October 6, 2018. Dubai, UAE —Around 80 CEIBS Global EMBA2016 graduates travelled to Dubai from all over the world to attend their formal graduation ceremony and receive their EMBA degree certificates. The event marked the first time that the CEIBS Global EMBA department has delivered a graduation module and held a graduation ceremony in the desert city. In the presence of more than 150 family members at the elaborate graduation ceremony, graduates bade farewell to their exciting time at CEIBS on their way to beginning a new chapter of their lives.

In addition to CEIBS Global EMBA2016 graduates and their families, attendees included CEIBS Vice President and Dean Professor Ding Yuan; CEIBS Professor of Management and Associate Dean (Europe) Katherine Xin; CEIBS Professor of Operations Management, Associate Dean, and Director of GEMBA Programme Nikos Tsikriktsis; CEIBS Professor of Management Practice in Accounting Mathew Tsamenyi; as well as Global EMBA department staff and their colleagues from CEIBS Zurich campus.

The graduation ceremony was chaired by Prof. Tsikriktsis. Prof. Ding opened the ceremony with a welcome address in which he passed on some advice to graduates. He also noted that CEIBS, an international business school rooted in China, expanded its global reach over the past 23 years by riding the wave of China’s economic boom. He further emphasised that the CEIBS Global EMBA Programme was one of the centrepieces of the school’s internationalisation strategy, thanks not only to a student body representing 20 regions in Asia, Europe, and Africa, but also to the synergy effect between the programme and the CEIBS campuses in Asia, Europe, and Africa in terms of curriculum design, faculty, admissions team, and operations. Prof. Ding also mentioned that CEIBS would probably expand its overseas presence into North America.

Next, Prof. Tsamenyi conferred the GPA Award on Claus Boege Toxvig from the Shanghai cohort and Kwesi Okyere from the Zurich cohort. They rounded off their 20-month CEIBS study with the highest GPA in their respective cohorts.

Prof. Xin then conferred the Outstanding Graduate Award on Cui Qi, Hong Feng, and Karla Faith Wang from the Shanghai cohort and Semiu Ayofe Lamidi and Su Ruimeng from the Zurich cohort, encouraging them to inspire others in their future career life.

In addition, valedictorians Ms. Uju Uzo-Ojinnaka and Mr. Hong Feng each delivered a speech. As a proud member of the Global EMBA2016 class, Ms. Uzo-Ojinnaka said, “We come from across the globe, with such a wide range of cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and ways of thinking. The diversity has enabled us to learn from each other. Each of us has been actively engaged in class participation and contribution.” In the end, she called on all the graduates from Africa to maintain communication and cooperation so as to establish a strong African alumni network.

Mr. Hong Feng noted that the CEIBS experience has helped him put into perspective his weaknesses and strengths and spurred him and his classmates on to create a brighter future for themselves, their families, and for society. He also expressed his best wishes to his fellow graduates, declaring, “All of you have done a good job! Our pursuit of learning will never stop. Our friendship will last forever. Graduation marks not an end, but the beginning of a new journey.”

One major highlight of the ceremony was the graduates’ expression of gratitude towards the class committees of the Shanghai and Zurich cohorts. Over the past two years, both committees devoted time and effort to organising class events, providing academic support, and facilitating cross-cultural communication, transforming the Global EMBA2016 class into a close-knit family. The graduates also expressed their appreciation towards the three class coordinators for coming along and supporting them.

The graduation ceremony culminated with the degree certificate conferral and the traditional turning of the tassel. The graduates stepped onto the stage one by one to receive their degree certificate marking the beginning of a new stage in both their lives and careers.