Filled with heartfelt reunion warmth, alumni of the MBA and EMBA programs from Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) returned to their alma mater for the annual Alumni Homecoming event on May 30 at the university’s Xuhui Campus. Held in celebration of the 130th anniversary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the gathering brought together alumni across different cohorts to reconnect, reminisce and exchange industry wisdom.

Graduates from the MBA Classes of 2003 and 2013, as well as EMBA Classes of 2004, 2014, 2019 and 2021, traveled from across the country to revisit their campus roots, rekindle longstanding friendships and revisit their original aspirations for career and personal growth.

Homecoming Warmth & Enduring Bonds: Leadership Addresses Alumni Gathering

The event was honored with the presence of senior leadership from Antai College and SJTU, including Hu Weiwei, Deputy Party Secretary of SJTU; Professor Jia Weiping, Dean of the Institute for Proactive Healthcare; Chen Fangruo, Dean of Antai College; Jiang Wenning, Party Secretary of Antai College; alongside other senior faculty and administrative representatives.

Delivering an opening address, Hu Weiwei extended a sincere welcome to all returning alumni. She noted that the 130-year glorious journey of Shanghai Jiao Tong University is embodied in the outstanding achievements of every SJTU alumnus and alumna. She emphasized that alumni constitute the university’s most valued strategic partners and most influential brand ambassadors. Beyond facilitating heartfelt reunions, Antai College’s alumni endeavors focus on long-term ecosystem building, mutual capability empowerment and sustainable value co-creation for the future.

Dean Chen Fangruo shared the latest progress and milestone achievements of Antai College in disciplinary development and industry research. He reiterated the college’s core development strategy of “integrating vertical and horizontal disciplines and uniting knowledge with practice”. Moving forward, Antai will further strengthen three key connections: between academia and industry, between business studies and technological innovation, and between the college and the global community.

Jiang Wenning, Party Secretary of Antai College, hosted the ceremony. He stated that Antai will always serve as a warm spiritual harbor, a solid backing and a lifelong growth platform for all alumni. He encouraged graduates to stay connected with the college, participate actively in alumni activities, excel in their respective industries, and add luster to the alma mater with remarkable professional accomplishments.

Zhu Xi, Associate Dean of Antai College, introduced the college’s innovative upgrades in MBA and EMBA program curricula, platform operation mechanisms and alumni service systems. He shared that Antai has built a full lifecycle empowerment system to support alumni’s continuous personal growth and value appreciation. Meanwhile, alumni have long contributed profoundly to the college’s high-quality development. He expressed the hope that Antai and its alumni will continue to unite efforts and scale new heights together.

Keynote Lecture: Health as the Foundation of Career and Social Development

Personal health underpins individual development and serves as a fundamental pillar of social progress. Professor Jia Weiping, a leading expert in chronic disease prevention and control, delivered an insightful keynote speech for the attending alumni.

Professor Jia highlighted that health is the ultimate foundation of all wealth and career development. Supported by authoritative data on China’s chronic disease prevention and governance landscape, she elaborated on the dual health management responsibilities of individuals and enterprises. She pointed out that the healthcare industry is undergoing a fundamental shift from disease-centered treatment to proactive health-centered management. In accordance with national legislation, every citizen is the primary person responsible for their own health, and enterprises should incorporate employee health indicators into corporate management and welfare systems.

Focusing on three prevalent chronic conditions — diabetes, dyslipidemia and obesity — Professor Jia systematically explained their identification criteria, prevention approaches and treatment guidelines, providing science-backed, practical suggestions for healthy dieting and regular physical exercise.

Alumni Sharing: Growth, Reflection and Empowerment at Antai

Three distinguished alumni shared their immersive campus memories, career transformations and profound gains from their studies at Antai during the sharing session.

Fang Binghua, EMBA Class of 2004 and Director of the Center for Hospital Accreditation of Shanghai, shared his in-depth thoughts on the construction of China’s public health system. He recalled his precious study experience at Antai two decades ago, expressing sincere gratitude to the college for equipping him with professional knowledge, systematic thinking methods and the courage to tackle industry challenges. He also extended his best wishes for the college’s future development.

Chen Jiaxin, MBA Class of 2013 and Director of Corporate Affairs & Public Engagement for L’Oréal China & North Asia, shared her unique career insights. She specifically recalled how Antai supported and facilitated the first-ever China campus visit by L’Oréal’s CEO in collaboration with SJTU. The successful cooperation fully demonstrates Antai’s solid strength in industry-university integration, talent co-cultivation and industry-university-research collaborative innovation.

Han Jun, EMBA Class of 2004 and Chairman of Shanghai PanGood Power Technology Co., Ltd., narrated his remarkable transformation from a professional manager to a successful entrepreneur. He attributed his iterative thinking upgrading and corporate resource integration capabilities to his learning experience at Antai, noting that the college has provided solid intellectual support and heartfelt companionship throughout his entrepreneurial journey.

Conclusion

The homecoming event gathered alumni for reunion, mutual learning and wisdom sharing. By revisiting precious campus memories, reconnecting with peers, absorbing professional insights from elite faculty, and feeling the alma mater’s vigorous development momentum, all attendees gained renewed motivation for future growth.

We wish all Antai alumni good health and continued professional success. We look forward to more wonderful reunions at Antai College, SJTU!