Group Photo of Representatives from the IMAD Joint Management Committee

Meeting Scene of the IMAD Joint Management Committee

On January 30, 2024, President Lin Mao, along with a delegation from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, embarked on a visit to KEDGE Business School in France, spanning both its Bordeaux and Marseille campuses, for discussions with Alexandre de Navailles, Dean of KEDGE Business School. The visit included participation in the joint management committee meeting of the Sino-French Institute of Management in Arts and Design (IMAD). The committee members conducted extensive discussions on various aspects of IMAD, including teaching methodologies, research endeavors, student affairs, and perspective collaborative developments. They exchanged ideas on advancing the construction of the institute, deepening collaborative efforts, and promoting cultural and artistic communications between China and France. Attendees included Yu Ding, Dean of the Institute of Management in Arts and Design, Wang Chuan, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office, and representatives from the French side, Elisabetta Magnaghi, Anne Gombault, and Nicolas Petit.

Alexandre de Navailles extended a warm welcome to President Lin Mao and his delegation, commending the remarkable achievements of IMAD. He credited the success to the strong support from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts and the close cooperation between the Chinese and French teams. In the forthcoming context of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the cooperative efforts in constructing the institute have not only yielded educational and cultural communication outcomes but also emerged as a vital channel for cultural interaction between the two countries. The French side pledged continued collaboration to contribute to the development of IMAD. Both sides aimed to leverage their professional strengths to showcase fruitful outcomes, propose innovative solutions for Sino-French cultural and artistic communications, and further enhance mutual understanding and friendship.

President Lin Mao emphasized that IMAD, established during the 50th anniversary of Chinese-French diplomatic relations, is the first Sino-foreign collaborative educational institution witnesses by the two countries’ prime ministers. The development of IMAD signifies the outstanding achievements of the long-term friendly cooperation between China and France. It serves as an essential window for cultural and educational exchanges in the new era. Lin Mao highlighted the constructive collaboration between the teams, facilitating students' study, exchange, and life experiences in both China and France. IMAD acts as a bridge for brilliant artistic exchange between the two countries, serving as an effective channel for mutual cultural understanding. As the approaches of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties, the China Central Academy of Fine Arts will continue to strongly support the development of IMAD, collaborating with the French side, planning cultural and artistic activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary, introducing innovative forms for cultural and artistic exchanges, expanding international communication channels, strengthening cultural communications, and constructing bridges of friendship.

Yu Ding emphasized that the establishment of IMAD, based on the rich cultural and artistic heritage of China and France, is a significant outcome of long-term friendly exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. As IMAD approaches its 10th anniversary as a jointly witnessed Sino-foreign collaborative educational institution and its 5th anniversary of formal approval, it has continuously and healthily developed with strong support from various departments of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts and attention from society. In 2024, both sides will collaborate to deepen cooperation, innovate collaboration formats, and nurture outstanding talents in the cultural and artistic fields with an international perspective. This collaboration aims to infuse new vitality into the profound cultural and artistic heritage of both countries, fostering mutual communication and learning. The leaders of IMAD will work together with the French counterparts to continue striving for the goal of building a world-class multinational institute for arts and design management.

Exchange of Commemorative Gifts between School Presidents

After the meeting, Dean Lin Mao and his delegation visited KEDGE Business School's Bordeaux and Marseille Campuses under the guidance of Dean Alexandre de Navailles.

Dean Lin Mao Visited KEDGE Business School Campus

Central Academy of Fine Arts

Sino-French Institute of Managment in Arts and Design

Sino-French Institute of Management in Arts and Design, Central Academy of Fine Arts (hereinafter referred to as “IMAD”) is a Sino-foreign cooperative educational institution approved by the Ministry of Education, affiliated with the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Established in 2015, during the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, IMAD is the sole cultural and educational cooperation project witnessed and signed by the prime ministers of both countries at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It stands as an innovative institution for future-oriented Sino-French collaboration.

The institute, engaging in the interdisciplinary cooperation in art, design, and business, aims to establish world-class teaching and talent cultivation systems in fields such as arts management, museum management, design management, creative industries management, fashion management, and art and high-end brand management. By doing so, it seeks to provide creative intellectual support for China's economic and social development as well as cultural and artistic advancement.

KEDGE Business School

KEDGE Business School in France was founded from the merger of two renowned business schools in July 2013, Bordeaux Management School in Bordeaux (BEM, founded in 1874) and EUROMED Management in Marseilles (founded in 1872). After the merger, KEDGE Business School has become the largest business school in France and ranked one of the top two business schools in management research. In the 2019 A    cademic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), KEDGE Business School achieved outstanding rankings of the world-class disciplines: ranking second in the field of business administration research and fourth in the field of management in France.

After the merger, KEDGE Business School has become the largest business school in the country, and its management research is in a leading position in France and even among all business schools in the world. In the undergraduate program rankings published by the French newspaper 'Le Parisien Etudiant' in 2019, KEDGE Business School's undergraduate program secured the top spot. This achievement marks the sixth consecutive year that KEDGE Business School has received this honor. KEDGE Business School is one of the very few globally (less than 1%) in the world accredited by the three major business certifications: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA). The school is affiliated to the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE).

KEDGE Business School Bordeaux Campus

KEDGE Business School Marseille Campus