BeijingMay 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In the AI era, pioneers of innovation. On May 21, 2026, the opening ceremony for the Spring 2026 cohort of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) – emlyon Business School EMBA (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) Program was grandly held at the BUPT Economics and Management Building. These 52 business elites, with an average age of 40, hailing from diverse fields such as digital technology, manufacturing, and cultural tourism, and having deep industry experience, returned to campus to embark on a strategic advanced study journey that integrates BUPT’s “digital intelligence foundation” with emlyon’s “global business acumen.”
This spring cohort brings together leaders from various industries, forming an inclusive and dynamic learning community. Among the class, 63% hold core leadership positions at the vice president level or above. Notably, women executives account for 40% of the new students, bringing resilient and determined strength, adding unique wisdom and brilliance to this quest for digital transformation.
From computer science to pharmaceutical R&D, from supply chain to real estate and international trade, the diverse industry backgrounds provide this learning community with a broad cross-sector perspective. Driven by a thirst for new knowledge, these like-minded pioneers of innovation have officially embarked on their journey together, deconstructing new business paradigms in the AI era and forging a new digital intelligence path that integrates knowledge and action.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mark SMITH, Vice President of emlyon Business School; Xin Wenlong, Asia Director of emlyon Business School; Zhang Weiwei, Director of EE Executive Education Programs at emlyon Business School; Wang Jing, Deputy Director of the EMBA Program at emlyon Business School; Peng Mugen, Vice President of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications; Chen Zhenzhen, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office at BUPT; Chang Zheng, Party Secretary of the School of Economics and Management at BUPT; Yan Qiang, Dean of the School of Economics and Management at BUPT; Xie Zhiyong and Xu Guannan, Vice Deans of the School of Economics and Management at BUPT; Yang Fan, Director of the EMBA Program at the School of Economics and Management at BUPT; Zhang Rongwu, Vice President of the emlyon Business School North China Student Alumni Association; Liu Xiangdong, a current student representative of the BUPT-emlyon EMBA (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) Program; and all 52 students of the Spring 2026 cohort. The ceremony was presided over by Yan Qiang, Dean of the School of Economics and Management at BUPT.
At 9:15 a.m., with the solemn and dignified playing of the national anthems of the French Republic and the People’s Republic of China, all guests and new students stood in respect, marking the official start of the opening ceremony.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Professor Peng Mugen, Vice President of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, delivered a speech, warmly welcoming the leaders from emlyon Business School and all new students of the 2026 EMBA cohort. He pointed out that the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with technological revolutions and industrial transformations accelerating. Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing are reshaping the business landscape. Managers in the new era urgently need professional knowledge, innovative thinking, and cross-sector integration capabilities. Only through continuous learning and self-iteration can they seize the initiative in the era’s development.
Vice President Peng Mugen introduced that Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, known as the “Cradle of Information Technology,” has been deeply rooted in the field of information technology for over 70 years, upholding the patriotic sentiment of “delivering messages across thousands of miles, connecting the nation’s lifeline.” The university has outstanding strengths in cutting-edge technology tracks such as commercial aerospace, space computing, artificial intelligence, and integrated circuits, cultivating a large number of outstanding talents for key national industries over the years. It will continue to fulfill its mission of serving national strategic needs. The BUPT School of Economics and Management has a profound heritage, having cultivated management talents for many years, accumulating strong faculty resources and educational experience. The EMBA program, jointly operated by BUPT and emlyon Business School for a decade, integrates the high-quality resources of both institutions, aiming to cultivate “digital intelligence pioneers in the maker era.” It takes the lead in deploying AI literacy training, committed to comprehensively enhancing students’ strategic vision, leadership skills, and international perspective, achieving fruitful results and a stellar reputation.
Finally, he encouraged the new students to cherish their two years of study, update their knowledge structure, build friendships with classmates, broaden their global perspective, break down professional boundaries, bravely shoulder the mission of the times, and grow into pillars driving industry development and social progress.
Mark SMITH, Vice President of emlyon Business School, extended a warm welcome to the new students of the Spring 2026 cohort in his speech and expressed sincere gratitude to Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, congratulating the two schools on reaching the important milestone of ten years of cooperation. Looking back, he noted that in 2016, a critical juncture for global digital transformation, BUPT and emlyon joined forces to create a forward-looking EMBA program, deeply integrating BUPT’s hardcore technological strength with emlyon’s century-old business heritage. Over the past decade, the program has helped hundreds of business leaders navigate the complex digital era, and this cooperation has become a model of Sino-French cultural exchange and joint empowerment for global sustainable business development.
Vice President Mark SMITH introduced that emlyon Business School, founded in 1872, is one of the oldest business schools in Europe, consistently ranking among the top 1% of business schools globally, holding three major international accreditations. It has always upheld the “maker spirit,” emphasizing learning through action and creation. Against the backdrop of AI reshaping various industries, the program aims to cultivate leaders with critical thinking, responsible action, and innovative courage, highly aligned with emlyon’s 2030 strategic roadmap. Finally, he encouraged the new students to maintain curiosity, a collaborative spirit, and courage, leveraging the high-quality platforms of both schools not only to adapt to the future but also to actively create it.
BUPT-emlyon EMBA 2026 Spring Opening Ceremony
Zhang Rongwu, Vice President of the emlyon Business School North China Student Alumni Association, spoke. She shared that during her studies in the BUPT-emlyon EMBA program, she not only delved deeply into classroom learning, refined her expertise, and visited leading companies, achieving a comprehensive improvement in thinking and perspective, but also actively participated in the Gobi Challenge, honing a resilient life foundation. She even became a member of the Gobi Challenge Executive Committee with her outstanding abilities, helping the school win multiple competition honors. She emphasized that this is not only a personal honor but also a testament to the program’s strength and the strong cohesion of its alumni. As the BUPT-emlyon EMBA program marks a new starting point in its tenth year, she hopes students will carry forward the emlyon spirit and the Gobi spirit, focus on their studies, actively integrate into the alumni network, and continue to break through, shine, and move forward on broader life paths in the future.
Liu Xiangdong, a current student representative of the EMBA (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) Program, spoke. He stated that studying at BUPT-emlyon is a growth journey of “introspection, outward insight, upward elevation, and warm companionship”: through systematic courses, honing management mindset and establishing a comprehensive strategic vision; leveraging the combined business system of the two schools to understand the essence of business and the underlying logic of the digital era; practicing long-term management in corporate social responsibility courses, pursuing the synergy and symbiosis of business, team, and social value; and gaining pure and sincere friendships, walking side by side with good teachers and helpful friends.
Guo Shaoxin, a new student representative of the EMBA (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) Spring 2026 cohort, shared her career experience and learning expectations in her speech. She talked about how, as a practitioner in the cultural tourism industry, she has experienced the transformation challenges from extensive expansion to content creation, community building, and service provision. Faced with the restructuring of business logic in the digital intelligence era, she chose the BUPT-emlyon EMBA, a bridge integrating digital genes and centuries-old European business wisdom, hoping to fill her technical gaps and transform “passion” into “productivity.” Finally, she called on her classmates to forget their titles, focus on learning, truly understand and master technical logic; support each other with advice, turning classmates into “comrades” and “think tanks” moving forward together; and apply what they learn, turning classroom knowledge into effective solutions for real problems.
BUPT and emlyon School Leaders
The climax of the ceremony came during the badge presentation, where leaders from both schools pinned badges on the new students, and all new students recited the enrollment oath.
Thus, the opening ceremony for the Spring 2026 cohort of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications – emlyon Business School EMBA (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) Program concluded successfully. Amid the rapidly changing digital intelligence business landscape, these new students will accumulate knowledge, broaden their horizons, and explore ways to break through and develop. Looking ahead, may they integrate Chinese and foreign wisdom, continuously improve their skills, and become pioneers and doers in the digital intelligence era.