“Approximately 40 per cent of our students are still only 16 or 17 years old when they first join, so we try to give them time not only to decide if they want to specialise in a particular area, but also to discover themselves. The objective is to allow students to explore and express their full potential; we are not just targeting entrepreneurs or athletes, but offering students the chance to flourish in our environment, whatever they want to do,” explains Roussel. The entrepreneur status was devised after the IÉSEG dean encountered a handful of students who felt unable to balance their studies with the development of a start-up. “I had a couple of students who resigned from the programme when
“In our work with secondary schools, we identify students who have the potential to succeed in our institution. We help them prepare for the entrance exam and the admissions interview and let them know that good students with strong intellectual capacity and skills can join us, regardless of their background.” Such students can access finance through the school or the independent IÉSEG Foundation. But efforts don’t end there, as Roussel points out: “These young people also need to feel comfortable at the school. If you cannot afford to integrate into student life, it’s another barrier.” The IÉSEG dean offers the example of paid extracurricular events, such as an upcoming trip to London and describes how the
they were really close to graduation,” Roussel recalls. “I told my head of studies that we had to do something because it’s our responsibility to enable students to combine their entrepreneurial and academic lives.” At IÉSEG, student numbers can comfortably reach 1,200 on the most
“The objective is to give students the chance to flourish in our environment, whatever they want to do”
school seeks to reduce the costs for those who would miss out otherwise. “We also work with them when they
have to find their first job, because perhaps they do not have the professional or familial network that others might have. So, it’s not just a matter of financial support.” Support & space for self-discovery The enthusiasm and detail with which Roussel describes these initiatives is indicative of IÉSEG’s overarching strategy. “One of our key differentiators is the way we support students in everything they do. There are lots of good business schools in France so you must stand out with a clear strategy,” she confides. That support aims to encompass the academic, professional and personal aspects of a student’s life at the school. For example, faculty members act as pedagogical advisors to offer academic support to those identified as struggling with programme requirements, or students who simply want to ask questions or check if they are working in the right way. “Last year, we organised somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 individual meetings for our younger students at bachelor’s level,” Roussel advises. IÉSEG’s provision of support has also branched out into the creation of special statuses for students registered as entrepreneurs or those recognised as excelling in a particular sport. This has stemmed from a desire to let students develop their passions and ambitions as they progress through their education, without needing to choose between the two.
popular programmes, so they are divided into smaller cohorts of 40. Interest in the entrepreneur scheme has been such that those holding this status occupy their own groups, enabling the school to grant them greater flexibility. There are days off available to attend meetings with banks or potential investors for those at the incipient stages of entrepreneurial life, while those further down the development path can concentrate their course requirements over two days, freeing up time for their start-up. “It’s the same level of academic expectation, the same exam and so on but this flexibility is what they really wanted,” Roussel affirms. “What we see is a strong trend in terms of entrepreneurship and this year, we have 175 students registered in the scheme,” she adds, showcasing the potential merits of moving to accommodate the changing needs of students in this way. The new normal of sustainability Sustainability has been another focus and IÉSEG was named one of five overall school winners in the Financial Times ’ Responsible Business Education Awards 2024 for initiatives that include a mandatory training programme on the subject for all faculty and
14 Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2025
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