ESSEC’s Singapore campus is one of four campuses of the French business school. It also has two in Paris and another in Morocco.
Well, let’s talk then about the Transcend Strategy. What was the ESSEC community thinking about as you set about devising the new vision?
In our strategic intent, we define it as “future-fit business innovation.” What do we mean by “future-fit”? There are two elements: First, let’s briefly analyze the broader ecosystem, the higher education sector, and the school itself.
In the ecosystem, we’re dealing with significant topics like the climate crisis, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, and demographic transition. I think the demographic transition, in particular, doesn’t get enough attention. It’s extremely important because people are staying in companies and organizations longer as the retirement age increases, while a new generation is entering the workforce with different mindsets and familiarity with new technologies. We have a responsibility to address this demographic shift, ensuring that senior people within organizations are also supported.
So, when we look at the ecosystem, we see that the thematic priorities we set with the RISE strategy remain highly relevant. We’ve also added a fourth priority now: geopolitics and business, which has become a new transversal priority for us.
When we shift our focus to the higher education sector, we see that it too is in transition. This is quite new. Historically, during times of crisis or transitions, higher education often became a kind of refuge – a place where people believed knowledge would remain valuable forever. But that’s no longer the case. Today, we face the obsolescence of knowledge, skills, and competencies at an accelerated pace. This affects all sectors.
The impact of digital transformation and technological advancements is driving this change. Students are arriving with new aspirations and expectations, and as a result, higher education itself is in a state of transition. This reality must be taken into account as we move forward.
The supply side of education is also changing. A few years ago, our competitors were primarily other business schools and universities. Now, we’re seeing many new players in the field – EdTech companies, education startups, and even consulting firms making education part of their strategic development. On the demand side, students are arriving with new aspirations, needs, and commitments, and all of this is evolving quickly. Rather than seeing this as something to fear, I believe it presents an opportunity for us to adapt and grow.
And finally, when we look at RISE and bring all of these elements together, we realized that we need to transcend to a different level. We need to transcend this physical place, transcend borders, transcend the usual impact we make, and transcend the traditional boundaries between sectors. Transcendence, in this context, means committing to creating future-fit business education that fosters positive progress.
What are the main pillars of Transcend?
For me, this concept of "positive progress" is key. When my generation talked about progress, we used to think that in 20 years, thanks to economic development and technological advancements, we would be better off than we are now. But I think the younger generation today fears progress and fears the future, whether rightly or wrongly. I believe we, in higher education, have a responsibility to educate, to create new models, and to prepare for a future that is not only better but also desirable.
The whole objective of "future-fit" education is two dimensional. First, how do we ensure that our business education remains relevant, despite the sector's transition, the obsolescence of skills and knowledge, and other challenges? It means teaching students how to learn to learn, embracing lifelong learning.
The second dimension is how we prepare our students and society for a more desirable future. That’s the core intention.
This translates into four ambitions. The first ambition is related to guaranteeing education that is transdisciplinary, transformative, and personalized.
- Transdisciplinary education goes beyond interdisciplinary, involving strong synergies between disciplines as well as robust relationships with non-academic stakeholders. It means being both academically rigorous and practically relevant by engaging with organizations outside of academia.
- Transformative education means it's not just about filling students’ heads with knowledge and competencies but about helping them transform as human beings. It’s about guiding students and participants in higher education to discover themselves, question their beliefs, and grow personally.
- Personalized education acknowledges that one size doesn’t fit all. Learners progress at different paces and stages in life. The integration of online and technological tools is key to enriching the experience and tailoring education to individual needs.
The second ambition is to cultivate inclusive, influential, and multicultural leadership. We want our students and participants to become leaders who inspire others and truly make a difference. Inclusive leadership is vital because, in today’s world, we often lose the ability to engage in dialogue. Higher education has a responsibility to foster dialogue, which requires active listening and openness to different perspectives. Multiculturalism is equally important, as it underscores inclusivity and the desire to have a positive influence on the world.
The third ambition is to reinvent management. We are at a point where it’s no longer enough to just build on existing knowledge. We need to create management practices that foster a prosperous and resilient world. This requires a transdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach, breaking down barriers not only between academic disciplines but also between academia and the corporate world. Ecological, environmental, and social transitions, as well as entrepreneurship, innovation, and the advancements from Meta Lab in artificial intelligence, data, and technology, will play important roles.
Geopolitics and business will also be key components. We are establishing a Center for Geopolitics and Business as part of this new strategy, because at the end of the day, the whole objective is that we co-construct and co-create disruptive models with businesses as well as the civil society.
And the fourth ambition?
The fourth and final ambition is to invest for large-scale impact. This is about making ESSEC a workplace that values both people and performance. It also brings up an important question regarding the business model of a business school. ESSEC is a non-profit organization, and I believe it should remain that way. It’s structured as an association, and many schools in France and around the world are transitioning to for-profit models or aligning themselves with investment funds.
However, when we consider academic freedom, investments in research, infrastructure, and digital tools – especially those that don’t yield short-term profits – academic independence becomes crucial. That’s why it’s so important for ESSEC to remain non-profit. We don’t have shareholders or distribute dividends, so when the school operates with a healthy business model, we can reinvest in the quality of student services, faculty recruitment, and strategic priorities.
What are some of the key tangible initiatives announced in the Transcend plan to help you meet some of these ambitions?
When we talk about transdisciplinary – again the proof is in the pudding – we’ve just signed a double degree agreement with UCLA, combining management and law, which illustrates how we’re expanding from management into other disciplines. In France, we’ve also partnered with the Catholic Institute of Paris to offer a double degree in management, philosophy, and ethics.
This is especially relevant when we talk about giving meaning to what we do and addressing ethical issues, including those related to AI. It’s crucial that we extend our reach across disciplines by building strong relationships, partnerships, alliances, and double degree programs with institutions that specialize in different fields.
When we talk about transcending boundaries, it’s not just about subject matter—it’s also about how we approach learning. We’ve launched a couple of programs, including a hybrid Executive MBA. Traditionally, the Executive MBA has been a very in-person, classroom-based experience, but we believe technology offers new opportunities. There’s a clear demand for hybrid learning in this space.
Additionally, we’ve just started a bachelor’s program in France, aimed at a completely different audience: top athletes. (By the way, the chief organizer of the Olympic Games is one of our alumni. This speaks to the diverse and accomplished ESSEC community.)
In Europe, and particularly in France, one of the biggest challenges for elite athletes is balancing their sports career with academic life. Often, when athletes excel in both, they’re forced to choose one or the other. Families might push them to leave sports to focus on academics, or they might prioritize sports and neglect their studies.
In many cases, these athletes end up going to the U.S., where the higher education system is more adept at accommodating both academic and athletic commitments. What we wanted to do was offer an alternative to that. And one of the students in this program is one of the French Olympic finalists in fencing.
The multidisciplinary HEPTA Bachelor’s degree is a joint venture between ESSEC, CentraleSupélec, and Sciences Po – so business, engineering, and public affairs. It’s done both online and on site., and it's a three year bachelor program that can be extended up to six years. And when we announced the program, French president
With the new strategy, you announced a couple of new hubs, including one in New York City – the ESSEC North American Hub. Is that an effort to attract more U.S. students?
We already have a large community of alumni in North America, especially in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Many of our alumni are in fields like hospitality management, which is one of ESSEC’s long-standing areas of expertise. We also have a strong presence in finance and the luxury sector across Europe and North America. Our hubs will nurture relationships with these alumni and industry sectors.
One of the major successes of the RISE strategy has been the development of numerous double-degree programs with top North American institutions. For example, we have a double degree with Columbia University’s business and engineering schools, focusing on data, business, and artificial intelligence. We also have a partnership with Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon, and another with Parsons School of Design in New York, the top design school in the world, which connects executive education with management, design, luxury, and technology.
Given our many academic partners in North America, it’s crucial to maintain and strengthen these relationships. We’re also seeing more students from the U.S. enrolling at ESSEC, which makes this expanded presence all the more important. It is the sixth largest nationality for enrollment for us.
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