Think Culture Foundation (TCF) Visits ICN Business School to Explore New Pathways for East–West Cross-Cultural Collaboration

In June 2026, Dr. Yan Han, Founder of Think Culture Foundation (TCF), visited the Paris campus of ICN Business School and held in-depth discussions with Philippe Albani, Associate Dean in charge of Corporate Relations, and Zineb Aouni, Director of the EMBA Program. The meeting focused on exploring future opportunities for collaboration between East and West in the fields of education, culture, and business.

The meeting was built upon several years of mutual trust and cooperation. Over the past few years, Dr. Han has been invited on multiple occasions to teach in ICN’s China EMBA study programs, engaging with business leaders from various European countries and industries on topics ranging from Chinese business practices and cultural perspectives to social transformation. These ongoing exchanges have not only deepened mutual understanding but have also fostered a shared reflection on how culture shapes business and leadership.

What makes ICN distinctive is its educational philosophy. Founded in Nancy, France, the school traces its origins to a period when artists, engineers, and entrepreneurs worked together to drive industrial innovation. Today, ICN forms part of the renowned ARTEM Alliance (Art, Technology and Management), together with leading engineering and art-and-design institutions in France, creating a unique educational ecosystem that integrates art, technology, and management.

During the discussions, both sides reflected on a common observation: while trade and investment ties between East and West continue to expand, deep mutual understanding has not necessarily grown at the same pace. Many people still interpret one another through assumptions formed in the past, while the world itself has undergone profound changes.

For this reason, both parties agreed that future cooperation requires stronger foundations of mutual understanding, cultural insight, and social trust. Around this shared perspective, they explored several potential directions for future collaboration. Particularly noteworthy was the strong alignment between the two sides regarding the importance of cultural learning.

ICN does not treat culture merely as a subject taught in the classroom. Rather, it views culture as an essential method for understanding business and society. For example, EMBA participants are taken to places such as the Louvre, historic districts, and creative spaces—not simply to appreciate art, but to understand the values that French society cherishes, and how those values influence organizational management, business decision-making, and innovation.

This philosophy resonates strongly with TCF’s long-standing approach to cultural practice.

TCF has always believed that culture is not simply an object to be explained. It is a process to be experienced, perceived, and understood within real-world contexts. Genuine cross-cultural exchange often happens not on conference stages, but through continuous human interaction and shared experiences.

Looking ahead, both sides expressed a strong interest in further collaboration and hope to create more meaningful opportunities for deep engagement between East and West through the integration of education, culture, and business.

For TCF, this visit to Paris was more than a business meeting. It marked another important step in the Foundation’s ongoing mission to advance cross-cultural understanding through practice and dialogue. In an era defined by complexity and interdependence, the ability to build understanding and trust across cultural boundaries may well become one of the most important leadership capabilities of the future.