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SKEMA China celebrates 15th anniversary amid France-Sino milestones
SKEMA Business School celebrated the 15th anniversary of its establishment in China (Suzhou) with a ceremony at the CCI FRANCE CHINE in Shanghai, attended by members of the Executive Committee, graduates, partners and staff. This landmark event, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China, the France-China Year of Cultural Tourism and the forthcoming Paris Olympic Games, highlighted the school's contributions to international business education.
A look back at the major events that marked the SKEMA Alumni community in China: the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Suzhou campus on May 23, then the Alumni reunion at the Beijing afterwork on June 5 and the Shanghai Summer Brunch on July 6.
15 years of the Suzhou Campus: a great opportunity to revisit SKEMA's remarkable development in China
At the anniversary evening in Suzhou on May 23, Managing Director Alice Guilhon expressed the institution's gratitude to SKEMA's Chinese community, and introduced two special guests who have been with SKEMA since the early days of its adventure in China: Mme Annick de Kermadecirc-Bentzmann and Mme Caroline Penard, respectively Honorary President and Managing Director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Alice Guilhon highlighted SKEMA's considerable development in China through the creation of the Suzhou campus in 2009, which welcomes international students, and the Nanjing campus, known as the International Joint Audit Institute, founded jointly with Nanjing Audit University in 2020, which has 1,200 Chinese students each year.
She also highlighted the success of the XJTU-SKEMA joint master's program in entrepreneurship and innovation, focusing on Big Data and artificial intelligence management. This program has welcomed 240 students and graduates to date.
SKEMA China's educational collaborations have gone much further. Executive Education programs are expanding steadily, with degree courses such as the EMBA for Saint-Gobain and joint non-degree certificates with CCI FRANCE CHINE, for example. At the same time, the school launched its first Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in sustainable development, underlining its commitment to responsible business practices.
The celebration ended with a cocktail reception for the 100 attendees, providing a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress made since 2009.
Shanghai and Beijing chapters: a committed community, a living network
The SKEMA Alumni network is very active in China, as demonstrated by thewealth of events organized by the Shanghai and Beijing chapters. Since last May, thanks to the commitment of local ambassadors, these chapters have succeeded in creating numerous meeting opportunities for graduates.
The afterworks on June 5 and 6 in Hong Kong and Beijing, and the summer brunch on July 6 in Shanghai, highlighted the dynamism and commitment of alumni in the region. The Shanghai Chapter celebrated the end of the 2024-2025 academic year with a convivial and festive brunch, while members of the Hong Kong and Beijing Chapters got together enthusiastically to share their career paths and successes, in the wake of SKEMA Business School's development in China. These moments of exchange, whichbrought together a total of nearly 100 alumni and local ambassadors, provided an opportunity to discuss current and future initiatives to continue to animate the alumni network in China and support the expansion of the SKEMA community.
The next 15 years of SKEMA's ambitious history in China look promising, guided by the institution's ambition and supported by the energy of the forces involved.
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to our local ambassadors, without whom the work of running the network would not be possible:
Matthieu Dumont ( SKEMA 2011), SKEMA Suzhou Campus Director
Siying Yao (SKEMA 2019) and Matthieu Ventelon (SKEMA 2017), Shanghai Chapter Ambassadors
Jiayi MIAO (SKEMA 2020), Director, Chinese Development Bank and Sam Shusen GUO (SKEMA 2013), Founder FashionReal (Elite Edge Fashion Agency), Beijing Chapter Ambassadors
Pierre-Yves Dupuis (SKEMA 2005) and Jean-Baptiste Roy (SKEMA 2008), Ambassadors Interim of the Hong Kong Chapter.
