How to develop new skills and boost your curiosity for a better world with the HEC Paris' Academies
Every year, for 3 weeks at the beginning of January, hundreds of students discover themes and sectors of activity far removed from their everyday lives and develop their future professional skills thanks to the HEC Paris' Academies. In 2023, HEC Paris keeps opening up the field of possibilities to its pre-experience students, encouraging them to be ever more curious, to professionalize their studies and favouring a form of educational break with the past, in line with current HEC Paris's values for a fairer and more responsible future.
Cours avec des Alumnis sur la biodiversité
Auteur/Author of this article: Frédéric Voirin
Learning in a rubbish dump or at the heart of the GIGN (french SWAT) ? HEC Paris's academies make it possible. Deepening your knowledge of sustainable development, building the city of the future or discovering crisis management - these are just some of the new courses on offer at the HEC Academies this year between 3 and 20 January.
An original mix of classroom and on-the-job training
These very special courses alternate classroom teaching with immersion in the field, enabling students to sharpen their curiosity about the outside world. Julie Thinès, Executive Director of Academic Affairs for the pre-experience programs, explains that "these academies combine moments of sharing with professionals from a particular sector, immersion in the field through experiential discoveries and academic input that complements the real-life experience".
These academies get students thinking about what really interests them, deepening their expertise and initiating their future professional networks. It also enables them to think about the causes to which these young people can commit themselves, in an unprecedented or even totally atypical setting. This training course, which lasts a few weeks, is part of a reflective duality for the participants, between breaking away from the world from which they come and opening up to a world to which they aspire.
"These academies combine moments of sharing with professionals from a given sector, discoveries in the field and highly experiential academic input"
A human and educational commitment at the heart of our society's current needs
In addition to the human adventure that this immersion at the heart of a professional environment represents, it involves an unprecedented pedagogical approach because it is part of a contemporary utilitarian logic. Amar Taki, Executive Director of Pedagogical Innovation at HEC, explains that the academies always include majors that are highly valued by students looking for a solid grounding in consulting, finance or marketing. He goes on to say that the aim is to "meet the expectations of students, but also the current needs of our society". This year, from 3 to 20 January 2023, HEC Paris has therefore opened up the field of possibilities on crisis professions, ESG (social and eco-responsible governance) and the optimised habitat of the future.
Two academies were set up with the Île-de-France fire brigade and emergency services, providing a stimulating and highly operational immersion at the heart of the leadership of crisis medical professions. For example, 8 students spent 3 weeks at the heart of the Meaux emergency department.
Two other academies have been created on the economic approach to sustainable development. The first is the Rothschild & Co Impact Finance Academy, which presents the investment banking profession from the perspective of impact finance. In particular, it introduces students to social and eco-responsible corporate governance, highlighting, for example, waste recycling, equal pay for men and women and the introduction of management skills that respect employees. This Academy with Rothschild&Co was a prelude to the new HEC Paris Chair in "Data and Impact Investment" at the service of sustainable finance. The second academy, "Entrepreneur/Intrapreneur with Impact", focuses on developing an economic activity by integrating the UN's sustainable development objectives.
Finally, there is the "Innovation for a better urban living" Academy, the result of the school's strategic partnership with the property investment fund Icade, which looks at innovative property solutions for better living, such as reducing CO2 emissions in the construction industry or integrating ESG into property funds.
"This year, in addition to finance, consulting and marketing, we have opened up our academies to the crisis health professions, ESG (social and eco-responsible governance) and the optimised habitat of the future"
Quelques objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU
No assessment, but a high level of student investment and a professional immersion that is highly appreciated by young pre-experience students
In 2021, HEC Paris redefined its raison d'être through 5 core values: curiosity, excellence, diversity, responsibility and entrepreneurship. As part of this continuity, the HEC Paris Academies enable the students who take part in them to gain an insight into themes that may be far removed from the world of business, but which are at the very heart of HEC's values.
These academies are a great way of acquiring additional expertise through a better understanding of little-known sectors of activity or those that are, on the face of it, more remote from the business world, such as the emergency or health professions.
These courses, which bring together lecturers, external contributors and students who have not yet worked, also provide an opportunity to see or review the fundamentals of the world of work, such as developing practical professional skills, setting up a business or start-up and finding a job, as well as extra-professional skills such as developing self-confidence, organising teams and clarifying personal development objectives.
Irène Grenon, a Grande Ecole Masters student in management who took part in the humanitarian "refugee reception" academy, sums up these academies very well: "It's a real break that allows us to think about what's important to us, to discover areas and worlds that we don't know or know only from a distance". (Irène Grenon, Grande Ecole student on a Masters in Management). Anya Boumedjout, also a Grande Ecole M1 student, says that "the Art and Business Academy has been very enriching, it differs from my previous courses at Panthéon-Sorbonne which were much more theoretical. This academy is enriching because the approach is much more practical, concrete and professional, especially the fact that you are working directly with a museum". As for Elias Yakoubi, he greatly appreciated his visit to the GIGN (the national gendarmerie's intervention group): "I loved this visit to the GIGN thanks to the HEC academy because we were able to talk to members of the elite unit who explained their jobs to us and how they dealt with the constant dangers".
"It's a real break that allows us to think about what's important to us, to discover areas and worlds that we don't know about or only know about from a distance"
The 'academics' who took part in these 3 intense weeks on and off the HEC campus were generally delighted with the experience. Amar Taki, Executive Director in charge of pedagogical innovation for these atypical programmes, has received some 300 positive comments.
Davi Méaille's feedback is particularly striking. A student on the Grande Ecole programme, Davi attended the Applied Corporate Finance Academy. He tells us that he really appreciated "the professional and practical nature" and adds that "the absence of a final assessment also gave me the feeling that I was really there to progress in the areas I had chosen".
Leila Kenmegne-Makugne, a Master 1 student who attended the same finance academy, confirms that these academies "allow you to really immerse yourself in the profession, even if it only lasts three weeks".
"Even without assessment, it's a time of intense work based on real business issues; that's what makes the academies particularly interesting"
Academies for a fairer and more responsible society
The H.Académie: successful immersion in the HEC ecosystem for young people with disabilities
Launched in 2018 and specifically dedicated to students with disabilities, the H.Académie is an initiative that has already helped around a hundred students, both personally and professionally. Given that 80% of disabilities are invisible and that one in six people in the world has a disability, according to the UN, this course can be a real turning point for students and young graduates. It enables students to be more in tune with their own particular disability, and no longer be ashamed of it, but instead turn it into an asset.
This year, 18 students and recent graduates with disabilities from schools and universities outside HEC (Kedge Business School, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Université de Créteil, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and the EFREI engineering school) worked alongside HEC students, were housed on the HEC campus and even had access to the careers forum in January, so that they could benefit from all the advantages of HEC Paris.
Les étudiants en situation de handicap lors de la H.Académie 2023 d’HEC Paris
Their feedback is very enthusiastic. Rayane Arfaoui, a student in his 1st year of a Master's degree in management at EM Strasbourg and beneficiary of the H.Académie, was particularly positive about the experience: "The H.Academies are a really excellent way of getting the HEC experience". The H.Académie, the Equal Opportunities Department, Mission Handicap and the global ecosystem of HEC Paris enable these students to discover role models with disabilities who have also been through HEC. This is the case, for example, of Eric Molinié (H.82), current General Secretary of Dalkia, who has successively chaired the AFM-Téléthon, the HALDE and the SAMU social. This HEC alumnus was also vice-president of APF France handicap and has been a member of the Board of Directors of ATD Quart Monde since 2016.
"Even though we didn't pass the entrance exam to HEC, and despite our disability, we don't feel any different from the other students here, quite the contrary: we're very well integrated and benefit from the same services, it's really great!"
The HEC Academy on Impact Entrepreneurship: taking concrete action for a more equitable and eco-responsible society
Thanks to this specific Academy, participants were able to get an introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, as well as theoretical and practical foundations for taking action and undertaking business for a better society. (Listen to our dedicated HEC Paris podcast here). Its courses include a focus on sustainable food, reducing inequalities and poverty, supporting businesses with a social and environmental impact, and also concrete actions such as preserving biodiversity and resources, particularly water and the oceans (see the accompanying lecture by hydrologist Emma Haziza at HEC on the challenges of water). This academy was set up in partnership with the help of Etienne KRIEGER, a professor affiliated to HEC's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre.
In addition to these strategic objectives, the students were also able to learn the basics of impact finance, with the support of the Caisse d'Epargne, to take positive action for health through design thinking, rethink our housing methods for a sustainable city and measure the impact of our lifestyles, in particular with a visit to a waste sorting centre and practical advice from Terravox. They were also able to take part in the Biodiversity Fresco in partnership with the Noé association, which preserves species from the animal and plant kingdoms.
Cours de l’hydrologue Emma Haziza avec l'Académie d'Etienne Krieger
Amine Athamena, Ambre and Raphaël, three Grande Ecole students on a Master's degree in Management, are also enthusiastic about this eco-responsible Academy. Amine says that "this academy is interesting and, above all, very practical. Raphäel says that "thanks to the varied and interesting speakers, particularly on impact entrepreneurship, this academy has given me some ideas for a career that I'd like to pursue" and Ambre says that it has given her "concrete knowledge and contacts in the entrepreneurial and associative fields".
"Up until then we had been used to courses on the climate that were very theoretical and superficial, but the fact that we were able to meet people who were taking concrete action for the climate was really instructive."
Académie HEC Paris 2023: atelier négociation internationale
Damien Doucet-Delporte, an M1 Grande Ecole student, described his experience as "unforgettable, because [he] really discovered the world of entrepreneurship and how it works - SSE, design thinking, impact finance and impact measurement, for example - not to mention all the advice given throughout the course. Damien points out that, in addition to the Academy, the opportunity we were given to take part in the Carrefours HEC enabled me to expand my network of contacts and find out more about the companies present".
On a day-to-day basis, HEC Paris continues to invest actively in its students' openness to the world. Through the Academies and all of its academic and extra-academic programmes, the school hopes to transform the world in a positive and sustainable way, and even to create different areas of leadership with a strong social, eco-responsible and sustainable commitment.