News
SKEMA Olympics: Bringing Global Students Together Through Sports and Culture in Suzhou

On January 2025, SKEMA Business School’s Suzhou campus hosted the SKEMA Olympics, a dynamic sporting and cultural event designed to unite students from diverse backgrounds. As a key highlight of Spring 2025 Orientation Week, the event encouraged teamwork, cultural exchange, and student engagement.
Sixteen teams competed in four high-energy events: Tug-of-War, Long Rope, Caterpillar Race, and Keep It Up. These challenges tested physical endurance, strategic thinking, and collaboration—essential skills for thriving in a global business school environment.
"We wanted students from different programmes to connect from day one. That’s why we selected team-based sports that foster trust, cooperation, and friendship," said Jason Kim, Student Activity Supervisor at SKEMA Suzhou.
Each competition embodied key student engagement principles:
Tug-of-War showcased resilience and teamwork, with thrilling last-second victories.
Long Rope tested synchronization as teams jumped with perfect rhythm.
Caterpillar Race demanded speed and coordination over a 30-meter track, creating an electrifying atmosphere. Keep It Up challenged teams to maintain a ball in the air, refining their cooperation and reflexes. Ultimately, The Suzhou 10’s emerged as champions, with JADE TIGERS and HUMBLE TEAM securing second and third place, respectively. Their sportsmanship, teamwork, and commitment reflected the SKEMA spirit.
Strengthening the SKEMA Business School Community
Matthieu Dumont, Director of SKEMA China, actively participated, cheering students on and presenting medals at the closing ceremony. Reflecting on the event, Lélio Baraka, a Master in Management student, shared: "The SKEMA Olympics was an incredible way to experience traditional Chinese culture through fun, interactive activities. It also helped me build stronger bonds with my classmates, creating a true sense of belonging at SKEMA Suzhou."
More than just a student event, the SKEMA Olympics set the stage for an exciting semester of collaboration, global networking, and personal growth. It reinforced SKEMA’s commitment to an international, dynamic learning environment where academic excellence meets real-world experience.