HEC Paris

International business school in France From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HEC Parismap

HEC Paris (French: École des hautes études commerciales de Paris, lit.'Paris School of Advanced Business Studies') is a business school and grande école located in Jouy-en-Josas, a southwestern outer suburb of Paris, France. It offers Bachelor, MiM, MSc in International Finance, MBA, EMBA, executive education, professional development, professional certification, and PhD programs.[9][10]

Quick Facts Motto, Motto in English ...
HEC Paris
École des hautes études commerciales de Paris
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The château at HEC Paris
MottoApprendre à oser
Motto in English
Literal: Learn to dare
Non-literal: The more you know, the more you dare
TypeGrande école de commerce et de management, École consulaire;[1]
(Private research university Business school)
Established4 December 1881; 143 years ago (1881-12-04)
FounderGustave Emmanuel Roy
AccreditationTriple accreditation:[2] AACSB;[2]
AMBA;[2]
EQUIS[2]
Endowment€100 million (2022)[3]
Budget€205 million (2024)[4]
ChairmanJean-Paul Agon[5]
DeanÉloïc Peyrache
Academic staff
160 resident professors:[6]
96% PhD.;[7]
30% female;[7]
64% international[7]
Students5,453 (postgraduate);[8]
8,000 (executive)[8]
Location
Paris (Jouy-en-Josas), France;
Doha, Qatar
Admission rate7% (2024)
ColorsBlue and White    
AffiliationsConférence des grandes écoles;[2]
CEMS;[2]
Polytechnic Institute of Paris[8]
Websitewww.hec.edu
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History

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Perspective
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Campus main entrance, in Jouy-en-Josas, Essonne.

Founded in 1881 by Gustave Emmanuel Roy, president of the Paris Chamber of Commerce (CCIP), with 57 students in its first class, the École des hautes études commerciales de Paris (HEC) aimed to be in the fields of management and commerce what the École Centrale de Paris was in the field of engineering.

In 1921, the school introduced the case-based method of the Harvard Business School, but most of the lectures remained theoretical. In 1938, the HEC program was lengthened to 3 years.

Due to French corporations' demand for North-American-style management education, at the end of the 1950s, the case-based method was generalized and a one-year classe préparatoire was created to prepare for the entrance examination, which had become more difficult. As a result, only 9% of HEC students had attended university in 1959, whereas 47% had done so in 1929.

In 1964, French President Charles de Gaulle inaugurated a new 250-acre (1.0 km2) wooded campus in Jouy-en-Josas. In 1967, HEC launched its executive education programs. Women have been accepted at HEC since 1973. Only 27 women were accepted that year and HEC jeunes filles (HECJF), another school dedicated to women, was closed. Its alumnae are officially considered graduates of HEC, and include Édith Cresson, the first female Prime Minister of France.

The doctoral course was established in 1975 but until 1985 doctoral students had to complete their thesis at the university. In 1985 the HEC obtained the right to award the title of doctor, before ESSEC (2010)[11] and ESCP (2012).[12]

The school has developed professorships financed by companies (Deloitte, EDF, Toshiba and others) to multiply links between HEC and companies. The HEC Foundation, founded in 1972, has the specific aim of developing these connections and the financing of the school by companies.[13]

Ties with businesses were strengthened in the 1990s and this led to greater specialization, with the establishment of finance and entrepreneurship courses in 1986. As a consequence of the financial Big Bang and the explosion of the City, more and more graduates went to work in England and, in general, abroad. In 2006, a third found their first job abroad. In 2015 the school adopted a new legal statute to allow private investors to join the board of directors.[14]

In 1988, HEC founded the CEMS network with ESADE, Bocconi University and the University of Cologne.

On 1 July 2008, HEC Paris joined ParisTech and then Paris-Saclay University as a founding member. The university campus of Jouy-en-Josas, in the Yvelines department, is located in the northern part of the technological cluster of Paris-Saclay, which brings together a quarter of French public research. HEC Paris is part of the network of graduate schools of business (ESC) in the Paris Île-de-France area, together with ESSEC and ESCP Business School.

In 2016, the school adopted a new legal status and became a public-private partnership (École consulaire or EESC), largely financed by the public Chamber of Commerce in Paris.[15]

In 2017, HEC launched a portfolio of new dual degree programs called M2M with the Yale School of Management, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Fundação Getulio Vargas.[16]

The same year in March,[17] the school launched the Executive Master in innovation & entrepreneurship program in collaboration with Coursera.[18][19]

On 15 September 2020, the school co-founded with the Polytechnic Institute of Paris[20] the artificial intelligence research center Hi! PARIS.[21][22]

In October 2023 the school announced the creation of a Bachelor of Arts in data, society and organisations in collaboration with Bocconi University in Milan.[23][24][25]

Grande École system and Accreditation

Degrees (such as the Master in Management or "Grande École program") from HEC Paris are accredited by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles[26] and by the Ministry of National Education.[27]

HEC Paris is also triple accredited by the European Foundation for Management Development (EQUIS),[2] the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB),[2] and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).[2]

HEC Paris is also one of the founding members of CEMS - Global Alliance in Management Education.

International rankings

Quick Facts Business school international rankings, European MBA ranking ...
Business school
international rankings
European MBA ranking
QS (2025)[28]1
Financial Times (2024)[29]5
Global MBA ranking
QS (2025)[30]6
Financial Times (2024)[29]9
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More information Ranking, Business School ...
Ranking 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Business School
FT – European Business Schools[31] 1st[32] 1st[33] 1st[34] 1st[35] 2nd[36]
QS (by Subject) – Business & Management Studies[37] 9th 9th 10th 10th 11th 13rd
QS (by Subject) – Accounting and Finance[37] 19th 20th 19th 18th 18th 25th
Master in Management (GE-MiM) for FT—Master in Strategic Management for QS and The Economist (12 months program)
FT – Master in Management[38] 2nd[32] 2nd[33] 2nd[39] 1st[40] 2nd[41]
QS – Masters in Management[42] 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
The Economist – Masters in Management[43] 1st 1st 1st
MSc in International Finance
FT – Masters in Finance Pre-Experience[44] 1st 1st 1st 2nd 2nd
QS – Masters in Finance[45] 3rd 4th 2nd 1st 1st 2nd
MBA
FT – Global MBA[46] 9th[32] 7th[33] [47] 11th 17th 12th 9th
QS – Full Time MBA[48] 7th 5th 4th 4th 5th 6th
The Economist – MBA[49] 3rd 2nd
Bloomberg Business Week – International MBAs[50] 4th 8th
Executive Education
FT – Executive MBA (Trium HEC/LSE/NYU)[51] 4th[32] 2nd[33] 6th 4th 5th
QS – Executive MBA (Trium HEC/LSE/NYU) 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
FT – Executive MBA (EMBA HEC)[51] 3rd 1st 4th 7th 18th
QS – Executive MBA (EMBA HEC) 3rd 1st 2nd 1st 3rd
FT – Executive Education – Customized[52][53] 2nd 1st 3rd 4th
FT – Executive Education – Open[54] 8th 1st 2nd 1st
Specialized Masters
The Economist – MSc in Strategic Management 1st
QS – MSc in Strategic Management 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
QS – MSc in Marketing 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
QS – MSc in Business Analytics 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd
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Programs

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Perspective

Higher education business degrees in France are organized into three levels thus facilitating international mobility: the Licence (Bachelor's), Master's, and Doctorate degrees. A Bachelor's degree requires the completion of 180 ECTS credits (bac + 3); a Master's, requires an additional 120 ECTS credits (bac + 5). HEC Paris offers a bachelor's degree since October 2023.[2]

Master in Management - Grande École program

Its highly coveted PGE (Programme Grande École or Grande École program) ends with the awarding of Master's in Management (MiM) degree.[55][56][57] Outside of the PGE, students at HEC can be awarded other master's degrees, such as the MBA (bac + 5), or a PhD (bac + 8).[2]

Bachelor in Data, Society and Organisations

Announced in October 2023, the school offers a Bachelor of Arts in partnership with Bocconi University in Milan.[58] Focused on Data, Society & Organizations, it combines data sciences and social sciences.[59] Students spend the first three semesters in Italy and the last three in France on the Jouy-en-Josas campus.[60]

MSc in International Finance (MIF)

The MSc in International Finance is ranked #1 worldwide for pre-experience programs (2020 FT Rankings).[61]

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The MBA program, created in 1969, has two intakes: September and January. HEC's MBA consists of a 16-month-long curriculum, with 8 months of core courses and 8 months of a customized program, including several specialization options, exchange programs, and fieldwork projects.[62] A typical class is composed of some 250 students – 90% of whom are international students – with more than 52 nationalities represented in the 2017 graduating class.[63] The selection process seeks a balance between academic achievement, professional experience, international exposure, and personal motivation. Knowledge of French is not an entry requirement, but participants are highly encouraged to have a basic knowledge of French by the start of the MBA Program, while mandatory (during the first two core terms) and optional language courses are offered throughout the program. Exchange and dual degree programs are offered with about 40 international partner business schools, including the Singapore Management University, HKUST, London Business School, Columbia Business School, Wharton, and Yale.[64][65]

Executive education

Executive MSc Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Executive MSc Innovation & Entrepreneurship is a program created by HEC Paris and delivered partly on Coursera.[66] 100% online, it takes 18 months.[67] The first students were admitted in March 2017.[68]

Executive MBA

Formerly (until 2002) Centre de perfectionnement aux affaires,[69] the HEC Executive MBA is a program for top executives with a minimum of 8 years of corporate experience, which prepares them for general management positions (the average background experience of students is about 14 years). The Executive MBA is a multi-site program offered in Paris (France), Beijing (China), St Petersburg (Russia) and Doha (Qatar). The courses are split between theory, case studies, strategic projects, leadership training, EU community campus and foreign exchanges in the US and Asia. Program partnering universities are NYU, UCLA, Babson College in the US, Tsinghua University in China and Nihon University in Japan.[70]

TRIUM Global Executive MBA

HEC also offers the TRIUM Global Executive MBA programme jointly with Stern School of Business of NYU and the London School of Economics.[71] It is divided into six modules that are held in five international business locations over 16 months.[72]

Admissions

More information Procedure, Applicants ...
2018 Admission Statistics[73][74]
Procedure Applicants Admitted Acceptance Rate (%)
Grande Ecole (Master in Management)
Classes préparatoires (French concours, students enter in L3) 5,151 382 7.4%
French dual degree (students from French partner institutions) 421 82 19.5%
Direct admissions (students enter in M1) 6,520 271 4.2%
Total 12,092 735 6%
MBA
Total 2,231 391 17.5%
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Massive Online Open Courses

HEC Paris is also participating in the new wave of distance learning, by creating its own online training courses via MOOCs available on Coursera.[75]

Research and Entrepreneurship

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Perspective

HEC Paris has several centres of research:

  • HI! PARIS CENTER - A collaboration with the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), this interdisciplinary and inter-institutional centre combines education, research and innovation to investigate the major challenges surrounding digital transformation and its impact on companies and society at large. This Center combines the 300 researchers and infrastructures of IP Paris and HEC Paris.[76]
  • Society & Organizations Institute - an interdisciplinary Institute that brings together over 60 professors to research, teach and implement ideas in sustainability and inclusion.[77]
  • GREGHEC - The Groupement de Recherche et d’Etudes en Gestion à HEC Paris is a joint research laboratory focused on economics and management in France.[78]

The school has been offering a degree in entrepreneurship for more than 40 years, by creating HEC Entrepreneurs in 1977,[80] which has today become the MSc X-HEC Entrepreneurs, in partnership with École Polytechnique.[81] Between 2004 and 2013, the percentage of entrepreneurs per class jumped from 10% to 25%.[82] In 2007,[83] HEC Paris created Incubateur HEC Paris, its startup incubator dedicated to supporting alumni-created startups. Currently directed by Antoine Leprêtre, the incubator has been part of the Station F campus since 2017.[84] Since 2017, the school has also an online Master's degree dedicated to this topic.[85]

Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute

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Perspective
Quick Facts Established, Director ...
HEC Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute
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Established2007
DirectorInge Kerkloh-Devif
Location,
CampusJouy-en-Josas & Station F
WebsiteOfficial website
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The HEC Paris Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute is an institute created to promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HEC Paris.[86] The institute is part of Station F and is located both in Paris and Jouy-en-Josas.[87] Around 500 students are enrolled in classes over the three degrees (Master of Science X-HEC Entrepreneurs; Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Executive Master of Science in Innovation an Entrepreneurship) of the school year. The institute works with the Polytechnic Institute of Paris (more specifically École polytechnique[88]) and Coursera.[89] Courses taught through the institute include Creativity, Global Entrepreneurship,[90] Entrepreneurial Marketing, New Venture Creation, Venture Finance, Entrepreneurial Selling and Social Entrepreneurship.[91]

The institute has several programs for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for faculty to promote the concept of entrepreneurship.[92] Several initiatives that the institute has started has raised awareness for both entrepreneurship and innovation in both the community of Jouy-en-Josas and throughout the country.[93]

Events and activities

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Incubateur HEC Paris
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HEC Paris Startup Launchpad Demo Day 2024 at Station F
  • Accélérateur ESS
  • Post incubation
  • HECTAR Accelerator L'Oréal Beauty Tech
  • Meta X L'Oréal Accelerator Icade startup studio
  • Incubateur HEC Paris
  • Data for Managers
  • HEC Startup Launchpad HEC Challenge +
  • HEC Challenge + Afrique
  • Igniting Innovation
  • CDL - Creative Destruction Lab
  • HEC Stand Up
  • MOOCs
  • Entrepreneurship & Digital Innovation
  • HEC–TUM Summer Program
  • Startup Sprint[94]

Student life

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Perspective

Campuses

France

HEC is located on a 110-hectare campus in Jouy-en-Josas, 16  km (10 miles) southwest of central Paris, close to Versailles. Jouy-en-Josas is served by the RER Parisian suburban train and the local bus service. The campus is built around the 19th-century Château de Jouy [fr], which is currently used for Executive Education classes.[95]

Qatar

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HEC Paris in Qatar

HEC Paris in Qatar is a remote campus of HEC Paris, located in Doha, the capital of Qatar.[96] HEC Paris in Qatar is the result of an agreement between HEC Paris and the Qatar Foundation.[97]

HEC Paris in Qatar campus is located in the “Tornado Tower” in the heart of the “West Bay” financial centre of the city of Doha.[98] HEC Qatar offers four types of programs, including an Executive MBA and a Mastère spécialisé program.[99]

United Kingdom

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HEC UK House in London

The HEC UK House was inaugurated in March 2023. Close to Covent Garden, the campus is dedicated to the alumni network and conferences. It also has a library and a creative lab.[100]

Alumni association

The school alumni association, Association des diplômés HEC Paris, was founded in 1883 and gathers alumni of the different institutions of the HEC Group: École HEC Paris, MBA HEC Paris, HEC Paris Executive MBA, Mastères HEC Paris and Doctorat HEC Paris. Each degree is associated with a letter and the year of graduation. In 2017, HEC Alumni were ranked by The Economist as the 2nd most powerful business school alumni network in the world.[101]

The institution is featured in many works. Association of Wrongdoers, a 1987 film by Claude Zidi, features former students.[102]

See also

Notes and references

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