Skip to main content
About HEC About HEC
Summer School Summer School
Faculty & Research Faculty & Research
Master’s programs Master’s programs
Bachelor Programs Bachelor Programs
MBA Programs MBA Programs
PhD Program PhD Program
Executive Education Executive Education
HEC Online HEC Online
About HEC
Overview Overview
Who
We Are
Who
We Are
Egalité des chances Egalité des chances
HEC Talents HEC Talents
International International
Campus
Life
Campus
Life
Sustainability Sustainability
Diversity
& Inclusion
Diversity
& Inclusion
Stories Stories
The HEC
Foundation
The HEC
Foundation
Summer School
Youth Programs Youth Programs
Summer programs Summer programs
Online Programs Online Programs
Faculty & Research
Overview Overview
Faculty Directory Faculty Directory
Departments Departments
Centers Centers
Chairs Chairs
Grants Grants
Knowledge@HEC Knowledge@HEC
Master’s programs
Master in
Management
Master in
Management
Master's
Programs
Master's
Programs
Double Degree
Programs
Double Degree
Programs
Bachelor
Programs
Bachelor
Programs
Summer
Programs
Summer
Programs
Exchange
students
Exchange
students
Student
Life
Student
Life
Our
Difference
Our
Difference
Bachelor Programs
Overview Overview
Course content Course content
Admissions Admissions
Fees and Financing Fees and Financing
MBA Programs
MBA MBA
Executive MBA Executive MBA
TRIUM EMBA TRIUM EMBA
PhD Program
Overview Overview
HEC Difference HEC Difference
Program details Program details
Research areas Research areas
HEC Community HEC Community
Placement Placement
Job Market Job Market
Admissions Admissions
Financing Financing
Executive Education
Home Home
About us About us
Management topics Management topics
Open Programs Open Programs
Custom Programs Custom Programs
Events/News Events/News
Contacts Contacts
HEC Online
Overview Overview
Degree Program Degree Program
Executive certificates Executive certificates
MOOCs MOOCs
Summer Programs Summer Programs
Youth programs Youth programs
Master's programs

Useful Admission Tips for MSc Sustainability and Social Innovation

So you want to be a SASI? You see the world is changing, and you fully grasp the stakes of sustainability and social innovation, but you need the skills and the tools to have an impact? You’re in the right place: We welcome your application, and we look forward to reviewing it. Below we offer a few tips that we hope will come in handy as you go through the recruitment process and that will make it as smooth as possible.

 

First comes your application.

This first step is essential for us to assess whether you are a good fit for this program.

We will be looking for strong academics, a high level of English, and, of course, evidence that you are, or that you have the potential to be, a real changemaker.

This evidence may take different forms. It may be a position you have held in the past in an organization (a company, a governmental or non-governmental organization, or anywhere else you may have held a meaningful responsibility) that led you to change how business or activities are done. It may be an entrepreneurial endeavour (that succeeded or failed!) or an entrepreneurial idea that you would like to share with us, and that you think had or will have significant impact for a broad set of people. It may be a piece of research or analysis that you have conducted or that you would like to conduct because you believe it could have ground-breaking effects on the way we operate or we organize ourselves for instance. Or it may just be that you have a very traditional career path that frustrates you, because you believe that business could be done differently! And now, you just need the toolbox to do business differently.

There is not a single, unique way of being a changemaker: we have recruited social entrepreneurs, individuals interested in working in big companies and changing their ways, radical innovators and promising researchers. What they all share is a will to promote new, sustainable and more inclusive models that are likely to have a long-term impact on our societies.

We want to see the evidence that you, too, share that will.

Essay Questions

In addition, the essay question plays a critical role in the assessment. It helps us gauge your analytical skills, your understanding of the stakes related to SASI and your ability to develop a sound reasoning. Do not underestimate the importance of this essay.

Strong academics, a high level of English, evidence that you are or can be a changemaker and strong analytical skills are therefore the three key pillars that will get you an interview. All three are crucial, so do not neglect any of them.

 

Invited for an interview?

Congratulations! But you cannot be resting on your laurels at this point, thinking the interview is just a formality. It is not: it is perhaps one of the most challenging part of the process. You should first and foremost make sure that you can be in a calm place to take the interview. Make sure your Internet connection is good – we will need video connection to see you! This may sound obvious, but you would not imagine how many candidates fail to check or neglect this before.

The interview is an opportunity to get acquainted. Expect to be questioned about your previous experience. Expect to be challenged. Be prepared to show how intellectually curious and honest you are. We will be looking to test your ability to make a difference in the future. So try to blow our minds! If you feel you’ve made a mistake during the interview, do not give up. And make sure you stay true to yourself. It is hard to be a changemaker without doing that.

 

Good luck. And hope to see you soon.