Students in XJTU-SKEMA joint MSc celebrate graduation

​After a two-year intensive learning journey, the first graduates of the programme flung their graduation caps in the air with joy. They were invited on stage one by one to accept the diplomas and awards in the presence of their families, professors and management from both schools. Several graduates were awarded for their outstanding performance and long-term commitment.

Inspiring speeches for graduates

Vice-dean of SKEMA, Patrice Houdayer, warmly congratulated the graduates on their academic and professional success. In his online speech, he spoke about a wide range of basic principles such as work and life balance, aspiring for excellence, full engagement to careers, staying humble and paying close attention to details. The programme's director Nicolas Servel encouraged graduates to accomplish more achievements and said: "It is the perfect time to dare to launch new projects and new initiatives in the big data and AI field."

After graduating from the joint programme, the students became the alumni of both the higher education institutions. They were welcomed to join SKEMA Ventures to incubate and boost their business projects. "It's a fantastic ecosystem to accompany you to reach your entrepreneurial dreams," said Matthieu Dumont, campus director of SKEMA China.

Faced with challenges such as the pandemic, hybrid teaching, and master dissertations, the graduates showed tremendous passion and perseverance. According to Wenyu Dou, academic dean of SKEMA China, they gained not only knowledge in the classes, but also lifelong learning capacities to solve complex problems and strengthen personal competencies. Séverine Boué, the Consul for Education at the French Consulate in Shanghai remarked that the graduates can "be proud of themselves since they succeeded in combining professional activities and training courses, and overcoming various difficulties in the last two years." 

Representatives from Xi'an Jiaotong University

Representatives of Xi'an Jiaotong University attending the ceremony included Guang Xi (vice dean), Gengzhong Feng (dean of the School of Management), XueyongWei (associate director of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges), Chengli Shu (director of Center for International Programmes of the School of Management) and Yuewen Liu (professor of the School of Management), among others.

SKEMA Alumni networks

With the graduates joining in, the SKEMA Alumni networks have further expanded. The community now comprises more than 54,000 alumni in over 145 countries. The ceremony ended with a gala performance organised by the graduates themselves, impressing their families and professors.

Close tie between France and China

Aimed at training future elites and industry leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation, the MSc EI (Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Management) began at the start of the 2020 academic year. This joint programme is open to applicants with L3 (and at least 3 years of professional experience) to M2 level. At the end of the two years of study, students receive the diploma of SKEMA (MSc) and that of the Chinese Ministry of Education.