SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS Recently reaccredited by AMBA, HEC Paris is an established presence in the global management education market, offering a wide range of programmes from its expansive suburban campus and overseas locations. Tim Banerjee Dhoul reports
LOCATION
Jouy-en-Josas, in the southwestern suburbs of the French capital, has been the home of HEC Paris since 1964. Spanning a 340‑acre wooded area awash with green spaces and two lakes, the campus houses around 2,000 students and hosts six restaurants and bars, as well as a range of sports facilities. It is also home to a 19th-century neoclassical château, used for executive education and client conventions. In June, the school announced a €230 million project to upgrade the campus between 2026 and 2031 (see Business Briefing , page 9). The centre of Paris and Versailles are both within easy reach of the campus by train. The school also highlights its proximity by car to La Défense, Europe’s largest purpose‑built business district.
COURSES
HISTORY
The HEC Paris MBA is a full-time programme that can be completed in either 12 or 16 months, with start dates in January and September. There are 268 students in its MBA class of 2026, of which 40 per cent are female and 95 per cent are defined as international. The school’s EMBA can be studied at its premises in the heart of Paris in a weekend format. Those who prefer a modular approach can study at Jouy-en-Josas or at HEC Paris’ overseas locations in Doha, Qatar and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
HEC Paris is one of France’s oldest grandes écoles business schools. It was also one of the first institutions in Europe to acquire triple-crown accreditation. The school was founded as the École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC Business School) in 1881, forming an alumni association just two years later. The roots of HEC Paris’ current executive MBA (EMBA) programme lie in the establishment of the Centre de Perfectionnement aux Affaires in 1930, while its current MBA programme traces its history back to the launch of the Institut Supérieur des Affaires in 1969.
34 Ambition • ISSUE 3 • 2025
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