HEC Paris - Did You Know?

What If HEC Isn’t What You Think?

The “Did You Know?” campaign—led by the HEC Foundation, HEC Alumni, and the School—aims to shed light on HEC’s mission of public interest. 
Launched in October 2025, this campaign is part of a broader transformative project for the School, to be unveiled on November 25, 2025, during the annual HEC Foundation Evening.

One School, at the Service of Society

Beyond its historic status as a “Grande École à la française” (since 1881), its reputation for excellence, and the many preconceptions surrounding it, discover the public-interest mission that guides every step of HEC Paris, the real levers behind its funding, and its concrete actions toward building a more prosperous and sustainable society.

HEC today means:

• A community of students, professors, and alumni from diverse backgrounds and over 135 nationalities
• Researchers who generate knowledge to transform the economy and illuminate public debate
• Entrepreneurs who create unicorns—or simply sustainable solutions that serve the many,
• And an institution that no longer receives public funding, yet remains fully committed to its mission of public good.

To understand HEC today is to understand the major challenges of our time:

• Restoring social mobility
• Building responsible and innovative businesses
• Funding and spreading science as a driver of sound decision-making and democratic vitality
• Preparing future generations for ecological and technological transitions

HEC is a non-profit organization that operates without public funding and commits all its resources to its threefold mission: Think / Teach / Act.

10 Realities That Challenge Preconceptions About HEC

Discover 10 key insights that challenge common perceptions of HEC—and learn how you can be part of this movement.

135 nationalities 

A truly global school: 135 nationalities coexist on campus—a living laboratory of intercultural exchange and peace. Over half of our graduates are international, and two-thirds of our professors come from around the world.

0% public funding 

HEC no longer receives government subsidies. Its operations rely entirely on tuition fees and the generosity of its partners and donors.

A non-profit organization 

HEC does not generate profit. It will never distribute dividends. It is an academic and research institution whose statutory mission is to serve the public interest.

7.5% of alumni are donors (vs. 50% at Yale) 

With 80,000 alumni worldwide, imagine the societal impact we could achieve if our donor participation matched that of our American peers.

1,431 women trained in entrepreneurship in 2024 

Through inclusive programs like HEC Stand Up, we empower women from underrepresented backgrounds to turn their ideas into sustainable ventures.

25% of French unicorns come from the HEC ecosystem 

Doctolib, Mirakl, Qonto… Our alumni lead companies at the cutting edge of innovation, transforming entire industries and carrying the French Tech movement onto the global stage.

Researchers finding solutions to global challenges 

Climate, sustainable finance, artificial intelligence—HEC professors produce actionable knowledge to guide corporate and societal transformation.

1 in 5 Grande École students receives a scholarship 

Social mobility is not a slogan—it’s a reality made possible by donations. And we know we can go even further.

A new campus for the next 50 years 

Sixty years after being inaugurated by Charles de Gaulle, the Jouy-en-Josas campus is being reinvented with a bold vision for sustainable innovation in education. Grand reopening in five years!

AI and the transformation of business 

Through Hi! PARIS, our multidisciplinary research center with Institut Polytechnique de Paris, HEC explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the economy, work, and society—for the common good.

Support Our Ambition, Help Shape the Future

Since 1881, HEC has constantly evolved to meet the challenges of its time. After the inauguration of the Jouy-en-Josas campus in 1964, we now enter another pivotal moment in our history.

On November 25, 2025, we will unveil a renewed five-year ambition:

• A sustainable, future-oriented campus transformation project
• A strengthened strategy for teaching, research, and innovation
• A new media platform to share ideas and foster public debate

But these challenges go far beyond HEC. 

They concern the economic future of France and Europe, social inclusion, knowledge creation, the ecological and technological transitions, and ultimately, the future of education itself.

HEC is not an end in itself—it’s a catalyst for progress. And to meet these challenges, we need you.

Join the movement and support our ambition.