In 1907, the Institut Sainte Geneviève wanted to infuse moral values into the business world by training future senior executives. To this end, the Institute founded the Institut des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (Institute of Economic and Commercial Sciences). Since that time, the economic context, educational reforms, social programs, contact with business schools in English-speaking countries, and the rise of management sciences in the university world have all contributed to changes in the Institute’s educational model and its ambition to be one of the top European management schools, while remaining true to ESSEC’s unique vocation of promoting ethics and humanism.

Then located in the facilities of the Institut Catholique in Paris which has links to ESSEC, in 1963, 64% of students were studying law alongside foreign languages, the history of commerce, commercial geography, political economy, and law courses taught by ESSEC.

 

Aware of the advantages of such a diverse student body, ESSEC opened its program in 1967 at second-year level to students with university degrees in engineering, medicine, law, and political science, and welcomed its first women students in 1969. In 1993 the school pioneered acceptance of students majoring in literature, starting with the entrance exams to the “écoles normales” (elite French universities specialized in the humanities). Today, the Cergy campus welcomes over 600 students from outside France and brings together individuals with hands-on experience of both social and cultural diversity and a broad range of initial training and professional experience.

 Dual degrees outside France: programs available through partnerships with prestigious universities

 ESSEC Chairs and Institutes: research closely linked with issues confronted by their partner companies

Starting in 1973, ESSEC has empowered its students by enabling them to choose their courses according to their career goals. This experience, which has made ESSEC the first major school to open the apprenticeship program to its students in 1994, has now been extended to all the students in the Group, and especially the ESSEC MBA program with its work-study approach – since 1999, the program includes 22 months of professional experience and academic training. Tutoring, coaching, and student assistance programs makes ESSEC the ideal place to learn and grow.

 

While an awareness of the vital importance of the society they live in is exemplified through the students’ commitment to non-profit organizations and humanitarian causes, this awareness is also fostered through educational methods that emphasize group work as well as experience in the field. The creation of the first “junior company” in France in 1967, the first specialized academic Chair in 1986, and the first exchange forum between students and companies in 1973 have all facilitated long-term innovative relationships with companies.

 Students clubs

 Companies and partners: hands-on experience of the working world

 The ESSEC Development Campaign: ESSEC is on the move towards the future!

 The program “A top university – I can do it!”: organized by ESSEC Group students seeking to fulfill their role as good citizens, is currently helping many young people recruited each year on the basis of their academic record. They are coached through the last three years of high school to build “academic muscle”.

In 1997, ESSEC was the first school outside North America to win AACSB accreditation (a world-class reference). In 2002, ESSEC created the European MBA open to ESSEC students in a partnership with the Universities of Warwick and Mannheim. ESSEC Group was awarded the EQUIS accreditation in 2003, a quality label that rewards teaching excellence and potential for innovation in the European educational market.

 

With its strong commitment to humanism and partnership with the University of Mannheim starting February 2, 2004, ESSEC has further enhanced its core positioning in globalization issues and opened a branch in Singapore, one of the most dynamic areas worldwide. The ESSEC Asian Center was officially opened in April, 2004 as an educational campus and Research Center, with a special focus on urban management, biotechnologies, and sustainable development.

 About AACSB

 About EQUIS

 Beyond Education : a unique mindset in the business world

 Press release: ESSEC opens a branch in Singapore