules, apply academic learnings into real-world practice, and showcase the pragmatism and perseverance of Chinese entrepreneurs on the global commercial arena.

▲ Yapan ZHANG, GEMBA 2024 Spring cohort

Yapan ZHANG, representative of the 2024 Spring intake graduates, recalled her precious learning journey. Full of curiosity and aspiration upon enrollment, all participants matured and grew resolute after two years of systematic study. They drew digital and internet thinking from BUPT, known as the “Huangpu of Information Industry”, while absorbing emlyon’s century-old business philosophy, blending rigorous academic standards and innovative maker spirits rooted in French academia. In-class discussions on digital transformation cases, overseas study tours and joint Gobi challenges together formed a unique China-West integrated practical training model empowering them to navigate complex commercial uncertainties confidently.

For Yapan, the most valuable harvest was lifelong friendship with classmates who grew side by side. She expressed sincere gratitude to all faculty for patient guidance and dedicated teaching. In future careers, the cohort will carry forward the Maker Pioneer spirit, conquer industrial hurdles through innovation and deliver tangible achievements to repay institutional cultivation and social expectations. She wished everlasting prosperity to the two universities, good health for all professors, and outstanding achievements for every graduate across all sectors.

During the degree conferral session, Prof. Mark Jonathon SMITH, Dr. Wenlong XIN and Prof. Jun LU awarded graduation certificates, performed the traditional hooding ceremony and took group photos with all graduates.

A decade of persistent cultivation bears fruitful results, and new journeys unfold for all dream chasers. The ceremony not only concludes the graduates’ academic journey but also stands as solid testimony to ten years of joint talent cultivation between BUPT and emlyon business school. Moving ahead, both institutions will stay true to their original mission, further develop international education and build high-end exchange platforms to cultivate forward-thinking business leaders equipped with global vision, innovative maker spirits and social responsibility. We wish every BUPT-emlyon EMBA graduate to carry alma mater’s blessings, chase dreams passionately, lead the AI industrial trend and compose brilliant personal achievements.