Passing the Torch: EU4M Graduation Celebration at SUPMICROTECH Besançon, France.

What happens when the past, present, and future of a program meet in one of Europe's most charming cities? Pure magic. That's exactly what we, the new EU4M Master's students of the 2025-2027 cohort, discovered on our recent field trip to Besançon, France. We arrived from Sweden, Germany, Spain, and France not just as tourists, but as witnesses and future torchbearers, ready to celebrate the graduation of our seniors, the brilliant batch of 2023-2025.

Day 1: Meetings and Masterpieces

Our journey kicked off with the EU4M General Meeting. Far from a stuffy conference, this was a vibrant hub of ideas where we met the EU4M president and brainstormed the future of our alumni club. It was the first time our new cohort truly came together, and you could feel the excitement in the room—a shared sense of beginning a grand adventure.

With new friends in tow, we then dove headfirst into French culture at the Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie (Museum of Fine Arts and Archeology). Our guide didn't just show us paintings; he unlocked the stories trapped within the canvases. For a group of engineering and science students from diverse backgrounds, standing before astonishing works of art from centuries past was a powerful reminder that innovation and creativity are intertwined. It was eye-opening, inspiring, and the perfect intellectual appetizer for the days ahead.

Day 2: Time Travel, Thesis Talks, and Tasting Triumph

Our second day began with a trip through time itself at the Musée du Temps (Museum of Time). Housed in a magnificent palace that has seen aristocrats and clockmakers walk its halls, the museum masterfully tells the story of Besançon's rich history in watchmaking. The tour was a seamless journey from one era to the next, perfectly mirroring our own transition as students embarking on a new chapter.

Next up, a truly French experience: wine and cheese tasting! We sampled some of Besançon's finest local cheeses, from the creamy and mild to the sharp and unforgettable. Paired with delicious wines, cured meats, and fresh bread, it was more than just a snack—it was a celebration of local culture and a fantastic way to bond as a group.

The evening brought us back to the heart of our mission at Supmicrotech-ENSMM. We had the incredible opportunity to watch the graduating seniors give speed presentations on their Master's theses. This was the moment it all became real. We saw the culmination of their two-year journey distilled into fascinating, five-minute talks. It was a flurry of inspiration, answering questions we didn't even know we had and showing us the incredible heights we could reach.

A Glimpse of the Goal: The Graduation

The trip culminated in the grand finale: the graduation ceremony. We watched as our seniors, filled with pride and joy, walked across the stage to receive their certificates. In their faces, we didn't just see graduates; we saw our future selves. Seeing them hold their hard-earned diplomas gave us a powerful surge of hope and motivation. It was a tangible reminder of the goal we are all now striving for.

This trip was so much more than a field trip. It was a cultural immersion, a networking event, and a profound motivational experience all rolled into one. We left Besançon not just with new friends from around the world, but with a clear vision of our own finish line.

As we carry the torch forward, we can only hope that in two years, we'll be the ones on that stage, inspiring the next batch of EU4M students to chase their dreams, just as the Class of 2023 did for us. The legacy continues 🔥