On April 13, 23 undergraduate and graduate students from SAFTI were invited by Business France to attend theTalentDayof French Pavilion at InnoEX@2025 held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. As a key initiative to strengthen Sino-French educational collaboration and foster industry-academia exchange, the event brought together over 20 leading French companies, including Schneider Electric, Saint-Gobain, and Veolia, offering students invaluable face-to-face networking opportunities with international firms. This experience helped broaden their career perspectives and refine their professional development plans.

Business France and French Consulate: DecodingtheDevelopment Blueprint in China

The event began with an in-depth dialogue betweenSAFTIstudents and representatives from Business France and the French Consulateforstudents to get adetailed understanding of the investment landscape, industry distribution, and talent demand trends of French enterprises in China. The officials analyzed the statistics and highlighted China’s pivotal role as a strategic market for French businesses in the Asia-Pacific region—particularly in green energy, advanced manufacturing, and tech innovation, where both countries have vast opportunities for cooperation. They also addressed students’ practical concerns such as internship visas and professional certification, providing expert guidance that deepened students’ understanding of the globalization strategies of French enterprises. Subsequently, Business France representatives warmly facilitated introductions between students and enterprise exhibitors, enabling direct engagement with corporate representatives.

Schneider Electric: Technology Empowering Smart Cities

At the Schneider Electric booth, staff demonstrated the company’s “Smart City Model,” showcasing its innovative solutions in smart grids and building automation along with its dual-drive strategy. Corporate representatives also addressed student inquiries on new energy and data security, sharing cutting-edge practices aligned with China’s “Dual Carbon” goals. They also highlighted their Training Program, which offers cross-disciplinary courses, various hands-on opportunities, and communication platform with experts to help students gain valuable experience and better design their own career paths.

Saint-Gobain: Building a Direct Pathway to Employment

As a global leader in materials manufacturing, Saint-Gobain drew significant attention at the exhibition. Corporate representatives presented its core businesses in energy-efficient construction and high-performance materials, while detailing graduate training programs and diverse job opportunities. Many students seized the opportunity to submit their resumes and exchanged contacts with HR representatives, who reviewed their academic qualifications and added them to the company’s talent pool—establishing valuable connections for future internships and full-time roles and enhancing the event’s tangible outcomes.

Veolia: Talent Profiles in Green Economy

At the Veolia booth, the HR head delivered a keynote speech on “Circular Economy & Environmental Solutions,” illustrating the company’s specific talent needs in environmental engineering, supply chain management, and sustainable development. She emphasized Veolia’s focus on candidates with interdisciplinary expertise and global perspectives, seeking individuals who combine technical proficiency with a strong sense of social responsibility. Drawing on the academic specialties, the students explored summer internship opportunities and gained valuable insights into career pathways within the environmental sector through these substantive discussions.

Libertify: The Innovation Ecosystem of a Tech Startup

French tech firm Libertify spotlighted “Digital Transformation & Startup Opportunities.” The founder of this pioneering startup in corporate process automation outlined key features of France’s tech innovation ecosystem, drawing comparisons with China’s entrepreneurial landscape while encouraging students to pursue technological breakthroughs in specific fields. Through these exchanges, students discovered startups’ demand for versatile professionals—those combining solid technical expertise with sharp business acumen and rapid learning agility—offering fresh perspectives for their career planning.

During breaks, students independently explored exhibits from Singapore, Germany, and other nations, engaging with cutting-edge fields like smart healthcare and Industry 4.0. This cross-cultural exposure further broadened their global outlook.

Student Reflections:

“Attending this talent event of French Pavilion atInnoEX@2025 gave me a valuable opportunity to gain in-depth insights into the development of global tech enterprises. As a fintech student in a Sino-French collaborative education program, interacting with representatives from Schneider Electric, Saint-Gobain, and other leading companies provided me with a clearer, real-world understanding of sustainable development and digital transformation.

This experience helped me realize that in fintech, beyond mastering professional skills like algorithms and financial modeling, it’s equally crucial to stay attuned to industry trends and cultivate a global mindset. French companies’ emphasis on versatile talent also remindsme to strengthen my cross-cultural communication skills—particularly in fields combining AI and ESG, where professionals must bridge technology conversion with real-world application scenarios.

The face-to-face interactions with these enterprises help me clarify my career path while highlighting the importance of staying attuned to market trends alongside developing professional expertise in order to gain a comprehensive competitive edge. Beyond employment networking opportunities, this experience also providesvaluable insights into the real-world demands of the fintech sector.”

-- LyvTianyi,third-year student atBScFinTech Class 1

“Today, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Hong KongInnoEXand discovera group ofcutting-edge French startups deeply integrated with AI. Withtheguidanceof our school faculty, I gathered the courage to approach booths with my bilingual web-based resume—aproject I’d spent four days perfecting. Encouraged bytheSia Partners, I delivered my first pitch,coveringsmart agents, interactive games, app front-ends, and web-based research reports. As the saying goes,‘Every step counts.’After the presentation, thecorporaterepresentatives noted my Gmail for follow-ups.In the subsequentexchanges with QSee.ai Limited, Libertify, and others, Igrew better and more sophisticated at it each time.The highlight? Reconnecting with senior alumni to exchange insights on making the most of university life.”

-- LinKaiwen, sophomore student atBScBig Data Class 2