Brief introduction to HEC Paris
Established in 1881, HEC Paris School of Management is one of the leading business schools in Europe. In the course of its 130-year history, HEC Paris has been regularly ranked among the top business schools worldwide. The Financial Times recently published its executive education global rankings for 2014, in which HEC Paris ranked first in the combined category, second for custom-designed programs, and third for open enrolment programs.
The ZJU-HEC China EMBA is entering its ninth year. Participants come from a wide range of countries and backgrounds. These elite candidates, with their rich management backgrounds and life experiences, are currently embarking on an intensive, 16-month-long journey as part of the most competitive executive education program worldwide. At the opening ceremony, Mr. Minh-Huy Lai, executive director of degree and certificate programs expressed his warmest greetings. Then Dr. Matthew Gibb from HEC Paris welcomed all the newcomers on behalf of the associate dean, Sylvie Lemasson. A representative from the Culture and Education department of the embassy, Mr. BEN Shenglin, EMBA director of Zhejiang University School of Management, and Ms. Elodie XU Ying, director of the HEC Paris China office, all gave a short speech expressing their confidence in the EMBA program and its participants. Afterwards, the candidates took part in some preliminary ‘ice breaking’ exercises and other team building activities, which were met with great enthusiasm and assurance.
HEC Paris is renowned for its academic rigor and practical focus. Leadership fundamentals, business simulations, luxury, entrepreneurship and innovation are all key elements of the EMBA program.
Staying true to its mission
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HEC Paris Executive Education has been established in China since 2006. Under the auspices of the SASAC training center, HEC Paris began its EMBA program in cooperation with Zhejiang University School of Management. To guarantee academic rigor, full-time professors spend one-third of their time heading up R&D programs in multinational enterprises, bringing first-hand business knowledge to their teaching. Many renowned companies in Europe have sponsored chairs at HEC Paris, enabling the professors to expose participants to the latest developments in management science and help them deal with real-life business issues. ‘A reshuffle is underway in China’s EMBA sector. Only those programs that are most productive and most highly valued by participants will survive. Without doubt, the ZJU-HEC EMBA program will be one of the active players,’ said Elodie Xu, General Director of the ZJU-HEC EMBA China program, at the opening ceremony a few days ago. . ‘Cultivating outstanding talent for both the political and business sectors and promoting the very latest advances in management science, has been the mission of HEC Paris for over a century’she added. |
HEC Paris’ commitment to its mission requires a rigorous pedagogical system. ‘HEC Paris really teaches something concrete and practical! It caters for the specific needs of executives,’ said Ms. Ling, an alumnus of HEC Paris and chairwoman of Shanghai Pacific Capital Management Co. Ltd. ‘This is particularly valuable given today’s complicated market environment. I hope my former school will always hold on to its responsible teaching style and stay true to its values.’ |
Home of presidents
For many years, HEC Paris has dedicated itself to developing managers and leaders at the very highest level. The school counts several influential politicians among its alumni, including current French president, Francois Hollande, and the former secretary general of the WTO, Pascal Lamy. There are also a number of business leaders, such as the current presidents of the L’OREAL and Kering Groups. In terms of the number of alumni who become CEOs of Global 500 companies, HEC Paris – known as ‘the CEO factory’ – is ranked number one in Europe and number four worldwide
An objective of an EMBA program is to shape the way that executives think. Therefore, developing an international perspective is a core value of the ZJU-HEC EMBA program.
Participants at the Zhejiang University program mainly come from China, France, the UK, Denmark, Argentina and Japan. Diversity has always been a key feature at HEC Paris, enabling participants of different nationalities, cultures and industries to engage with one another. ‘As a corporate leader, I am responsible for how my team thinks. It’s not only about profit. As such, a leader is also a teacher,’ said Ms. Ling, recalling her vivid memories of studying at HEC Paris. ‘As a student on the ZJU-HEC EMBA program, I felt that both its theoretical elements and teaching methodology were clear and advanced, fully meeting my expectations for an EMBA program. What went beyond my expectations – an added bonus – was the possibility to exchange ideas and brainstorm with my classmates. At HEC Paris we gained both an appreciation of cultural diversity and the confidence and commitment necessary to become a world-class CEO!”
Partnership between leading institutions
Exchange cuts both ways. 'HEC Paris established itself in China with a clear role as both a bridge facilitating cultural exchange and a means of spreading knowledge between China and the world. Our goal is to bring advanced research, knowledge and best practices to China. Equally, we hope to systemize China’s success stories, management methodologies and theories over the past three decades and broadcast them to the world”, Elodie Xu explained. A unique feature of the ZJU-HEC EMBA program is that participants have the opportunity to choose one of eight majors. They can then follow their chosen specialization at a variety of overseas locations: Montreal, Boston and Phoenix in North America; Paris, Toulouse and Milan in Europe; Sao Paulo in Brazil; Cape Town in Africa; and Bangalore in India. This international mobility gives participants the opportunity to both enhance their knowledge in their chosen sectors, and to discover new cities and cultures. The partnership with Zhejiang University, one of the leading academic institutions in China, is mutually beneficial. The renowned professors, innovative teaching methodologies, and international operations enable executives to considerably strengthen their global leadership abilities. Participants who successfully complete the course are awarded an EMBA degree by HEC Paris. In addition, they have the option of pursuing a second degree with Zhejiang University School of Management.
Given the enduring strength of their philosophies and guiding principles, we believe that HEC Paris and Zhejiang University will help to structure a new landscape for executive education in China.
