ESCP Business School

ESCP Business School (French: École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris; English: Paris Higher School of Commerce) is a prestigious French business school and grande école, founded in Paris in 1819. It holds the distinction of being the world's oldest business school. 

Today, ESCP operates across Europe with campuses in Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, Turin, and Warsaw. Known as one of the "trois Parisiennes" alongside HEC Paris and ESSEC, ESCP Business School offers a wide range of academic programs including Bachelor of Science (BSc), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Executive MBA, master's degrees in finance and management, executive education programs, and doctoral (PhD) programs.

ESCP Business School was established in Paris on 1 December 1819 by Germain Legret and Amédée Brodart, both former Napoleonic soldiers. Germain Legret had previously founded two business schools in Paris in 1815 and 1818, but these institutions did not last long. ESCP, however, offered entrepreneurship education as early as the 1820s and was modelled on the École Polytechnique, the first grande école founded by Lazare Carnot and Gaspard Monge. Despite its modest beginnings without state support, the school gained international exposure from the 1820s onwards, although it was not the only business school welcoming international students. Its stature grew significantly throughout the 19th century, culminating in its relocation to its current address on Avenue de la République in 1898.

In 1828, an attempt to bring the school under the authority of the French Ministry of Commerce and Industry failed. Instead, the school remained independent under the guidance of Jérôme-Adolphe Blanqui. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, various political changes in France prompted plans to merge ESCP with elite French engineering schools such as the École Polytechnique and the École Centrale Paris, but these plans were never realised. By 1838, the French state began funding scholarships for ESCP students, further solidifying its place in the education landscape.

In 1869, the Paris Chamber of Commerce assumed control of the school, with a vision of training future business leaders in modern commerce and industry practices. By 1892, ESCP implemented selective admissions processes, a practice that continues today in the form of competitive exams. The concept of a multi-campus business school was introduced on 5 April 1973, leading to the establishment of campuses in the United Kingdom (London in 1974, moving to Oxford in 1975) and in Germany (Düsseldorf in 1975, moving to Berlin in 1985). This expansion continued, with a fourth campus opening in Madrid in 1988.

In 1999, ESCP merged with its sister school EAP, and in 2001, the Master in Management programme taught at ESCP was validated by City University London. The school founded its fifth campus in Turin in 2004, with courses validated by the University of Turin, allowing Master in Management students to obtain the Italian degree of Laurea Magistrale. In 2005, the school inaugurated its London campus, having relocated from Oxford. Two years later, in 2007, the Master in Management programme was recognised by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, enabling students to earn the Spanish degree of Master Europeo en Administración y Dirección de Empresas.

Continuing its expansion, ESCP established its sixth European campus in Poland in 2015, in partnership with Kozminski University. In 2016, the school strengthened its presence in Paris by adding a second campus in the Montparnasse area, dedicated to executive programs, after acquiring the Novancia Business School building. In 2019, ESCP reverted to its original name, dropping "Europe" to reaffirm its historical identity.

ESCP Business School is a prestigious grande école, a unique French institution of higher education distinct from, but often connected to, the French public university system. These elite academic institutions admit students through a highly competitive process, and their graduates frequently occupy top positions in French society, akin to the Ivy League in the United States, Oxbridge in the UK, and the C9 League in China. Graduating from a grande école is considered a prime credential for high-ranking roles in government, administration, and corporate sectors.

The degrees at ESCP are accredited by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles and awarded by the French Ministry of National Education. Higher education business degrees in France are structured into three levels, facilitating international mobility: Licence (Bachelor's degrees), Master's degrees, and Doctoral degrees. These programs are organized into semesters—six for Bachelor's and four for Master's degrees. Each program consists of various modules, known as Unitès d'enseignement (UE), each worth a specific number of European credits (ECTS). Credits are generally transferable between programs, with a Bachelor's degree awarded upon obtaining 180 ECTS (bac +3) and a Master's degree awarded after an additional 120 credits (bac +5). The highly esteemed Programme Grand École (PGE) culminates in a Master in Management (MiM) degree.

In 2017, ESCP launched its MBA in International Management, rebranding its Master in European Management and significantly updating the curriculum in 2023. The revamped MBA program offers both full-time and part-time study options, with durations ranging from 10 to 34 months. The curriculum covers the typical subjects of a general management MBA, structured through core modules, two company consultancy projects, and a specialization, totaling approximately 500 teaching hours. The entire program awards the 'Grade de Master' degree, recognized by the French Ministry of Education, and grants 120 ECTS credits. Core modules are taught in Paris, Berlin, London, or online, followed by specializations offered in Madrid, Turin, or online.

The MBA specializations include consulting, entrepreneurship, luxury, and fintech & innovation, providing students with focused expertise in these dynamic fields.

ESCP Business School has consistently been recognised as a leading institution in business education, with notable rankings in various categories by the Financial Times. In recent years, ESCP has solidified its reputation among European business schools, achieving impressive standings. In 2022, it was ranked 3rd in the Financial Times' European Business Schools ranking, maintaining a strong presence by securing the 4th position in 2023. This upward trajectory highlights the school’s commitment to excellence and its influence in the realm of business education.

The Master in Management programme at ESCP has also received high accolades, reflecting the school's rigorous academic standards and the success of its graduates. Ranked 5th in both 2018 and 2019, the programme continued to perform well, reaching 6th in 2020, 7th in 2021, and rising back to 5th in 2022 before achieving 4th place in 2023. This consistent performance underscores the programme’s quality and its alignment with industry demands.

ESCP’s Master in Finance programme has shown remarkable consistency, holding the 2nd position for several years and ultimately achieving the top rank in 2023. This ranking attests to the programme's strength and its ability to equip students with critical financial skills sought by top employers. Similarly, the Executive MBA programme has demonstrated significant improvement, advancing from 11th in 2018 to 3rd in 2023, indicating the school’s expanding influence and the programme’s increasing prestige among global business executives.

The Global MBA programme, introduced more recently, has also made substantial strides. Debuting at 52nd place in 2022, it quickly climbed to 27th in 2023 and 25th in 2024, showcasing the programme’s rapid development and growing recognition. Furthermore, ESCP’s Executive Education offerings have been acknowledged for their quality, with the Open Executive Education ranking improving from 37th in 2018 to 17th in 2023, and the Customized Executive Education ranking consistently in the top 20, reaching 14th place in 2024.

• Facts, Rankings and Acreditations | ESCP
• ESCP Governance | ESCP
• Leon Laulusa | ESCP
• ESCP Business School | Financial Times
• Voici les dates des oraux aux Parisiennes (HEC, ESSEC, ESCP) - Major-Prépa | major-prepa.com 
• ESCP launches its new brand campaign – The Choice | escp.eu
• France's educational elite | Daily Telegraph
• Conférence des grandes écoles: commission Accréditation | Conférence des grandes écoles
• Etablissements dispensant des formations supérieures initiales diplômantes conférant le grade de master | Enseignementsup-Recherche.gouv.fr. Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche et de l'Innovation
• Le Master | enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr 
• FT European Business School Rankings 2018 | Financial Times
• European Business School Rankings 2022 - Business school rankings from the Financial Times - FT.com | rankings.ft.com
• Paris | ESCP | escp.eu.
• International Partners | ESCP
• Leadership profile: Sébastien De Montessus | Mining Review
• ESCP Alumni - Hall of Fame | www.escpalumni.org
• Renaud de Lesquen named CEO of Givenchy | FashionNetwork.com
• Cyrille Vigneron | Luxury Tribune