Distinguished leaders from both institutions, faculty members, alumni, and industry partners gathered to honor this pivotal moment, one that reflects ambition, transformation, and a shared commitment to global leadership.
Distinguished guests attending the ceremony :
- Mr. Joan VALADOU, Consul Général de France à Shanghai;
- Mr. Alexandre de NAVAILLES, Director General, KEDGE Business School;
- Ms. XIE Wei, Deputy Director of International Affairs Division and Director of Entry-Exit Management and Service Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- Ms. CONG Feng, Deputy Director of Academic Affairs Office, Shanghai Jiao Tong University;
- Prof. ZHANG Weimin, Dean of USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University;
- Mr. Frédéric COZIC, Deputy CEO-Operation, KEDGE Business School;
- Prof. Armand BAJARD, Associate Dean for Career Management, KEDGE Business School;
- Prof. Jean-François VERGNAUD, Managing Director of KEDGE Business School China
- Prof. Hervé REMAUD, Director of International MBA Programmes, KEDGE Business School;
- Prof. Nicolas PETIT, French Representative of Sino-French Institute of Renmin University of China and Academic Director of KEDGE Business School China;
- Ms. LIU Jiachen, Assistant to the Dean and Director of Industry Collaboration Office, USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- Mr. Matthias ARVIEUX, Educational Affairs Officer, Consulat Général de France à Shanghai
- Dr. LI Renwei, Annual Rotating President 2026-2027 of KEDGE Alumni Association Committee in China
- Dr. Alain-James PALISSE, Managing Director and Academic Director of French Office, Sino-French Institute of Arts and Design Management, Central Academy of Fina Arts
- Mr. Pascal CHEN, Deputy General Manager of CCI France Chine
Host of the ceremony：Ms. Faye YAN, Operations Director of KEDGE Business School China
A Ceremony Rooted in Global Partnership
The ceremony opened in a formal and celebratory atmosphere, with multilingual remarks in Chinese, French, and English reflecting the programme’s truly international character. As graduates entered in academic regalia, they were met with warm applause, an acknowledgment of both achievement and resilience. The national anthems of China and France followed, underscoring over two decades of enduring collaboration between the two nations in education and business. More than a ceremonial tradition, the moment symbolized a deep and evolving partnership, anchored in mutual respect and a shared vision for the future.
Shaping the Future of Sino-French Education
The Consul General of France in Shanghai, Joan VALADOU, delivered a speech in Chinese in which he congratulated the 47 graduates and the 46 new students, while also reflecting on more than twenty years of cooperation between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and KEDGE Business School. He highlighted the pioneering nature of this program, the first MBA jointly created by Chinese and French higher education institutions, which demonstrates the vitality of exchanges between the two countries in the fields of higher education and human relations. Drawing on recent interactions between the two countries’ heads of state and high-level visits, as well as upcoming major events in 2026, such as the Franco-Chinese Cultural Spring and the Francophonie Month, he encouraged students to actively engage in intercultural dialogue alongside their studies.
XIE Wei, Deputy Director of International Affairs Division and Director of Entry-Exit Management and Service Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), reaffirmed the university’s longstanding commitment to international collaboration. She described the KEDGE- SJTU partnership as a flagship model of Sino-foreign education, and emphasized future ambitions to further enhance curriculum innovation and global exposure.
Alexandre de NAVAILLES, Director General of KEDGE Business School, paid tribute to SJTU’s 130-year legacy and reflected on more than 23 years of partnership between the two institutions. Citing the Chinese philosophy of harmony and interconnectedness, he stressed that education today plays a vital role not only in knowledge exchange, but also in fostering dialogue, cooperation, and peace. He encouraged new students to embrace lifelong learning in an era shaped by artificial intelligence and sustainability challenges, and praised graduates as both the outcome and future drivers of international collaboration.
Prof. ZHANG Weimin, Dean of USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) at SJTU, highlighted the importance of sincere and sustained collaboration. He emphasized that global perspective, intercultural fluency, and forward-looking management capabilities are at the core of the programme’s mission: equipping students to navigate complexity and create meaningful impact.
Programme Director Prof. Hervé REMAUD reflected on the graduates’ journey, noting that leadership is not defined by title, but by the courage to inspire and create positive change. In a world marked by uncertainty, he said, global perspective is both an advantage and a responsibility.
Celebrating Achievement and Impact
A commemorative video retraced the Graduating Class of 2025’s two-year journey -- balancing professional ambition with academic rigor, and capturing moments of growth, challenge, and transformation.
Speaking on behalf of the graduating class, student representative ZHANG Xiaofan described the programme as a transformative experience, one that sharpened management expertise while cultivating a global mindset and cross-cultural collaboration skills. Beyond the classroom, he reflected, peers became trusted partners and lifelong friends.
The graduation ceremony reached its pinnacle as degrees were formally conferred. In a moment of pride and emotion, graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, marking both the culmination of their Global MBA journey and the beginning of a new chapter.
Outstanding achievements were recognized through a series of awards, including “Outstanding Graduates”, “Best Capstone Project”, “Excellence in Class Performance”, “Best Class Contribution” and “Student Ambassador” honors, celebrating not only academic distinction, but also leadership and community impact.
Welcoming a New Generation of Leaders
The ceremony also marked the formal induction of the incoming cohort. Following a dynamic welcome video, new student representative CAO Xuesong spoke of choosing the programme as a deliberate commitment to long-term growth: an investment in building a structured and resilient understanding of business. He encouraged his peers to anchor themselves in SJTU’s academic depth while embracing KEDGE’s spirit of innovation: navigating uncertainty with clarity, discipline and ambition.
Alumni representative Dr. LI Renwei, annual rotating president 2026-2027 of the KEDGE Alumni Association Committee in China, highlighted the strength of the global alumni network. Through industry forums, company visits, and cross-institutional exchange, the community continues to foster lifelong learning and mutual support in a rapidly changing world.
In a symbolic gesture, leaders from both institutions presented new Global MBA students with the official emblems of SJTU and KEDGE, marking their dual student identity and their role as future connectors between cultures, industries and ideas.
A Continuing Journey of Excellence
This cross-border celebration represents more than a milestone: it is a reaffirmation of a shared vision. As the graduating Class of 2025 embarks on new professional journeys, and the incoming cohort begins theirs, the KEDGE-SJTU Global MBA Programme continues to evolve as a platform for global leadership.
Since its inception, the programme has cultivated over a thousand business professionals with both international vision and deep local insight. In an era defined by both globalization and complexity, it remains committed to developing leaders who combine innovation with responsibility and who will shape the future of business across borders.
Faye YAN, Operations Director of KEDGE Business School China
Alexandre de NAVAILLES, Director General of KEDGE Business School
Prof. ZHANG Weimin, Dean of USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Prof. Hervé REMAUD, Director of International MBA Programmes at KEDGE Business School
XIE Wei, Deputy Director of International Affairs Division and Director of Entry-Exit Management and Service Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai
