On May 12, 2026, the International Competence Development Program (ICDP) – ELPOZO Project, organized by Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), was officially launched. This project focuses on the research topic "Adapting Iberian Ham to the Chinese Consumer Market," under the guidance of Antai Faculty Supervisor, Yu Leng, Professor of Economics at ACEM. The ICDP team is composed of six students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, including undergraduate exchange students from the University of Murcia in Spain, alongside students from Antai's Master of International Business (MIB) program, International MBA (IMBA) program, and undergraduate marketing program.

The project kick-off meeting took place on the afternoon of May 12 at ACEM. Attendees included Professor QU Xi, Associate Dean; Professor YU Leng, Project Supervisor; Phil WANG, Director of the International Office; Xianfan XU, General Manager China of ELPOZO Shanghai; and Maria JOSE, China Business Development Manager of ELPOZO Shanghai. Professor Marcos Anton Renart, Vice-Rector of the University of Murcia, and Professor María Pemartín González-Adalid, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics, also joined the meeting online.

In her welcoming remarks, Professor QU Xi extended a warm greeting to the corporate and academic partners. She emphasized that the ICDP-ELPOZO project is dedicated to building a platform for multi-party success. For ELPOZO, the project provides rigorous market research to support its brand transition in China. For the University of Murcia, it further deepens the strategic academic partnership. For faculty and students, it offers a unique opportunity to translate theory into practical business solutions, cultivating international talent with real-world experience. Following her speech, Professor Marcos Anton Renart and Professor María Pemartín González-Adalid offered their heartfelt congratulations via video link, and highlighted that this project marks another significant milestone in deep-diving Sino-Spanish school-enterprise collaboration.

Mr. Xianfan XU provided an overview of ELPOZO and its brand history, sharing deep insights into the research topic and his expectations for the ICDP student team. During the interactive session, Mr. XU addressed the students' questions in detail, clarifying the core direction for the upcoming market research. Following the corporate presentation, Professor YU Leng helped students unpack ELPOZO’s business challenges, providing a comprehensive briefing on research methodology and academic frameworks to guide their first phase of brainstorming and task delegation. Over the next two months, this diverse ICDP team is expected to collaborate seamlessly, delivering valuable insights to fuel ELPOZO’s strategic growth in China.

[Program Overview]

The International Competence Development Program (ICDP), formerly known as the Corporate Lab, was established in 2017 by Antai’s International Office. This short-term, project-based initiative is designed to cultivate students' global vision, cross-cultural communication, and practical capabilities. By partnering with international organizations, multinational corporations, and foreign chambers of commerce, ICDP selects top students from Antai and world-class business schools to tackle real-world global challenges. Teams conduct hands-on research on topics such as artificial intelligence, sustainable development, global economics, and public health. Through this collaboration, participants deliver actionable proposals that yield both commercial value and lasting societal impact.