Yesterday was their day. The first 14 students of the Tongji-Mannheim EMBA graduated, and proudly received their degrees handed over by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany and high ranking faculty of Tongi and Mannheim University. Now our young programme has the first alumni. And this core is going to grow quickly. I have been with this programme from its moment of birth until the first Commencement now and it became an initiative close to my heart, but empowered by the brain. We are getting quite some recognition now, not just on a University level, but also by major corporations. As a very unique alternative to "American Style" EMBAs we have even been covered on a channel of the Chinese Central Television yesterday. It is a diverse and academically rigorous English taught programme made and delivered in Germany and China. It was often described yesterday as a bridge connecting the two economic epicenters in Asia and Europe. But it is of course not about Nations, but about minds and people coming together. My congratulations to the graduates, all the best to the current students, welcome to the newly enrolled participants and thanks to all those who made this happen and support it. I am personally looking forward to contribute on the academic and management side, as much as my schedule allows it. Our "alumni management system", might be simple so far, but it is effective: for example you can just give me a call.