May 15, 2026. Shanghai – China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) is proud to announce that Eric Cornuel, Vice Chairman of CEIBS and President of EFMD (the European Foundation for Management Development) Global, has been appointed by decree of French President Emmanuel Macron to the rank of Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (Officer in the National Order of Merit).

According to the French government, the Ordre national du Mérite is France’s second-highest national order after the Legion of Honour, recognising distinguished service by French citizens in fields such as science, healthcare, and public affairs. As a business school co-founded by China and the European Union, with the prestigious institutions Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and EFMD acting as executive partners, for CEIBS this news is both a cause for celebration and an affirmation of the continued relevance of our dedication to openness, dialogue, and cross-cultural understanding.

On receiving the award, Prof. Cornuel said: “While I am delighted to personally receive this honour, I see this distinction as something that the CEIBS community, the wider field of management education, and I have built together. Our role as educators is to support peace, mutual understanding, and friendship between peoples. I am particularly passionate about fostering greater understanding between the people of China and Europe, two regions of vital importance in global affairs and which, if able to cooperate in a spirit of mutual trust and understanding, can play an important stabilising role. In an increasingly unpredictable world, institutions like CEIBS and EFMD have a critical role to play in nurturing these relationships — one which I will continue to steadfastly support.”

Offering congratulatory remarks, CEIBS Chairman and SJTU President Ding Kuiling said that the distinguished honour was a fitting recognition of Prof. Cornuel’s deep contributions to and expertise in European political, economic, and social affairs, as well as his longstanding commitment to advancing higher education and strengthening cooperation between Europe and the wider world. Over the years, Chairman Ding added, “Prof. Cornuel has been a true bridge-builder and a valued friend to CEIBS, whose vision, leadership, and international perspective have, for more than two decades, made a lasting impact on global management education. Since joining the CEIBS Board of Directors in 2007, and especially since assuming the role of Vice Chairman in 2023, he has supported the development of CEIBS with remarkable dedication and generosity.”

CEIBS President Wang Hong, in her own remarks, said: “This award not only signifies the French government’s high recognition of Prof. Cornuel’s profound expertise in the fields of European politics, economics, and society, but also fully acknowledges his outstanding contributions to higher education, his tireless efforts in promoting academic exchange and cooperation between China and Europe, and his role in enhancing the international influence of European education.” Noting Prof. Cornuel’s 42 years of dedication to international education, President Wang added that he has consistently demonstrated broad vision and a strong sense of duty, devoting himself to helping CEIBS build bridges for cross-border exchange and empowering the school’s international development.

In his own words of congratulations, CEIBS Co-President (European) Frank Bournois said: “This distinction affirms that Prof. Eric Cornuel stands among the leading figures in European higher education and international academic cooperation. Created by General Charles de Gaulle in 1963, this is one of the two highest national awards in France. It is a rare and prestigious distinction awarded to a limited number of individuals who have rendered exceptional service to France, its institutions, and the President of the Republic. Already a Knight of the Légion d’honneur — the other major French national order — Professor Cornuel now sees his exceptional contribution recognised once again at the highest level of the French Republic. The fact that this honour has been bestowed on CEIBS’ current Vice Chairman demonstrates the academic calibre and growing influence of our school on the world stage; chaired on the Chinese side by one of China’s leading academicians in the field of chemistry, Chairman Prof. Ding Kuiling, and on the European side by our Vice Chairman Prof. Eric Cornuel, who is now officially recognised as one of the leading experts on the European Union at the very highest level of distinction and influence.”

This honour follows Prof. Cornuel's receipt of the Shanghai Magnolia Gold Award in 2025, an award given annually to expatriates in Shanghai in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the social, economic, and international development of the city, in recognition of his eminent contributions to Shanghai's development and international cooperation.

The recognition comes at an important moment both for CEIBS and for the EU-China relationship. The year 2026 marks a new stage in relations between the European Union and China, commemorating 51 years of diplomatic ties and the beginning of a new half-century of opportunities for collaboration. As a business school with both China and Europe in its DNA, CEIBS is proud to act as a bridge between these two vital global partners and to count internationally recognised educators and passionate advocates of global cooperation such as Prof. Cornuel among its senior leadership.