ESSEC Business School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
ESSEC Business School

École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales
Motto	Per scientiam ad libertatem Pioneering spirit Enlighten. Lead. Change.
Type	Grande école de commerce et de management (Private research university Business school)
Established	1907; 118 years ago (1907)
Accreditation	Triple accreditation: AACSB; AMBA EQUIS
Academic affiliation	Conférence des Grandes écoles; CY Cergy Paris University
President	Vincenzo Esposito Vinzi
Academic staff	142 100% PhD.; 36% female; 58% international
Students	5,000
Location	Paris, France Queenstown, Singapore Rabat, Morocco
Language	English-only & French-only instruction
Colors	White and Black

The École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales, often called ESSEC Business School or just ESSEC, is a famous business school in France. It's also known as a grande école, which means it's a special, top-level school.

ESSEC was started in 1907. Its main campus is in Cergy, near Paris. But it also has campuses in La Défense (a business area in Paris), Rabat in Morocco, and Singapore.

The school was first created by a group called the Jesuits. They wanted to offer a different kind of business education. Today, ESSEC is part of the CY Alliance, a group of universities and schools.

ESSEC offers many different study programs. These include a "Grande École Program" which leads to a master's degree. They also have a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), special master's degrees, an MBA, and even doctorate programs.

ESSEC is one of the "three Parisians" business schools. These are considered the most important and well-known business schools in France, along with HEC Paris and ESCP Business School.

History

How ESSEC Started (1907–1913)

ESSEC Business School began in 1907. It was first called the Economic Institute and was founded by Ferdinand Le Pelletier in Paris. At that time, many private business schools were opening in France.

The school's goal was to train future business leaders. They wanted these leaders to be skilled and also to have strong human values. ESSEC was located in the Latin Quarter of Paris. The first class had only seven students, and their studies lasted two years.

Early Years (1913–1940)

In 1913, ESSEC had to move because of new laws about church and state. It became part of the Catholic Institute of Paris. This meant the school had fewer resources.

During World War I, the school faced tough times. It even closed temporarily in 1914. But it reopened in 1915 and slowly grew. By 1930, about 150 students were attending. In 1932, the Student Office was created to help students.

Growing and Changing (1940–1960)

From 1939, ESSEC started to select students more carefully. A special class was set up in 1941 to help students prepare for the entrance exam.

In 1947, ESSEC changed its program from two years to three years. This helped it compete with other big business schools. By 1950, the school made it a rule for students to complete a three-month internship before finishing their studies.

Modernizing the School (1960–1970)

In 1960, Gilbert Olivier became the new leader of ESSEC. He wanted to make the school more modern. He asked students what they thought about their classes. Many students felt the teaching needed to be more open and practical.

So, ESSEC made big changes. They stopped teaching subjects like chemistry and physics. Instead, they focused on topics useful for businesses, like marketing and human resources. They also started inviting guest speakers, like other top schools.

In 1966, ESSEC began accepting women students. This was a big step forward. Student clubs also started, like the ESSEC Mardis in 1961, which invited famous people to speak.

Moving to Cergy (1970–1990)

As ESSEC grew, it needed more space. In 1967, the school decided to move to a new, bigger campus in Cergy-Pontoise. This is where the main campus is today.

The new campus opened in 1973. It had large classrooms, a computer center, a library, and sports facilities. The move helped ESSEC become more independent.

The school also started hiring more full-time professors. Many of these professors had studied in the United States. They helped create a new study plan where students learned basic subjects first, then chose specialized courses later.

Moving to Cergy was expensive. The school faced financial problems in the late 1970s. But in 1981, the Versailles Chamber of Commerce stepped in to help. They invested money and became a major partner, which saved the school.

Recent Developments (2000–Present)

In 1999, ESSEC changed the name of its main program to MBA. This was to match international standards. However, other French schools criticized this change.

ESSEC continued to grow its campus. In 2005, the Nautile building opened. In 2007, they added the Dome and the Galion buildings. The Dome is a large multi-purpose hall that can hold up to 2,700 people.

In 2006, ESSEC opened its first campus in Singapore. This was called the ESSEC Asian Center.

In 2010, ESSEC announced a new plan for the future. They changed the name of their MBA program back to MSc in Management. They also aimed to be one of the top business schools in the world.

ESSEC has also made many partnerships with universities around the world. This allows students to study abroad and get double degrees. In 2015, a new ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus opened in Singapore. In 2017, an ESSEC Africa campus opened in Rabat, Morocco.

Special Degrees

ESSEC Business School is a grande école. These are special French schools that are very selective. They admit students through tough exams. Many graduates from these schools go on to hold important positions in France.

The degrees from ESSEC are recognized by the French Ministry of National Education. Higher education degrees in France are organized into three main levels: the Licence (like a Bachelor's), the Master's, and the Doctorate.

ESSEC Global BBA

The ESSEC Global BBA is a four-year program for students who have finished high school. It helps students prepare for international business careers.

Students in this program spend at least 12 months studying abroad. They also do a humanitarian project and gain professional experience through internships.

Master of Science in Management - Grande École

This is ESSEC's main postgraduate program. It's designed for students who are just starting their careers.

Many students join this program after completing special "preparatory classes" in France. These classes are very tough and prepare students for competitive entrance exams. Only a small number of students are accepted into this program each year.

The program is flexible, allowing students to choose courses, study abroad, or work on projects.

Master in Finance

The Master in Finance program trains students for careers in finance. It has three main paths:

• Corporate Finance: For jobs like helping companies buy or sell other companies.
• Financial Markets: For jobs in trading, managing risks, or handling investments.
• FinTech & Analytics: For jobs using technology and data in finance.

PhD in Business Administration

The PhD program trains future professors, researchers, and consultants. Students spend two years taking courses before starting their research for a dissertation.

Research

ESSEC has several research departments. These departments study different areas of business and human sciences.

ESSEC Research Center (CERESSEC)

The ESSEC research center, called CERESSEC, was created in 1969. It is a leading research center in management. It helps ESSEC rank highly among business schools. The center has 165 professors who work on nine different research topics.

ESSEC Iréné

ESSEC Iréné is an institute that studies negotiation. It was created in 1996. Researchers here look at how people negotiate, mediate, and resolve conflicts. They work with academics, government officials, business leaders, and trade unionists.

ESSEC Behavioral Research Lab

This lab studies human behavior in a controlled setting. They look at how people make decisions in areas like behavioral marketing and experimental economics.

How ESSEC is Run

ESSEC is a non-profit organization. It is managed by a Director General (the School Dean) and an executive team. They report to a board that oversees the school.

The board includes representatives from the Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce, the alumni association, and other professionals.

Leaders of ESSEC Business School

Rankings

ESSEC Business School is often ranked among the top business schools in the world. Here are some of its recent rankings:

Campuses

ESSEC has four campuses: Cergy, Singapore, La Défense, and Rabat.

Cergy Campus

The main ESSEC campus is in Cergy. It opened in 1973 and is part of the city, welcoming both students and local residents.

In 2007, two new buildings were added: the Dome and the Galion. The Dome is a large hall used for events, conferences, and exams. The Galion has offices, classrooms, and study spaces.

A project called Campus 2020 is underway to modernize the Cergy campus by 2023. It will include a new sports center and renovated research areas.

La Défense Campus

ESSEC has a campus in La Défense, a big business district in Paris. This campus, opened in 1989, is mainly used for continuing education and MBA programs.

Singapore Campus

The ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus in Singapore opened in May 2015. ESSEC had a presence in Asia since 1980, with an office in Japan. Singapore was chosen for its location as a gateway to Asia.

The campus is located on Nepal Hill. It covers a large area and can host 1,500 students each year.

Rabat Campus

The Rabat campus in Morocco opened in April 2017. Morocco was chosen because of its closeness to France and many Moroccan alumni.

The campus is located near Rabat and can hold 480 students. It was built specifically for ESSEC.

International Connections

University of Chicago's Harper Library, a partner of ESSEC

ESSEC works with many universities around the world. These partnerships allow students to go on exchange programs or earn double degrees. Some partners include UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, Peking University, National University of Singapore, and King's College London.

ESSEC Alumni

The ESSEC Alumni association was started in 1923. Its goal is to connect the more than 60,000 graduates of ESSEC. These alumni live in 75 countries around the world.

The association organizes many events each year. It also publishes a magazine called Reflets five times a year. Since 2017, becoming a lifelong member of ESSEC Alumni is included in the tuition fees.

Famous Alumni

Images for kids

• 

  Junior ESSEC Conseil Logo

• 

  ESSEC Mardis Logo

• 

  Cergy-Pontoise is located within the Val-d'Oise department

• 

  First ESSEC Graduates, class of 1909

See also

In Spanish: Escuela Superior de las Ciencias Económicas y Comerciales para niños

• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris
• HEC Paris
• ESCP Business School
• Triple accreditation