AI, analytics and cultural insight converged in the 2025 ESCP–Beihang Student Exchange Programme
In May 2025, 88 students from ESCP’s Master in Big Data and Business Analytics (MBD) programme travelled to Beijing for a week-long academic and cultural exchange hosted by Beihang University’s School of Economics and Management (SEM).
Representing 25 nationalities across Europe, Asia, the Americas and beyond, ESCP students embarked on an intensive itinerary of academic lectures, site visits, and cultural excursions all designed to expand their understanding of AI, data science, and the future of business in a fast-evolving global context.
Welcoming the Future: A Ceremony Marking Shared Purpose
The programme officially kicked off on May 12 with an opening ceremony held at Beihang University’s New Main Building. The event was attended by SEM Dean Professor Ying Fan, Professor Guannan Liu, ESCP Professor Wei Zhou, MBD Programme Manager Hasna Mahad, and the exchange students.
Professor Fan warmly welcomed the ESCP delegation and underscored the increasing significance of international collaboration in the age of artificial intelligence and big data. She highlighted the programme’s eight-year legacy in promoting Sino–French educational and cultural exchange, while equipping students with essential skills in data analytics, machine learning, and large language models (LLMs) to address global challenges.
Professor Zhou expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality and seamless organisation of the event, noting that the synergy between ESCP’s business acumen and Beihang’s engineering expertise is united by a shared commitment to excellence in AI and data science.
Professor Guannan Liu, Director of the exchange programme at Beihang, introduced the academic schedule and encouraged students to design AI agents powered by large language models (LLMs), with the goal of advancing business management or driving innovation for start-ups.
Inside China's Fintech Ecosystem: Du Xiaoman Financial Visit
On the afternoon of May 12, students visited Du Xiaoman Financial, a leading fintech company in China and a subsidiary of Baidu. During the visit, they explored cutting-edge technologies, including facial recognition systems and intelligent voice robots, and observed real-time credit services delivered through an AI-powered smart display. This immersive experience provided valuable insights into Du Xiaoman’s innovative practices and ecosystem development in the fintech sector, highlighting the vast potential of AI and data intelligence in shaping the future of modern finance.
Academic Deep Dives: From Neural Networks to Business Intelligence
On May 13, Professor Liu delivered a morning lecture titled "An Introduction to Deep Learning." The session covered the fundamental structure of deep learning and concluded with real-world application cases that demonstrated the practical impact of these technologies.
In the afternoon, Ms Shumei Lv, Business Development Manager for SAP’s Global Cloud Platform for Mobile Services, presented a series of case studies showcasing SAP’s use of AI in business intelligence. She provided an overview of SAP’s strengths in data engineering, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, and demonstrated how SAP’s generative AI agent Joule has been successfully integrated into finance, customer service, and sales operations.
On to Hangzhou: China’s Innovation Hub
On May 15, students visited the Alibaba Cloud Campus and Future Sci-Tech City in Hangzhou, two of China’s leading innovation hubs. These visits offered a deeper understanding of how AI and big data are transforming a wide range of sectors, including the economy, technology, education, healthcare, and cultural tourism.
In addition to academic activities, students also had the opportunity to visit the Liangzhu Archaeological Site and the ancient town of Pingyao. These cultural excursions offered a glimpse into China’s rich historical heritage, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of traditional Chinese civilisation while experiencing its vibrant cultural landscapes first-hand.
Showcasing Innovation: AI Final Projects with Global Relevance
On May 16, students showcased their final group projects, unveiling ten AI-powered intelligent agents. These included a travel agent, a Chinese tea export support agent, an HR agent, and a crisis response simulation agent, among others.
The winning project, Peida Tea, stood out for its cultural richness and technical innovation. The team developed a dual-agent simulation system, driven by large language models (LLMs), comprising a generative consumer agent and a brand response agent. Together, these agents simulate the daily life, emotions, and consumer behaviours of the Marais community in Paris. Through ongoing interactions, the system adapts branding strategies in real time, allowing tea culture to gradually and subtly integrate into Parisian life through shared aesthetics and emotional resonance. The project not only promotes the international presence of Chinese tea but also fosters a refined and enduring cultural bridge between China and France.
Together, ESCP and Beihang are equipping the next generation of global leaders with the knowledge, skills, and vision needed to shape a smarter, data-driven future.
The Experience in Photos
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