Study in France 2015 Thefrench Lifestyle and Higher Education Magazine

Study in France 2015 TheFrench lifestyle and higher education magazine /

/ The French excellence: the best French domains / The most attractive cities in France: places to be / French education: welcoming students / Find a school PHOTO : EKATERINA POKROVSKY : EKATERINA PHOTO Study in France TheFrench lifestyle and higher education magazine /

Choosing the French Touch

It has conquered the world and is on everyone’s lips, from the worlds of music to fashion and design. The ineffable French touch – a mixture of elegance and daring – is also a draw for students who come from far and wide to experience it for themselves.

Attracted by a lifestyle that may be a cliché but is no less real © DR all the same, the 290,000 enquiring minds studying in France today love the fine food, the wine and the famously distinctive French culture which they enjoy to their hearts’ content at exhibitions and festivals.

Alongside the country’s unrivalled quality of life, the students also considerably enrich their academic careers. With its 24 universities and 226 grandes écoles – all members of the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles – France is in fact ranked as the world’s third most attractive country for students.

The students flock to prestigious establishments on which the reputation of French excellence is based, such as Les Gobelins School of visual communication, whose graduates are much coveted by the great American film studios. In France they discover a global education system that has nothing to envy its English-speaking counterparts, and where they can attend world-class courses in a multicultural environment.

Far from the image of a remote Gallic village away from the international centres of power, France offers students the best of globalisation in a country that is proud to preserve its expertise and its distinctiveness. The country’s assets are explored at length in this magazine, which is designed to present the great centres of study, the various fields of expertise within the country and the schools that will help you obtain your dream qualification in an extraordinary environment.

Pascal Lasserre Deputy Director "Careers and Employment" at Figaro Classifieds Summary TheFrench lifestyle and higher education magazine / PART 2 / PART 1 Attractive cities /Living in France The sky's the limit in France 36 Paris, in the spotlight 42

French centres of excellence 6 Lyons, a great place to live 46

French-style elegance 12 South eastern, it's all happening down south 48

Dining with the French 20 South west, where get-up-and-go meets the good life 50 Pioneers of the animated picture 24 48 Nantes, a city by the sea 52 At the forefront of architecture and design 26 Strasbourg, the pretty heart of Alsace 56

Leading the way in the skies and on the tracks 28 Lille, a focus on young people 58

12 29 52 42 PART 3 /The French education 23 France - Welcoming students with opening arms 64 Interview of Philippe Jamet, president of the Conférence des grandes écoles 70 Publishing and Distribution: FIGARO CLASSIFIEDS Commercial contact: +33 (0)1 76 62 31 73 Editorial and design: Sopress - Presso. Cover photo: Thinkstock. Contributors to this issue: V. Gardet, R. Ducoulombier,

F. Costes, M. de Kerimel, C. Bodin - A. VELDMAN - JM BILLAUD - ISSOCK - WAVEBREAKMEDIA © SUTULASTOCK 6 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 7

Compared with the innovations and expertise of other countries, France is enjoying a growing reputation on the international Aircraft and aerospace scene. A number of its highly industries are among competitive sectors testify to a the flagships of the French industrial sector. great heritage and a stature that is widely admired. With grand monuments and / BY ROMY DUCOULOMBIER beautifully designed interiors, architecture is a core and influential element of the French cultural tradition.

French fashion and haute-couture have a profound influence throughout the world.

FRENCH CENTRES Chefs and apprentice cooks come from all over the world to learn the ropes of French / of excellence cuisine and gastronomy.

rance is of course an undisputed leader in the worlds of wine, fashion and cuisine, but its reputation is no less distinguished in cinematographic and digital productions, and innovations in the railway, aerospace and aeronau- Ftics sectors. Its inspired architects and designers have established a French style that blends traditional refinement and avant-garde design. The much in vogue trend for all things ‘made in France’ has been strongly bolstered in recent years by the creation of businesses designed to maintain the economic stability of France and reduce France is one of the world’s its carbon footprint. Finally with 12 French groups ranked among the world’s hundred leaders in the film industry, most innovative businesses in the 2013 Reuters list, France ranks as the world’s third as well as in graphic arts most innovative country behind the United States and Japan. L’Oréal, Airbus, Michelin, design and video games development. Thales and Safran are all flagships of a French excellence, based on a financially solid foundation dedicated to research. © AIRBUS - V. NIKULIN - M. VISHNEVSKAYA - DESHA CAM NICK WHITE - M. VISHNEVSKAYA NIKULIN © AIRBUS - V. 8 / BUSINESS SCHOOL ESCP EUROPE ADVERTISING / 9

ESCP EUROPE

According to SERVING BUSINESS Boris Durisin, innovation must constantly be put THROUGH at the heart of the company's business and INNOVATION strategy. ENTREPRENEURS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR IDEAS LAST MUST AT SOME STAGE ADDRESS THE QUEST TO INNOVATE: THE ABILITY TO SPOT AND SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES, EXAMINE THE MARKETS, POSITION THEMSELVES AND MONITOR THE CONSTANT ntrepreneurialism is alive SHIFTS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. and kicking in France: according to the INSEE, ANDREAS KAPLAN AND BORIS there are 3,752,544 com- DURISIN, PROFESSORS AT ESCP Epanies registered in the country, EUROPE, SHARE THEIR VIEWS 538,185 of which were created in the ON THE SUBJECT

last year. The students of France’s LTD © WAVEBREAKMEDIA grandes écoles, attracted by the idea of building their own careers and encouraged by the resources their nent basis. “The competitive context OFFERING INNOVATION established tools (for consumer product a success. And the only way rally at that point that you have to schools have mobilised to this end, today is not the same as it was five ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH insight generation, market sizing for companies to do that is to take rely on managers. More often than are also creating their own businesses years ago and it will be different “Take the example of Starbucks,” and so on) do not work. You can on board the notion of ambidexte- not they operate as ‘theory genera- in increasing numbers, with fresh again five years from now. No continues Boris Durisin. “They have offer consumers a new technology, rity. Basically that means introdu- tors.’ These are the people who ideas aplenty – ideas they can also business can be in any doubt about induced millions of Americans to but if you don’t put in place a mar- cing two inherently contradictory come to ESCP Europe to first put to intrapreneurial use, via the the need to innovate – the question drink their coffee the Starbucks way ket entry strategy for it to gain mar- activities within one and the same conceptualise their ideas and then creation of new entities within exis- is how? At ESCP Europe we have a on a daily basis. The success of the ket share, it won’t work! Remember company – developing one set of make their innovation a reality.” ting groups. For them, innovation lies programme entirely dedicated to whole business is due to new ways that 90% of product launches methods for innovating the offering at the heart of the process. But for the subject – our Specialised Master of consumption they have created attract les than 1% of market share. in an existing market and another LEARNING TO INVENT Boris Durisin, an Innovation and Mar- in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. around a simple drink. Starbucks At ESCP Europe, we train entrepre- for innovating the market because Continuous professional develop- ket Creation specialist at ESCP But we include enterprise, creativity has succeeded in changing habits. neurs not only before they start out the two aren’t managed in the same ment lies at the core of change for Europe, the World’s First Business and innovation in general in our The problem faced by most compa- but when they’re already in business, way. It’s a challenging concept to working adults. In order to cope School (est. 1819), the challenge Bachelor's, Master’s, MBA and nies today in launching truly innova- helping them develop the tools they implement and take on board but with the competitive dynamics in today is to be innovative on a perma- Executive degree programmes”. tive products lies in realising that need to make their innovative it’s the key to success. And it’s gene- their business, they have to maintain 10 / BUSINESS SCHOOL ESCP EUROPE ADVERTISING / 11

INTERVIEW ! Key Figures Maeva Tordo ESCP EUROPE ESCP EUROPE ALUMNUS AND 5 campuses in Europe: Paris, DIRECTOR OF THE BLUE FACTORY / INCUBATOR London, Berlin, Madrid and Torino © O. PERROT © O. / 100 academic alliances in Europe How did the Blue Factory begin? – a key element for us. Once they form and the world It’s a testament to ESCP Europe’s part of the Blue Factory, they can access determination to support young entre- the ESCP Europe network – made up of / 4,000 students representing preneurs. In 2007, we created the Chair teachers, students and alumni, some of 90 nationalities each year in Entrepreneurship across our five whom have themselves become seasoned / 5,000 managers and executives campuses, helping our students acquire entrepreneurs. We set up meetings, case in training each year an entrepreneurial mentality – and dare to study simulations etc. create. The Chair is made up of research, / 45,000 alumni in 150 countries teaching, events and acceleration strands. What are the benefits of being part worldwide of this structure? / Accreditations How does the incubator work? To my mind, the Blue Factory is more AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA The Blue Factory supports ten projects than an incubator. It’s a booster. It helps every year. We host teams in which at least entrepreneurs become more autono- www.escpeurope.eu one member is an ESCP Europe alumnus, mous and makes the required resources even if they graduated a long time ago. available to them. The shared learning The businesses must already have their and solidarity between projects enables statutes in place. We get involved not each one to make more rapid progress in at the business plan stage but once the an atmosphere of greater security. They ESCP Europe has a total of company is up and running. We select spend almost a year in a context that gives five campuses, including projects based on their impact on society them the wherewithal to succeed. the one in London,

a certain level of skills. The revolution marketing, finance, accounting and gives them the chance to study in nationality twice in a group. That's is now about the ways of accessing fundraising. In their current state, European cities that are full of dyna- extremely enriching and stimulates that training. Information is now avai- MOOCs are not qualification-bearing mism and creativity,” says Kaplan. new learning styles,” explains Durisin. lable to all at the click of a mouse. and so can’t give you access to the Andreas Kaplan, a professor at ESCP job market as things stand. But that DRAWING ON THE RICHES “This global interaction is also a feature Europe specialising in the digital has little importance for entrepre- OF THE WORLD of MOOCs, whereby people can follow world, is enthusiastic. “MOOCs (Mas- neurs as they create their own jobs. For these two experts, innovation courses led by star professors in, e.g., sive open on-line courses) are going The main thing is the access these arises especially through interaction finance or marketing in Montreal, to revolutionise higher education! courses give to lifelong learning with with other cultures. “At ESCP Europe New York, Madrid or Berlin – all from These online courses are the future, the best facilitators. As for young we use our unique posture to help the their own office,” says Kaplan. “If you even though we’re still at the obser- people just setting out on the entre- companies who come to see us. They want a MOOC to be successful around vation stage in France. But we preneurial journey, I’d advise them to can choose to run modules at the the world, you have to do it in institu- mustn’t miss the boat. Every school combine face-to-face learning in school’s various campuses in Paris, tions with real credibility in a given has to be on board. For the entrepre- school with online courses. It’s in the London, Berlin, Madrid or Turin in order area, and for ESCP Europe, consistent © X. RENAULD neur, it’s a treasure trove of free and classroom, through interacting with not only to access new learning but with its slogan “European Identity, At ESCP Europe, all students and executives are accessible information: they can other students, that you learn the also gain exposure to different cultures. Global Perspective”, that means invited to tackle entrepreneurship. access the courses of the world’s people skills essential to success. In my courses, I set up the groups notably the areas of European and best professors in fields such as Especially in a school like ours which so that you never find the same cross-cultural management.” 12 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 13

/ Haute couture originated in France, FRENCH-STYLE a country now famous for wielding its trendsetting powers in the world of fashion. / Cartier, Chaumet, Mauboussin and /elegance Boucheron are among the most prestigious names in French jewlery.

In its role as temple of fashion and home of luxury, France excels in the domain of elegance! Its designers, fragrances and

jewellery constitute an t the Court of Versailles and with the advent of prestigious dressma- international treasure. kers in the 19th century, the great haute-couture companies became Testimony by Romy Ducoulombier inextricably linked with the French scene. Their names range from LAURENT COTTA the Chanel empire and Christian Dior to Yves Saint-Laurent and Graphic arts manager at the Palais Galliera, A Musée de la mode de la Ville de Paris more recently the red-soled shoes of Louboutin. The leader in exceptional leather goods since 1854 with their bags, Louis Vuitton is famed throughout the world, as is Jean-Paul Gaultier, legendary couturier to the stars. The Parisian stylist Isabel Marant has cultivated an urban chic look, and her collections can now be seen in Madrid, Hong-Kong, New York, just like those of Sonia Rykiel, the epi- tome of Parisian elegance. These standard-bearers of French luxury – fashion houses, stylists and the great couturiers – have long occupied the streets and boulevards of the capital; from avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Elysées to Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Here in the fashion capital, the great department stores such as the Bon Marché or the Galeries Lafayette, also serve as guardians of the temple! But let’s not forget that haute-couture thrives above all thanks to the artistic trades that continue to generate exceptional artisans, whether in lace, / “In France, fashion is a Parisian embroidery, textile creation or glove making. Over 38,000 companies, workshops phenomenon. Paris has always been and factories channel their artisanal expertise into the creation of new collections! the capital of luxury and helped spread the joys for fine clothing throughout Sparkling jewellery the courts of Europe across the continent. While the major couture houses such as Chanel and Dior have Closely bound up with the great artistic movements and the French haute-couture long ruled the roost, the lie of the land collections, the world of jewellery has been just as glittering! Boucheron, with its has now changed. The notion of luxury bestiary and Art Nouveau style, has boasted a site on place Vendôme since 1893. in the prêt-à-porter world is no longer The Maison Cartier, the “jeweller of Kings”, Chaumet and its Art Deco jewels, considered ostentatious. The latest Mauboussin, famed for both its engagement rings and its affordable jewellery, all trend is for ‘personal luxury’ – the ideal of a perfect fit between your figure boast exquisite showcases on rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme, –a luxury show- and clothes. We are returning to a case they share with luggage makers Vuitton or Chanel – who have their own more introspective couture that both on-site high jewellery workshops – as well as Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, watch- emulates and updates the strong lines

TRAINING IN THE FASHION ? Interview /arts and crafts and AGNÈS COSTA Director of Fragonard perfume sectors

For those wishing to access the world of haute-couture, become jewellers or a recognised nose in the perfume world, targeted training courses abound throughout

/ Grasse remains the perfume France in these highly specialised sectors. capital of the world, where by Romy Ducoulombier one can find all the major suppliers of raw materials for fragrances. ashion and prêt-à-porter provide jobs for nearly 190,000 people! And / What is the image of the French creative training courses in the luxury and textile sectors are legion. The fragrances of perfumery perfume market? F In order to become operational two years after the baccalaureate, BTS qua- Testimony Historically speaking, French women lifications offer a thorough grounding in the business world: a BTS in fashion LAURA VALLÉE First popularised by the master-glovemakers/perfumers of the 17th century, then and perfume go hand in hand. design, textiles and the environment, an Industrial BTS in supple materials, an You might think of France as the RÉMOND promoted by Colbert, perfume quickly became all the rage at the Court of Ver- Industrial BTS in leather or a BTS in fashion design. At university level, a general 23 years old, freelance illustrator world leader of perfume! Grasse is and artist in the fashion world sailles. The town of Grasse, in the south-east of France, soon emerged as a place still without a doubt the cradle of degree in the Arts which can be pursued before specialising with a Masters in where orange trees and flowers such as the rose, carnation, violet and jasmine perfumery thanks to its strategic fashion and design or following up with a targeted university degree (DU) invol- could ideally be cultivated. Today, over 60 companies grow and harvest these raw location in terms of plant cultivation. ving a work placement scheme. Not to mention the public schools or private materials of the perfume industry around the town and while many of the great The House of Fragonard in the town institutes whose recognised diplomas are delivered in two- or four year courses. dates back to 1926! couturiers have developed their own perfume industry, complete with cult fragrances, the traditional French companies such as Fragonard, Galimard and Moli- / Do niche markets have a future? The nuances of perfume nard continue to maintain the expert traditions. For a long time the world of perfume was dominated by the huge brands. To be a ‘nose’ and design fragrances for the cosmetic and private sectors of tomor- As their popularity has spread, people row is something that can be learnt! Schools specialising in the sector offer four-year have turned again to lesser-known training courses interspersed with internships and work experience. The IUP in fragrances which better represent their personality. Chemical Engineering for aromas, perfumes and molecules trains specialised executives, leading to courses such as the vocational degree in science and technology / “After studying Style and Design / What fragrances are currently or the Masters in technology and management offered at certain universities. then completing a Masters in Fashion, / Over 38,000 involved? Luxury and Lifestyle’ at the Mod’Art artisans provide On the one hand, ultra-feminine Arts and crafts – a vocation International School, I seemed destined perfumes are all the rage. On the other, to become an illustrator! I began their craft and we are seeing a return to natural scents working with Chanel Haute-Couture expertise to the that are easy to identify, such as lime, Choose from 217 specialist skills divided into 19 sectors, including jewellery. and over time other projects came my haute couture citron or orange blossom, which we are A sure-fire way to enter these sectors is by taking a CAP, a BTS or a DUT. The Ile-de- way, especially in the perfume sector. "Maisons". certainly showcasing. France region alone offers over 600 initial training courses in the arts and crafts. Last year I even ventured into art design! As an illustrator and an artist, I have to say that the French fashion market offers some real opportunities.    / Prestigious schools deliver It’s a world of craft specialists which specialised training to stu- nd makes the most of all of our skills. 15 billion euros 2 position 9,000 jobs dents who aspire to become France has a strong luxury image Non-perfume turnover of the fashion The cosmetics sector Generated by the French fragrance technicians and which encourages brand development. houses, which employ 35,000 people, occupies second place high jewellery sector, master perfumers (or “nez”, And as paradoxical as it may seem including 16,500 in France. in terms of exports from for a turnover of € 1.6 billion. Haute-Couture has never been such

of the luxury objects or jewellery industry manager. All the MBA and E Masters programmes are also available in English and some can be EAC GROUP taken remotely via e-learning sessions. EAC has also created an Executive Ph.D. through its research laboratory, the Institut Cha- FRANCE LEADS teaubriand, and its team of profes- THE WAY IN ART, sors and researchers. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT For Claude Vivier Le Got, France CULTURE enjoys and must maintain an international stature. “Coming to study in France and rubbing shoulders with AND LUXURY the French allows future graduates to network, familiarise themselves THE EAC GROUP, Quitterie is with our practices, and develop an passionate international partnership with CREATED IN 1985, about bringing France... All of this contributes to RUNS HIGHER art into the our country’s influence and econo- EDUCATION COURSES corporate world. mic development. Higher education FOR CULTURAL is at the heart of this charm offen- sive.” According to the president, COORDINATION, THE despite competition from other ith a campus in ART MARKET, THE countries such as Italy, France Paris, another in LUXURY SECTOR “remains a real leader in the arts and Lyon, a site in AND GEMMOLOGY. luxury sectors. Foreign students first Monaco and plans decide on "France" as their primary FOUNDER AND afootW in China in Beijing and Shan- criterion, and then choose a school. ghai, EAC is a major player in French PRESIDENT CLAUDE On returning back home, having higher education. “We are the VIVIER LE GOT studied in France gives them added premier French group specialising EXPLAINS HER value. It is vital for EAC to be asso- in culture and luxury. As a member ciated with this attractive "French of Campus France and the signato- VIEWS ON FRENCH touch" – which constitutes a genuine ries to the Erasmus Charter, we have NATIONAL EXPERTISE economic asset. worldwide connections.” Almost AND ECONOMIC Our alumni work in all the cultural 30 years ago, EAC invented the DEVELOPMENT and luxury sectors and tend to term “cultural manager” – a brand reach quite important positions: which they then patented at the some have become cultural atta- INPI. EAC offers 20 courses in nal roles for which the group pre - chés, international directors of major various sectors of the art market, pares students, for example: luxury stores, auctioneers or direc- cultural coordination and luxury. contemporary art and design nego- tors of cultural establishments, Each course is certified with a State- tiator, art market manager, music for example.” accredited degree – a Bachelor, and festival manager, heritage and Claude Vivier Le Got strongly belie- Master or MBA. Their titles give a tourism mediator, creative industry ves in what she calls the “French more specific idea of the professio- manager, gemmologist, negotiator touch”. In her view, France enjoys a © DR 18 / BUSINESS SCHOOL EAC GROUP ADVERTISING / 19

range of expertise in the arts, culture and luxury sectors: “All the great ! Informations luxury houses are here. Place Ven- EAC GROUP dôme is unique. The Louvre is TESTIMONY unmissable. The Cannes Film Festi- / 4 campuses : Paris, Lyon, val is a world event. Our country’s Monaco, Pekin strength lies in its level of engage- Caterina Murino / 800 students ACTRESS AND EX-STUDENT ment in the cultural sector, whether AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE in film, music, the performing arts or / 4,500 alumni FOR GEMMOLOGY new technologies. We are expert in creating structures that are capable / 27 academic alliances of producing, accommodating and in the world

nurturing talents. We are the leading www.groupeeac.com country in Europe for putting on cultural events and festivals. EAC has developed an implementation Students of the "Cultural methodology for cultural projects Management” MBA that benefits on the magnificent working for Cannes Film experimental location that is Festival. France.” The recent integration of the ING, the National Institute for Gemmo- logy, has also made EAC the only French institution to offer a State-accredited degree in gemmo- Guillaume, graduate of the MBA art market In Sardinian familial tradition – or at least logy, recognised by the State. His- management, founder of artfinding.com, in mine – you get jewels for Christmas or tory is on its side: in the last 60 a website entirely dedicated to the art market. on birthdays. So I began to love jewellery years the great jewellery houses– back in my childhood. But I was always Dior, Chanel, Cartier or Van Cleef curious and wanted to go beyond simply & Arpels – have themselves contri-

looking at the superficial exterior. buted precious stones to the Insti- © DR And so to satisfy my own thirst for tute and enriched its collection of knowledge and love of stones, the only over 30,000 gems. “We teach not answer was the National Institute for only the scientific aspect of the Gemmology. There I was able to delve stones and jewels but also their cal recognition of degrees. EAC has partnerships. “We also have stu- further into this love that France has for commercial value. ING is much more also begun to provide training dents from the Middle East, North beauty and works of art, created by people than a diploma – it’s a real "brand’ in abroad and has played a part, for and South America of course.” and nature. In the history of the world and the eyes of our graduates.” example, in training the staff of the Significantly enough, the EAC group its cultures, only two great countries have Algerian Ministry of culture and the is also recognised by the French projected and still project this image of INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS Mining Ministry of the Democratic Ministry of Culture and has entered luxury, beauty and art: Italy and France. Thanks to its excellence and its Republic of Congo. While most of its an agreement with the Ministry of I was immersed in all things Italian from French Touch, the EAC group students come from France and Foreign Affairs. The French touch in an early age and in France I learnt to has proved highly attractive. Europe, a significant minority comes art, culture and luxury continues to appreciate elegance via the simple beauty “Being attractive internationally from Asia – now the world’s number be a valuable export in its own right of its women, the perfection of the is important for us and we have set one luxury market: visitors from and acts as a symbol of French architecture in your cities and deep love up cooperation agreements, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea expertise and influence throughout

you have for art and artists in general. exchange agreements and recipro- and China in search of international the world. © DR 20 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 21

/ Bread, wine and cheese: the gourmet trilogy is encrypted in the French DNA. Such products are now protected by controlled designations of origin, DINING WITH guaranteeing their quality. / The restaurant and catering sector is the fifth-largest job provider in the country, often hiring young chefs and / professionals trained at elite cookery the French… schools such as Ferrandi, pictured here.

Cuisine and wine are part and parcel of rance is a leading light in global cuisine, positioned at the crossroads of French culture and cutting-edge development and the export of traditional techniques and pillars of the national produce. Its position has helped it build a thriving economic empire and a wine industry that accounts for 550,000 direct and indirect jobs! economy. The culinary F Testimony heritage of France and BRUNO DE MONTE Wine and cuisine: it’s in the blood Director of the French gourmet school the richness of its FERRANDI vineyards are superbly Fine dining is an integral part of the French way of life – to such an extent that showcased by the pas- UNESCO has inscribed ‘the gastronomic meal of the French’ in its Intangible Heritage of Humanity List! France is a benchmark for quality and has transformed sion of its chefs and its culinary heritage into a powerful economy in both the domestic and world winegrowers. markets. The catering sector numbers 794,000 employees and generates an annual by Romy Ducoulombier turnover of 61.8 billion euros, making it the fifth biggest employer nationwide! In addition, the range of food-based professions, from butcher to caterer to baker, accounts for another 475,000 jobs and generates 145 billion euros.

A carefully preserved culinary heritage / “The various restaurant trades The appellation system (AOC and AOP) guarantees the quality of French products, have made huge progress thanks to increased media attention. People now from Ardèche chestnuts, bouchot mussels, Bresse chicken, Brie de Meaux and understand that these are expressive green Puy lentils to wines from the country’s 17 winegrowing regions. France has trades which can lead to the creation accumulated an immense heritage, like a treasure down the ages, from the of businesses! Pâtisserie is also banqueting tradition of the Middle Ages and the feasts served at the Court in enjoying a boom. For the 48 places Versailles to the sophisticated French dinner service etiquette of the 18th century. on retraining courses we offered this Later on, major figures such as Auguste Escoffier completely revolutionised year, we received 425 applications! And because FERRANDI is a leading school, the concept of fine dining while Paul Bocuse, voted chef of the century, shone a offering several levels of qualification spotlight on the work of the chefs themselves. and diplomas under one roof, our selection is based on the seriousness of Ambassadors of French cuisine the candidates’ career plans. Because the people we train really do want to enter the profession for good. And A number of starred chefs, such as Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoy or Joël Robuchon it takes time to learn the basics. The have raised French cuisine to exquisite heights. Their expertise has been show- professionals of the future must also cased by authorities such as the highly reputed Michelin Guide, or ‘Red Guide’ be aware of the benefits of integrating

© DR WITH MODERATION CONSUME HEALTH, YOUR CAN DAMAGE © DR - ALCOHOL – a gourmet directory which awards its much-coveted stars. Meanwhile, the foreign cuisine and new technologies.” 22 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 23

TRAINING IN ? Interview /gastronomy / From breakfast to dinner, JEAN-ROBERT PITTE President of the Académie des Vins de France the French enjoy their fine and wine meals at home or in one of the country’s countless restaurants. The food, catering and wine sectors are well represented on both university and vocational courses. Knowledge of country’s winegrowers, although perhaps less famous than their vineyards or the products and the learning of precise gestures consti- vintages, work together to perpetuate a traditional expertise, while developing tute the building blocks of a very promising sector. new techniques for their produce, or turning towards production models such as organic or biodynamic farming. Thanks to their outstanding expertise, France can by Romy Ducoulombier boast of producing 16% of all the world’s wines!

Stars of the French menu ver 140,000 food-related businesses employing around 340,000 workers / Is France a wine and food country? testify to the myriad employment opportunities, in a sector in which While Bordeaux wines such as Saint-Emilion, Graves, Sauternes, Pomerol, Mar- More than ever, we’re seen as the O bakeries are the star performers. To become a baker, training starts Testimony gaux, Champagne and Burgundies (Romanée-Conti, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits- home of both eating and drinking. early, as in most of the food trades. The baker’s diploma (CAP) can be obtained Our reputation is based on a culinary PIERRE DUTARET Saint-Georges) are known throughout the world, other winegrowing regions such two years after the third year of secondary school studies and the additional 30 year old, former student at the Le Cordon tradition that dates all the way back to Bleu school and manager at the Farago-Pintxo as the Loire and Rhône valleys and Provence have won over legions of tourists the 17th century, module in bakery, known as a Mention Complémentaire (MC) enables the holder Club restaurant in Paris visiting the country. Wine exports account for 7.6 billion euros, making this the to specialise for a year. However, a vocational baccalaureate in baking and country’s second largest export! / What do you think explains this pastry-making is also an option, two years after the CAP. The same applies to the emphasis on fine living? meat, fish, confectionary and chocolate-making strands. The professional ‘Meil- This success has gone hand in hand with another trend – that of buying directly from Although France is not the world’s only leur ouvrier de France’ (MOF) awards, held every three years, distribute prizes in diverse country, we have an immense the estate and learning more about the origins of the produce. The country’s wine all eight food trades: baker, pastry-maker/confectioner, butcher and pork butcher/ variety of terroirs and an impressive and farm tourism have become celebrated – showcasing the diversity of the many number of AOPs in the European sphere. caterer but also cook, barman, wine waiter and maître d’hôtel. regions. The delicious selection on offer includes coq au vin, poached eggs in Bur- The many starred chefs and restaurants gundy wine sauce, sauerkraut and flammekueche in Alsace, foie gras and cassoulet are a testament to our history, which The catering trades in the South West, daube and bouillabaisse in Provence, crepes in Brittany, brocciu they in turn continue to keep alive. And and lonzu in Corsica or tartiflette and fondue up in the mountains of Savoy! then there are the wines of Champagne, While you can qualify as a barman either by completing a diploma (CAP) in bras- Burgundy and Bordeaux, all of which “I learnt the catering trade via the enjoy excellent reputations. serie/café services or a vocational qualification (BEP) in the catering and hotel / Changing lifestyles industries, you can also become the director of an establishment by completing a intensive training at the Cordon Bleu. After a second qualification (WSET / What’s the best way to develop an BTS course in the hotel and restaurant trades, majoring in table arts or culinary 3 at the Ecole du Vin, level III diploma France has always welcomed foreign influences and its culinary traditions are far appreciation of food and wine? arts. Or a vocational degree in hotel management from a hotel management in Wines and Spirits), I set out in the By going to the market and tasting the from static. Street food, the proliferation of food trucks and the ‘locavore’ philoso- school or business school. Vocational training centres, private schools and specia- restaurant world by opening Farago, an produce! On top of that, four culinary phy all bear witness to its open-minded approach. Consumption habits are also lised schools offer recognised courses, apprenticeship contracts, targeted courses establishment specialising in the tasting centres are currently being developed in of tapas from the Basque Country, in continually changing in the world of wine, marked by the emergence of wine tasting Lyon, Dijon, Tours and Rungis, that will and internships. Paris. It was a huge success! Because classes throughout the world, the development of social media networks around serve as genuine live facilities dedicated people have never been so keen on wine and a new approach to branding that’s left the old labels of the past way behind. to wine and our culinary cultures. excellent produce and authenticity and the restaurant sector offers some great job opportunities, once you master the    complexity of social legislation! What’s / The traditional French more, people will always need to eat 7.5 million 2 hrs 22 mins Since 2010 savoir-faire is valued well and have a good time.” The number of people visiting wine cellars The average time taken up The ‘gastronomic meal of the French’ worldwide in the in France, including 2.5 million foreigners. by eating in a typical day. is inscribed in UNESCO’s Intangible bakery or butchery Wine tourism is a great way to visit a At 1 pm, half of France is at lunch! Heritage List. sectors. region and discover its winegrowing (Source : INSEE) terroirs. (Source: Atout France) WITH MODERATION CONSUME HEALTH, YOUR CAN DAMAGE © DR - ALCOHOL - DR - WAVEBREAKMEDIA © TOMASWORKS 24 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 25

/ International sales of French audio-visual media programs keep raising with an 8% increase ? in 2013. Interview FRANCINE LÉVY Director of the ENS Louis Lumière © DR PIONEERS publique d’investissement (BPI France) which is dedicated to funding R&D in /of the businesses in the sector. As a result, while there is fierce competition in film from the United States and India and from Japan for videogames, France is still very much in the game. Wit- animated picture hout forgetting the glorious period of New Wave films and the global success of the non-conformist works of Truffaut and Godard, France today boasts a thriving animated film industry. Take Michel Ocelot’s Kirikou and the Sorceress, or Sylvain © ENSLL Chomet’s Triplets of Belleville or indeed the French collaboration of the Mac Guff / What makes France a centre of studio with the blockbuster Despicable Me, which gave birth to two works. And the cinematographic excellence? country continues to host major film world events such as Cannes Film Festival It is the birthplace of cinema, along or the American Film Festival in Deauville. with all the inventions which have gone to make film what it is today. What’s © DR France is a major player! more, cinema has long been subsidised by the government, enabling the industry to survive the economic and From the Lumière brothers he birthplace of cinema along with the United States, France played a key And the country is no slouch when it comes to videogames. Ubisoft, with its two political upheavals of recent decades. to Michel Ocelot and Kirikou role in the emergence of the cinema hall thanks both to the invention of flagship games Rayman and Assassin’s Creed, is the fourth-ranking independent in the cinema, and from the T the cinematograph by the Lumière brothers and the entrepreneurial inge- publisher in Europe and the United States, and boasted a turnover of 1.4 billion / What are its main innovative achievements? special effects of Georges nuity of Charles Pathé. Meanwhile, fades and other special effects were dreamed euros in 2014-2015. And with the widespread proliferation of smartphones and up by Georges Méliès, while Emile Reynaud’s pantomimes lumineuses have left an other tablets., Gameloft has emerged as a global leader in the creation of digital In the years 1985-1990, pioneers began Méliès to the success of the to incorporate synthetic images into indelible mark on animated pictures… and social games. Its latest hit Modern Combat 5 Blackout, the most recent in the Assassin’s Creed and Modern real shots and thus gave rise to the use It is hardly surprising therefore, that France figures amongst the world’s leading series of games, hit the top spot for iPhone games in 67 countries last July. of special digital effects in France and Combat videogames, nations for directors, creators and spectators! It has long protected and promoted In terms of jobs, 23,000 employees work in the videogame industry. And this in in Europe. Currently, the most cutting France has been behind its film industry, providing innovations aplenty down the decades under the broad a country that is itself no stranger to the charms of this gaming world – in 2012, edge innovations are directed towards several great audiovisual tent of animated pictures, which today incorporates not only 3-D technologies France counted 31 million gamers! the creation of digital actors and real- time, ‘on-set’ pre-visualisation tools. innovations and maintained but also videogames. its place at the forefront of / Can you describe the range of   History in motion training in France? the technological scene. While state schools offer an in-depth by Fanny Costes The creation of the national cinema and animated image centre (CNC) in 1946 € 131.7 billion 21 september 2012 generalist training at university, played a key role in preserving this constantly shifting heritage. A public body in in 2013, sales of French audiovisual Inauguration of the Cité du cinéma, specialised, technical and artistic programs abroad rose 8 % the cinematographic complex incorporating training is available in the grandes charge of implementing government policy for this and other arts and industries to reach € 137.1 billion, the highest a number of sets, studios and schools such écoles such as the Ecole nationale of the animated picture, it has historically supported Research and Development level ever attained – a growth as the ENS Louis Lumière. Backed by the supérieure Louis Lumière or projects – in 2001, for example, with the creation of the Research and Innovation sustained by animation and sales French director and producer, Luc Besson, the Femis. We offer a complete in Audiovisual and Multimedia (RIAM) network, in partnership with the Banque of documentaries and fiction. it is located to the north of Paris. but highly selective range. 26 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 27

AT THE FOREFRONT ? /of architecture Interview MICHEL & DANIEL BISMUT and design Bismut & Bismut Architects / The Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris, can host a variety of temporary

The geniuses of the construction business © Bruno Klein / Is the world of architecture Le Corbusier, forerunner of modern architecture in France, Europe and internatio- compartmentalized? We have developed an interest in all nally, developed the concept of the house as a “machine for living in.” Using indus- areas of interior design, at all levels, trial materials, he implemented his five principles of architecture: a roof terrace, from the design of a coffee table to banded windows, pilotis, uncluttered layouts and clean façades. Villa Savoye in the construction of a building. Poissy and Cité radieuse, in Marseille perfectly embody his philosophy. More contemporary architects, who jointly share the spotlight, include: Jean Nouvel / What image does French whose work focuses on the development of old monuments and is characterised architecture have? France benefits from its prestige and by the use of transparent materials; Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who specialises in inte- past reputation! Work produced by

© DR rior design; Jacques Ferrier, the king of large-scale projects and Nicolas Michelin, the current big names in the world of renowned for his tailor-made, eco-friendly approach. architecture, Christian De Portzamparc, With its impressive hether it’s stone villages with their sky-piercing steeples, half-timbe- Nouvel, Starck etc. are exported all over monuments and fabulous red houses or cathedrals etc. each region of France boasts its own Design is everywhere the world. They set the tone, create a style and are a real source unique architectural style, the result of several centuries of history. interior design, France W of inspiration. is a leading force in the Beautiful objects, hotels, boutiques, temporary sites etc. In Paris, Les Docks, a A rich architectural heritage fashion and design centre with a tubular structure, is home to a number of exhibi- world of aesthetics / What are the current trends? tion spaces. Special events, such as the Puces du Design (Vintage Design) at Bercy We’ve moved from pure minimalism to and innovation. The cathedrals of Chartres, Notre-Dame-de-Paris and Saint-Denis, built during the Village or the International Design Biennial, held in Saint-Etienne every other year, the construction of warm, welcoming, Renowned designers 13th century, with their pillars and arches are fine examples of Gothic art. The help keep track of modern trends. Design is a useful tool for product differentia- colourful spaces. Mixed-use areas. Similarly, the barrier between art and architects all share Italian wars, at the end of the 15th century, were responsible for the spread of the tion which allows you to rethink living spaces; for example, the Mama Shelter chain and architecture has become less in an exceptional Renaissance to France. The castles of Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau, Blois and of hotels designed by Philippe Starck, or the more thematic, Crayon, Seven and pronounced; art is becoming more creative heritage. Chambord, all of which attract a huge number of visitors, sprung up under Fran- Hidden Hotels in Paris. In short, quirky designs, which are both inspiring and democratic and accessible and is used çois 1er! Chenonceau, which is the region’s most visited monument, receives inspired, and which are increasingly popular amongst the French! to enhance all types of interiors. by Romy Ducoulombier 350,000 visitors each year. The Vauban fortifications are also well known; Vauban was the military architect to Louis XIV, and his fortifications, which include 12 UNESCO listed world heritage sites, can be seen at Briançon, Blaye, Saint-Mar-    tin-de Ré etc. The vast Château de Versailles is synonymous with classical French culture. And under the Second Empire, Haussmann style architecture made its 29,831 architects 20 2 / 3 appearance, transforming Paris with its natural stone buildings. The use of iron, in France. 33 % of the professional National schools of architecture Design agencies and French designers population is located in Ile-de-France, in France which train 90 % have set up in Ile-de-France and steel and glass, the Universal Exhibitions, the Eiffel Tower, bridges, houses and 10.38 % in the Rhône-Alpes and 9.22 % in of future architects. the sector generates a turnover stations were also revolutionary. the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. of 2.5 billion euros. 28 / LIVING IN FRANCE LIVING IN FRANCE / 29

/ Halfway between a drone and a satellite, the astonishing StratoBus will be able to carry out a wide range LEADING THE WAY of missions including observation, safety, telecommunications and /in the skies and navigation… all with a five-year lifespan. on the tracks

French industry is hailed fter the war, in the heyday of transport revolution and the space across the world for its race, France mobilised its best engineers, promoted partnerships and invested several billions of francs, then euros. As a result, it now railway, aeronautical and  space flagships – success A figures amongst the giants of the aeronautics, aerospace and railway construction worlds. based on centuries of � 73.1 billion In terms of orders, 2013 was a record expertise and top-level The leading names among these sectors include Airbus, Thales, Safran, Dassault year for the aeronautics, space and innovation. and Alstom industries supported, by state and is research centres committed to defence industry, with ¤ 73.1 billion of orders taken – a rise of 49% over 2012. by Fanny Costes producing breakthrough innovations: the National Centre for Spatial Studies (CNES), the French Centre for Aerospace Research (ONERA), all the French Natio- nal Science Research Centre.

The No. 1 French exporter

It is therefore hardly surprising that the aeronautics, aerospace and defence indus-  tries constitute the number one French sector for exports. In 2013, the sector posted a turnover of € 47.9 billion – up by 9 % over 2012 – of which 79 % were exports. 177,000 The latest generation Airbus, including its biggest carrier, the A380, and the A350 people were XWB, the main competitor for the Boeing 777, is part of the immense progress working in the aeronautics, aerospace and defence industries, being made by air transport worldwide. And last July, the constructor launched the in 2013. A330 Neo, which burns up 14% less fuel than similar aircraft in its range. In civil aviation, the business transport sector is also flying high in France. Dassault Aviation began producing its Falcon Private Jets in the 1960s and today ranks among the world’s top three. Expectations are high of its latest flying jewel, the Falcon 8X. The inaugural flight is due to take off in 2015, and the first deliveries are expected in late 2016.  A global success 574.8 km/h SNCF, Réseau Ferré de France and The success of the French aerospace sector is closely tied up with the Ariane pro- Alstom have held the world speed gramme launched by the European Space Agency, for which the CNES is one of the record on the tracks across all principal contractors, marketed by Arianespace. A new version of the Ariane 5 laun- categories since 3 April 2007. cher has been sent into orbit recently in order to provide fresh supplies to the international space station.

? TRAINING IN THE AERONAUTICS is the global leader in satellite launching. Since its creation in 1980, the company has launched over half the commercial satellites now in service. It is currently involved in Interview the deployment of the future European GPS, Galileo. THIERRY MICHAL /aerospace and General technical director of the ONERA (French Centre for Aerospace Research) France, at the forefront of innovation railway sectors Each year at the Le Bourget, the innovative power of France in all these domains is on display to the public. In 2013, they were presented with the E-Fan, the precursor of With their range of extremely diverse and highly technical the electric planes of tomorrow, whose first flight last April was a resounding success. trades, these sectors are always on the lookout for quali- Proof positive of the strong will of the government, in tandem with the industry, to fied personnel. French national expertise therefore draws lead the sector into the future and towards carbon free mobility. heavily on an extensive network of training courses, from Speed and trams – France powers ahead on the tracks the CAP/BEP vocational diplomas to Masters courses at the most prestigious engineering schools. France likes steaming ahead, and nowhere is this more evident than on the tracks. by Fanny Costes SNCF and its rolling stock made by Alstom hold a number of speed records. The latest / In what areas is the ONERA researching today? – unsurpassed anywhere in the world – is that of the TGV POS in 2007, which rocke- Using its calculating and testing capacity ted to speeds of over 570 km/h. While Japan was a pioneer in high-speed trains, – unique in Europe – the ONERA hether your aim is to become a maintenance technician, assembly France has since the 1980s shown great technological prowess in adapting this revo- research teams are endeavouring expert, airline pilot or design engineer, France offers a raft of Testimony lution to its national network. Of over 2,000 high-speed trains (over 250 km/h) on to improve the performance and W learning opportunities and structures to help you achieve your goals competitiveness of increasingly complex HORTENSE CRESP the world’s tracks, 535 are active on the French network. in the best possible conditions. Students can therefore access trades in the 28 years old, an engineer specialising aircraft (aeroplanes, helicopters, But beyond their impressive performance, the industrialists and managers behind aeronautics, aerospace and railway sectors via short cycles such as the aeronautics in satellite navigation systems at Thales space launchers). Our breakthrough the French railway system have also grasped the fact that transport of the future will technologies are put to the service of CAP diploma, or the Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle in metallurgy, take place mainly in cities. From this point of view, the French tram school has esta- the industry in order to anticipate its or for example a one-year course that qualifies you as a ‘transport and railway blished its credentials across the country, with over 25 cities having adopted this clean needs for innovation. In this way, we have operations agent.’ method of transport, including with a number of international cities. been able to contribute to the design Having played an historic role in the revival of this means of transport, Transdev is of the entire Airbus range and we are Targeted courses currently working on new configurations now a global leader in tramways, with 25 networks operating in 12 countries and on – especially for electric aeroplanes. four continents. The launch of the first three tramlines in Shenyang in August 2013, For the cycles involving a Baccalaureate +2/3 years of further study, a number of in partnership with RATP, is a shining example of this success. Alstom’s Citadis model / What major innovations can be DUT qualifications or vocational degrees are on offer in public and private French has been operative on the streets of Tunis since 2009. And French companies are expected in the skies of the future? institutions, such as in a DUT in mechanical engineering or a BTS in industrial today supporting the development of cities in Brazil, Spain and Morocco. They will depend to a great extent on product design, enabling the holder to become a planning designer in aeronautics, changes in commercial needs but there French successes in the skies and on the tracks are based on an ingenious blend of for example. And of course, France also has a range of courses leading to much / “I entered the Enac in 2005 after is no doubt that we will see highly a preparatory class in advanced and technological innovation and a strong focus on sustainable development. This has automated vehicles that are safer and higher qualifications – especially in its grandes écoles– leading to posts in research special maths and quickly turned to become an indispensable recipe for keeping pace with a breakneck global competition, more environmentally-friendly both in and design. These largely concern training for engineers. The internship under- space telecommunications. When in which the flagships of emerging countries will also want to have their say! terms of emissions and noise pollution. taken or choice of specialisation made during the course then determines access I left school, in 2008, I immediately to a specific professional domain. At this stage it is possible to become, for found a job as a design engineer in the example a Satellite Integration Engineer, aeronautical equipment design engineer Toulouse start-up Pole Star. I stayed there for four years and was then taken or railway station or airport manager. on as a navigation engineer at Thales services. I now work for the CNES (national centre for space studies) on a GNSS constellation simulator (a satellite positioning system). Aeronautics and aerospace are extremely promising / The “TGV Nord” (the French high-speed train sectors in France and our training helps northern railroad) celebrated its 20th anniversary / The rail industry hires us to find value-added jobs. You can in 2013. On this occasion, the SNCF announced the all types of graduates, quickly end up in project management complete renovation of its trains on this northern from technicians to jobs and the salary scale is perfectly line. All new trains are now operational. engineers. adequate. With six years of experience €

CENTRALE PARIS EXECUTIVE PLACING THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE HEART OF PERFORMANCE

IN A CONSTANTLY SHIFTING WORLD, OUR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS CANNOT AFFORD TO UNFURL IN SLOW MOTION. EMPLOYEES WHO WANT TO OFFER THE BEST SERVICE TO THEIR COMPANIES MUST KEEP LEARNING AND MOVE WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL TIMES. AND THAT’S NOT ALL… © DR

ome would say that the aim strategy, to act as a trainer, a sup- in a single company, occupying Founded in 1829, time, today’s employees must and for themselves. An individual of each individual within a port and a tutor for a team. the same position until they retire. the Ecole Centrale continually be in training, at least in who absents themselves only to company is not just to be However, the idea of performance We live in a ‘channel-surfing’ world Paris will open their minds. And around the age return richer adds value, which personally efficient but also still revolves around the individual: which offers a myriad of work new premises for of 35-40, they must reflect on where makes the whole thing worthwhile. Sto work as a team, taking the whole everything happens through and opportunities. On the other hand, CentraleSupélec they are and embark on a long The key is also to have motivated enterprise forward, This is certainly thanks to him or her. It’s all about companies are investing to hold in September 2017; 6-18 month training of some sort.” staff, whose need for recognition these will be located the opinion of Florence Durand, the self-development for managers onto their talents. Ms Durand is But how to satisfy both the employee is met by having their training in the heart of the director of Centrale Paris Executive that’s designed to help the indivi- unsurprised by the apparent contra- who wants to keep growing and the endorsed by a leading institute such Paris-Saclay University Education, the Continuous Profes- dual’s career progress within the diction: “Of course managers want complex. company that needs its staff to be as ours. And then for us to work sional Development Centre at the overall corporate context.” to hold on to their best staff when hard at work rather than sitting in the hand in hand with these companies famous engineering school. “Today’s The corporate world of 2014 is they recognise them! That’s why training room? “We don’t really see in order to develop the most appro- business world needs more than just facing a paradox. On the one hand, they offer them the chance to deve- the question in those terms. Compa- priate training for their staff, without people who can do their jobs well. it is now a given that no employee lop through CPD – and why they nies have taken on board that trai- having to sacrifice too much of their We need them to be part of a global will remain throughout their career must continue to do so. At the same ning is necessary both for their staff working time.” 34 / ENGINEERING SCHOOL CENTRALE PARIS EXECUTIVE EDUCATION ADVERTISING / 35

NEW WAYS OF LEARNING Between evening classes, Saturday ! Informations mornings, summer schools, specia- CENTRALE PARIS lised Master’s, certificate-bearing EXECUTIVE training courses and short courses, EDUCATION the range of training opportunities / 5 campuses in the world : Paris, has grown to reflect the diversity of Bejing, Hyderabad, Singapore, individual needs. “July and August, Casablanca which used to be thought of as the quiet months in training institutes, / 70 different nationalities are certainly not quiet anymore!” / 3 5 % of international students jokes the director. Because the thirst TESTIMONY for learning is significant and the / 102 corporate partners, of which once-clear boundaries of life are 12 with a “premium” status being erased. Distance courses are Stéphane Plisson 300 programs of executive also legion. Thanks to the well- / TOOK THE LEGO SERIOUS PLAY® METHOD education known MOOCs (Massive open online After taking an initial course in 2013 on courses), huge numbers of people / 19 Advanced Master the Lean Six Sigma –Black Belt which can now access new knowledge, led in just a few months to a qualifica- which is in turn becoming globa- / 5 different fields of research tion equivalent to a Master’s, I took a lised, with a shared vocabulary mas- www.cf.ecp.fr / www.supelec.fr/fc/ second course in 2014: certification in tered by various nationalities. facilitating - The Lego Serious Play® “We also offer two-hour ‘spot’ trai- Method. It’s an innovative and fun ning courses, or even e-learning coaching method that uses games opportunities that can make a certain to solve business problems – in this piece of knowledge accessible in just case involving Lego pieces. The great ten minutes. Our teachers give stu- advantage is that it breaks down barriers dents extremely precise overviews, between individuals. Everyone can have always designed to save time.” Cen- their say and there are no social, cultural tral Paris Executive Education also or intellectual barriers. The language works hand in hand with business required to use these little plastic pieces schools where these exist. “They

becomes universal. I certainly developed often have excellent ideas, but need Executive Paris Centrale at course © Training professionally by doing these course. to work together with us on the The qualifications have also led to new pedagogical side. Whatever the With innovative methods, their wellbeing. “We are faced with a literal and figurative sense. The pur- managers and people, for example opportunities, particularly as they are context, our aim is always to give Central Paris Executive genuinely new awareness of the pose of these CPD courses is to with courses on emotional intelli- certified by one of thegrandes écoles these companies and their employees Education provides its wellbeing of each individual bring out the best in people.” gence, or help them acquire techni- here in France. Through keeping a close the best possible support in their students a new approach employee in their working environ- The training offered at Centrale Paris cal skills, methods and tools. The watch on changes in the business world, drive towards improved perfor - to continuing education. ment. The better an employee feels, Executive involves closely entwined important thing for us is the feed- Centrale Paris Executive is able to offer mance,” concludes Florence Durand. the more they contribute to their management and technology dimen- back they will gain, not only through training that’s not only focused but company. Google, for example, gets sions around a multi-disciplinary the various exchanges taking place pioneering. I’ll be using what I learned in WELLBEING FIRST all its employees to meditate! Our expertise. “Our target audience is between students but also with our the Lego Serious Play® course to manage AND FOREMOST role as a school is also to manage an essentially made up of engineers and experts and professors.” Ms Durand my future teams and win clients. Com- Within this three-dimensional set-up individual’s CPD while respecting managers in highly technical environ- is proud to offer this blend of mana- panies should introduce this method as – company-school-individual – Ms their personal life. Because if they ments, and increasing numbers of gerial and technical aspects, which it forges links between people in totally Durand is keen to highlight the are to integrate new knowledge, people, attracted by this dual portfo- features in over 300 training courses new and original ways. importance of the individual and they have to be available in both the lio. We either help them grow as offered by the school each year. 36 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES ATTRACTIVE CITIES / 37

Nothing beats the major French cities for experiencing the French way of life. They are also strategic places to study and gateways to a whole region with a magni- Lille’s Grand Place, ficent cultural heritage. the city’s main square.

/ BY ROMY DUCOULOMBIER The MuCEM, in Marseilles, is a brand new national museum dedicated to European and Mediterranean Civilisations. The Eiffel Tower watching over Paris.

A view of Lyons from the Fourvière hill.

THE SKY’S / the limit in France!

t is no coincidence that France is the most visited country in the world, ahead of the United States and Spain. In 2013, 84.7 million foreign tourists travelled throughout its regions, visiting its towns and monuments, drawn by the country’s extreme diversity of landscapes, traditions and leisure opportunities. Its towns are I The Petite France district, repositories of an impressive regional heritage. Lyons, for example, has been inscribed in Strasbourg. since 1998 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Bordeaux is considered one of the best cities to work in by the French, while the city of Nantes, overlooking the Atlantic, is modern and dynamic. Lille is the gateway to northern Europe, and Strasbourg plays a similar role to the east. In Nantes, the majestic Castle of the Dukes of The city’s Alsatian traditions can certainly rival the cities of the South-East! Nice, Brittany. Montpellier, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille not only enjoy fantastic amounts of sunshine but are also candid about their ambition to attract young people. And then of course there’s Paris, the city of light, with its 2.2 million inhabitants. These cities all have one thing in common: a comfortable standard of living, renowned universities and The Place du Capitole, Toulouse famous

an incontestably rich heritage. ARGYROGLO/LVAN - VENT DU SUD MARTIN - STEVANZZ RICCIOTTI - LISA © POLADAMONTE central square. 38 / BUSINESS SCHOOL SKEMA ADVERTISING / 39

SKEMA BUSINESS SCHOOL SKEMA graduates are global citizens who hold the necessary tools FRANCE to become leading players in tomorrow’s global FACING economy. GLOBALISATION

MICHEL-HENRY BOUCHET, SENIOR ECONOMIST OF THE bilise but also volatile capital flows giving rise to crises. WORLD BANK AND The sense of unease also arises from PROFESSOR OF the feeling that we are no longer in FINANCE AT SKEMA, control of our destiny, a notion rein- OFFERS HIS VIEWS forced by popular discourse. The ON GLOBALISATION truth is, globalisation has become a scapegoat although there have been AND ITS IMPACT ON no casualties and no one has been FRANCE divested of their right to make moral choices or political decisions. France is the fifth largest world power (but © DR a long way behind Germany) but is not very global when it comes to indicators of trade openness and so ondialisation”1 has you have to differentiate between accelerated as a result of deregula- CHALLENGES DON’T HAVE multinationals, stateless investment is fearful of losing its position and “ become a source of two phenomena which are often tion in the 1980s. In short, it’s about TO MEAN CAUSALITIES funds, the mafia, terrorism etc. seeing its governance, identity, and great disillusionment confused: “mondialisation” and opening up the market economy “Globalisation presents considerable BNP’s revenue exceeds France’s even its sovereignty, dissolve with for some but for globalisation. The first is as old as to all countries and all areas of challenges, firstly there’s a tension national GDP and Walmart, the globalisation. Mothers represents hope for progress. the world itself and concerns the production and exchange and has between space and time. Although, American equivalent of the French Finally, a serious challenge is “For the French, it reverberates like exchange of ideas and values now spread to areas which were in a uniform world, space is flat, with hypermarket, Carrefour, has knowing who is in charge of a global a threat as the vast majority of the between populations. It’s the idea previously unaffected: culture, the “tyranny of the short-term,” the announced sales figures that are economy. “Is anyone flying this population are hostile to this state of a global village, the age-old media, education and health. Take, time horizon becomes shorter due 5 times greater than Morocco’s GDP! plane?” the expert asks. “There is a of affairs. It’s responsible for the adage, “the world is my neighbour,” for example, the rise of medical to the pressure of competition, pro- And, of course, globalisation knows real problem with the notion of glo- Euro crisis, the rise in unemploy - and offers vast potential for deve- tourism and the competition to get ductivity and profitability. States no bounds: the world becomes an bal governance as the political sys- ment and sectarianism, and threate- lopment! As for globalisation, it into the Grandes Ecoles (prestigious have less room for manœuvre. They echo chamber where contagion tem is structured around a nation ned identities,” so summarizes emerged during the industrial revo- universities)!” appear overwhelmed and by-passed effects spread quickly; and it’s not state and the UN model, while, ICT Michel-Henry Bouchet. “However, lution, but the scale of globalisation by the markets: globalised banks, just information flow that can desta- means that markets are now global 40 / BUSINESS SCHOOL SKEMA ADVERTISING / 41

and without borders. As a result there is an absence of time horizons, ! Informations a reduction in social interaction and SKEMA GROUP considerable differences in wealth. TESTIMONY Globalisation has not made the / 5 campuses : poor, poorer but has made the rich, 3 in France (Lille, Paris, Sophia Antipolis), richer, as you can see in the United Julie Gruber 1 in Suzhou, China and SKEMA GRADUATE States where the top ten per cent of 1 in Raleigh, United-States the population control 50% of the country’s income. Neither the IMF / 6,700 students nor the World Bank, nor the UN, have managed to regulate globalisa- / 32,000 alumni tion. Despite some promising but / 100 academic alliances fragmented attempts, today we are in europe and world suffering from a lack of international coordination in finance, business www.skema-bs.fr and geopolitics.”.

FRANCE, A COUNTRY THAT IS STILL STRONG “ To get bogged down in the challenges, would mean turning one’s back on the considerable opportunities “At the age of 23, I have just landed my for progress and knowledge disse- first job as a head-hunter for the Swiss mination offered by globalisation market, in London! So I’m fully embra- – for example, the potential offered cing globalisation and have done so since by cutting-edge technology in the I started studying at SKEMA Business fields of education, medicine and School. I spent my first year on the technological research. Despite the Sophia Antipolis campus and because prevailing pessimism, the country the lessons were held in English, I was has undeniable assets to invest. able to fully engage with the school’s France is competitive and attractive;

international dimension. I spent my you can see this from its investment © DR second year on the Raleigh campus in flows. Davos has listed France the United States and that’s when I really 23rd in the world, in terms of com- With its five campuses, emphasis to counter France’s main and academic. Above all, we want to mic intelligence. They need to began to appreciate the global dimen- petitiveness, in front of China, in including one in China handicap: a culture defined by a lack ensure that all our graduates enter become experts in global networks sion of my studies, working alongside 28th position. French productivity is and another in the United of openness and a lack of risk taking. the hyper-competitive job market as well as management and risk students from India and China. Our high; according to the OECD, it is States, SKEMA places with a full understanding of the identification. They must learn to be American teachers had a very different nearly on par with that of the United globalisation at the heart STUDENTS AND THE challenges of globalisation. What I flexible and responsive so they can approach, one that complemented the States. This is largely due to the of its priorities, with the CHALLENGES OF GLOBALISATION say to students is simple: how are act as free, mobile agents who are world as its playing field. normal educational system and allowed quality of our infrastructure and “At SKEMA, we fully embrace globa- you going to make yourself stand well-adjusted and capable of res- me to derive maximum benefit from the technology, combined with a lisation: one third of our students out in a global employment market ponding creatively to the challenges experience. SKEMA has instilled in me high-performing educational sys- come from overseas and we have where your “technical” skills are very presented by globalisation,” a global world view and very early on tem, and in particular our renowned five campuses in three continents. similar to those of a Chinese or concludes Michel-Henry Bouchet. taught me about the importance of assu- engineering and business schools,” Most of our professors have a strong American student? What they need 1. There is no English equivalent of “mondialisation” which is ming responsibility. A challenge, that is argues Michel-Henry Bouchet. These international connection, and dual to build on, is their ability to process generally translated as “globalisation.” Roughly speaking it means “world-forming,” but for the sake of precision, it awaiting me in my first job.” assets must be accorded greater expertise that is both “operational” information and convert it to econo- was decided to retain the original French term in this text. 42 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES - PARIS ATTRACTIVE CITIES - PARIS / 43

! Events in Paris / PARIS, A FLOURISHING PROGRAMME / The European heritage days, held in respectively. Also during the summer, IN THE SPOTLIGHT mid-September, provide members of the Paris Plages takes over the banks of public with the opportunity to visit Parisian the Seine which are covered with sand, monuments, normally closed to the public, deckchairs and palm trees. Paris is the CAPITAL OF ARTS AND CULTURE free of charge. www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr but is also France’s economic and political centre. / As the end of year festivities draw near, 29 MILLION VISITORS throng its streets every year, / The Solidays and Rock en Seine festivals the Eiffel Tower, Hotel de Ville and flocking to one of the world’s most beautiful cities. which are renowned for their artistic department stores are illuminated with quality, mark the start and end of summer sparkling lights. A real feast for the eyes! / BY ROMY DUCOULOMBIER

aris, a fabled city and mythical Paris, climb Montmartre and explore its Paris, a central location capital, perfectly encapsulates bustling streets, wander around Notre- the French way of life, now Dame de Paris, the Latin district, the Paris enjoys a central location, strategi- P more than ever. Its cobbled Pantheon or the Jardin du Luxembourg, cally positioned in the heart of Europe, streets, the Seine embankments and its just a stone’s throw away etc. just a short distance from London, small, romantic hills harbour hundreds of It’s also an opportunity to marvel at / Standing by the gardens Brussels, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich monuments, nestled in the heart of an the bold contemporary structures that at the end of and Barcelona with a high-performing historic city. It’s difficult to remain indiffe- have sprung up around the Haussmann the Trocadéro plaza, network of airports, stations and public rent to the wealth of culture and art which buildings: the Louvre Pyramid, the the Eiffel Tower watches transport. However, the town also falls make this a favourite tourist destination. Georges-Pompidou Centre, the Eiffel over Paris. within Île-de-France, France’s leading Tower, the National Library of France economic region. It’s a major urban A “picture postcard” city but (BNF), the Cité des Sciences and most centre which is home to 500 large, global so much more… recently La Fondation Louis Vuitton businesses, 17 universities, 350 higher which has just opened, are all testament education establishments and 600,000 The success of the films Amélie Poulain, to the city’s avant-garde architectural students! Midnight in Paris or even Guerlain’s “Little vision. The town is an endless source of Black Dress” advert, mean that City inspiration to the big names in architec- of Light feels all too familiar to first-time ture such as Jean Nouvel, Christian de visitors. And it’s the perfect place for Portzamparc and Philippe Stark, res- walking, whatever the season… take a ponsible for renovating the city’s desi- stroll down the Champs-Elysées, visit the gner hotels and restaurants and creating Eiffel Tower with its spectacular view of cosmopolitan, multidisciplinary spaces. / The glass pyramid erected by the Chinese-American   architect Ieoh Ming

Paris has Every year, Pei sublimates the classical beauty of

2.2 million 7 million the Louvre. registered inhabitants, people visit the Eiffel Tower, that is 19% of the Ile de France a symbol of Paris that was opened population (11.7 million inhabitants) in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition and 3.6% of the national population. and measures 324 m in height. © POLADAMONTE - DAVID LEFRANC - DAVID © POLADAMONTE 44 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES - PARIS ATTRACTIVE CITIES - PARIS / 45

? Paris, youth capital Interview The British research consultancy, QS, also in the far north of the city, has a distinc- awarded Paris the title of “world’s best stu- tive small country town feel. There are also Alain Honsi dent town” in 2013, beating London, Sin- the “arrondissements” that the Parisians gapore, Sydney, Melbourne and even delight in showing visitors, often in the President of the International Club for Young People in Paris Zurich, a title that reflects, in part, the form of unusual tours. On the agenda: (CIJP) quality of life on offer but also the city’s visits to the catacombs, a stroll around action-packed and eclectic cultural scene. Père-Lachaise cemetery and novel visits to What is the CIJP? city, its rich cultural life and vitality Paris is teeming with museums and private gardens. The volunteers who work An organization that welcomes are some of the main reasons theatres, and boasts no fewer than 1,800 for Meeting The French or Paris Greeters international students to Paris, determining a student’s choice. In historic monuments. In order to attract reveal some of the city’s secrets and hid- helping to put them in touch with addition, Paris is well positioned still more students, some sites offer free den addresses during guided visits. You French residents and introducing strategically, right in the centre entry to the permanent collections can also explore the city by taking part in them to the city. There are a of Europe. It’s an ideal base for throughout the year, depending on age life-size games, treasure hunts or cycling, range of activities to facilitate youngsters wishing to visit Germany, and circumstance. The Louvre Museum, thanks to the famous Velib scheme where these interactions such as visits Italy, England or Spain in just a few the National Natural History Museum, you can borrow a bike from one station to monuments and the different hours by train. the Arab World Institute (IMA), the Musée and leave it at another. districts, linguistic workshops to d’Orsay, the Musée du quai Branly and the Although extremely picturesque, and a improve knowledge of French or What can the Organization provide? Musée Rodin offer a varied programme. continuing source of inspiration for wri- trips to the surrounding region. We offer support to our members, They are easily accessible and are just a few ters, painters and famous musicians, answering queries, helping them with tube stops away from one another, as Paris, now more than ever, boasts a thri- Why does Paris attract so many administrative matters, looking for indeed are all the city’s monuments of ving, vibrant and cosmopolitan cultural foreign students? accommodation etc. For us, the key which the Parisians are justly proud: The life. Far from the clichés normally asso- Because the city has a number of thing is to encourage communication Arc de Triomphe, Conciergerie, Panthéon, ciated with the city, Paris, with its splen- renowned universities. The Sorbonne and student autonomy so they can Notre-Dame-de-Paris, Basilique du Sacré did monuments and flower-filled cour- has retained its reputation for fully benefit from their stay in Paris. Cœur or Grand Palais etc. Not to mention tyards, readily reveals its true beauty to excellence… And the beauty of the www.club-international.org those places devoted to artistic creativity those who wish to discover it. ◆ such as the Cent Quatre and the Gaîté Lyrique, the digital arts cultural centre  which hosts alternative events. Finally, the National Library of France (BNF) and the It has 208 theatres and performance halls library in the Pompidou Centre house an impressive collection of documents and and 1,800 historic monuments. / In the Montmartre district, around the Sacré-Cœur basilica, archives open to the general public. perched on the hilltop, tourists relish the charms of the small alleys lined with typical old buildings of historical Paris. ! Informations Paris, off the beaten track LIVE AND STUDY IN PARIS

Paris is a city with a distinct personality / Transport Orly and Beauvais all of which RER (express trains) lines plus forest in Seine-et-Marne and and Parisians are justly proud of their There are seven train stations are served by Air France commuter trains. Chantilly Château. Or you can “quartiers,” – villages, of sorts, within the scattered across the city, coaches, buses (Roissybus, walk in the footsteps of the city - each with a pronounced identity. interconnected by a well- Orlybus), Orlyval shuttle / What is there to see famous impressionists: Bastille, Republique and Oberkampf have established public transport service and RER (express) in the surrounding region? Auvers-sur-Oise, the resting an underground feel while the southern network: Gare du Nord, Gare train network. Paris also has TIle-de-France is the leading place of Van Gogh, Ile de districts of Pigalle and Le Marais boast a de l’Est, Gare Saint-Lazare, 16 underground lines, serving tourist region and boasts Chatou, associated with Renoir, lively night life. The Jaures-Stalingrad dis- Gare Montparnasse, Gare de 300 stations, 59 bus lines numerous sites worth visiting. or visit Claude Monet’s garden trict, currently experiencing a big revival, Lyon, Gare de Bercy and Gare which operate from 7am to The Palace of Versailles and in Giverny, the Impressionist / At the western tip of the “Ile de la Cité”, the slightest ray of sun never fails borders the Canal de l’Ourcq and the bohe- d’Austerlitz. There are three 8.30pm, 42 night bus lines, a its gardens in the Yvelines, museum and the charming to attract young Parisians to the greenery of the Vert-Galant public garden. airports: Charles de Gaulle, vast rail network including 5 Fontainebleau castle and village of Barbizon.

mian Canal Saint-Martin. Les Batignolles, - H ARBACH THIERRY - DANIEL © MARC BERTRAND 46 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES - LYONS ATTRACTIVE CITIES - LYONS / 47

Lyons, into the future

Lyons, a decidedly contemporary city, is involved in one of Europe’s large urban / LYONS, development projects, with the creation of a new eco-district, Le Confluence, in the A GREAT PLACE southern part of the peninsula. It echoes the Cité Internationale, designed by Renzo TO LIVE Piano, on the edge of the Parc de la Tête d’or, and is equipped with a Conference Centre and Museum of Modern Art.

An enticing cultural programme Testimony MARINA SÁNCHEZ Above all, Lyons is a city of light, a city Volunteer for the iStudent Lyons renowned for its Fête des Lumières (Festi- organizatione val of Lights), celebrated around December I’m originally from Spain and chose / A main landmark in Lyons’ rich cultural life, 8th, with more than 70 illumination pro- Lyons to continue my nursing studies the Opera House offers music and dance jects lighting up the city’s monuments. as part of an ERASMUS exchange lovers a diversified season, with very high The superb Place des Terreaux, the Théâtre programme. I fell under the spell of - and internationally acclaimed - quality des Célestins and Saint-Jean Cathedral this multicultural city, home to a large standards. offer an amazing spectacle in this magical number of students who live, study and work here , just as I do today. Today, / Every year, during the Festival of Lights nocturnal world. Throughout the year, I’m a volunteer for the iStudent Lyons held around December 8, lighting Lyons’ National Opera, renovated by Jean Organization which advises foreign engineers and artists join forces with Lyons’ Nouvel, dazzles with its international students on administrative matters, inhabitants to illuminate the city and its opera programme. And in summer, it’s puts them in touch with other young major monuments. time for the “Nuits de Fourvière” festival, people and takes them on trips. The the high point of cultural life in the Rhône Vélo’V bike rental network allows you to explore the whole town with its 483 ugdunum, a former capital terise one of the largest Renaissance dis- region. The Dance and Contemporary Art This city, located at the km of cycling paths! That’s how I’ve  479,803 intersection of the Rhône of the Gauls, has retained its tricts in Europe. The famous “bouchons” residents live in the city’s Biennials, genuine hubs of artistic creati- really got to know Lyons, a city that’s historic sites, with an array – typical Lyons restaurants – where you 9 arrondissements (districts). vity, are held on alternate years, in a city open to creativity and international and the Saône, boasts L of impressive buildings, an can sample delicious specialities such as which is constantly in motion! ◆ influence and is a great place to live. 2,000 YEARS OF archaeological park and a distinct quenelles and cooked meats, are on the ! Informations HISTORY and offers a personality! The city, which is the capital increase. After all, Lyons is also the gour- LIVE AND STUDY IN LYONS wonderful lifestyle. LYONS of the Rhône-Alpes region and France’s met capital of France and its great Miche- second town, has successfully managed lin-starred chef, Paul Bocuse, is the / Transport architect-designed, bird-like / What is there to see in the provide a good excuse to is a beautiful place with all to combine an ancient city centre, inclu- undisputed leader in this field. Lyons’ geographic location at structure made out of steel surrounding area? escape. The Savoie-Mont-Blanc the attributes traditionally ding some 500 hectares of land, listed the heart of a motorway and glass. A TGV train network For fans of walking, the Lyons region, which is just 2 hours associated with a dynamic by UNESCO as a world heritage site, and On another hill, the Croix-Rousse pla- network of more than 1,000 km places the city at the heart of region is conveniently located, away, and includes both Savoie city, including some an urban vision which fully embraces teau, which resembles a kind of village, means that it is only 1 hour 30 Europe and France, linking surrounded by a network of and Haute-Savoie, is home to Lyons to Paris is just 1 hour some leading Alpine resorts: remarkable cultural heritage; modernity. offers a breath-taking view of the city. minutes from Geneva, 2 hours beautiful natural sites. Just 15 The colourful slopes of the “Canuts” (19th from Clermont-Ferrand and the and 50 minutes, to Brussels minutes north-west of Lyons, Chamonix, Mont-Blanc, it’s a great place to live. A city you can never tire of century silk workers) district – extend Alps, 3 hours from Turin and in 3 hours 30 minutes and to the Monts d’Or mountain range Courchevel and Val d’Isère. In / BY ROMY DUCOULOMBIER over the peninsula. It’s a breeding ground Marseille and 4 hours from London in a mere 5 hours. offers 135 km of signposted winter, there are 110 ski resorts Le Vieux Lyon (Old Lyons), at the foot of for young artists, theatre groups and Paris. Two rail stations serve Every year, 8 million walks through gently undulating where you can practise snow Fourvière hill, extends over some 24 hec- street art galleries who have set up home the city centre: Part-Dieu and passengers pass through countryside. The Dombe lakes sports, in an idyllic setting, while tares. Superb townhouses, “traboules” here, much to the delight of residents Perrache. And let’s not forget Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport and Pilat Regional Natural Park, in summer, the beaches of Lake (hidden passages that interconnect the who are always on the lookout for the Lyon-St Exupéry Airport TGV which serves some 120 in the Beaujolais region, just a Annecy, Bourget and Geneva station, a magnificent, destinations! stone’s throw from the city also are teeming with life!

streets) and gothic style buildings charac- new and innovative! ET CONGRÈS TOURISME - LYON - MURIEL-CHAULET © BRICE ROBERT 48 / ATTRACTIVE REGIONS - SOUTH EASTERN ATTRACTIVE REGIONS - SOUTH EASTERN / 49

The view out from the park on Castle Hill overlooks Port Lympia, with its ferries heading to Corsica. Open to the Mediter- ranean and the rest of the world thanks to / SOUTH EASTERN, its airport – the country’s second-largest – Nice is also open to change! Witness, for IT’S ALL HAPPENING DOWN SOUTH! example its ‘Eco--Valley’ project, incorporating a business quarter and an international exhibition centre. Europe’s premier technopole, Sophia Antipolis, is just a hop from the centre and is a huge draw for business visitors. Testimony Montpellier, the place to be! CHRISTIAN NTWARI Sponsor of the international sponsorship / The proximity to the Southern Alps In Montpellier, one in five residents is a system ski resorts makes it possible to hit student. A cosmopolitan and friendly city, I came from Burundi to study human the slopes an hour after leaving Nice; just 10 minutes from the sea, its centre resource management in 2012. they are only two hours away from boasts a wealth of attractions, from the I chose this city because of its quality Marseilles. private mansions and the place de la of life, its situation and the ease / In Nice, the Promenade des Anglais Comédie to the 18th-century Opera and of living here as a foreign student. entices you to a 7-kilometer stroll the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre. Besides its It’s a young and dynamic city, and Europeans, Asians, Americans and along the seashore, amidst joggers, sporting prowess as home to the French Africans rub shoulders every day in rollerbladers and other kinds of sports football champions, Montpellier is also its little streets, in an atmosphere lovers. France’s second biggest centre for learning that’s always friendly. The practical French as a foreign language. Around 20 international sponsorship system  schools are spread out across the city. ◆ helps them settle in more easily. As a sponsor myself – and an As Europe’s premier technopole, ex-beneficiary – I offer my help to ts status as European capital of de Mai, dedicated to contemporary art,  The cities of the Sophia Antipolis, near Nice, boasts new arrivals, showing them around MEDITERRANEAN culture 2013 certainly gave Mar- make this the perfect student capital. 1,400 companies, 30,000 jobs and Montpellier is home to over the town, its libraries, bookshops seille a new lease of life! Twinned and lecture programmes. It’s a very BASIN offer a wonderful students. with 13 cities worldwide, the city, Nice, a city with a view 5,000 70,000 enriching human experience! I students and a third of its population blend of pulsating energy with its 111 distinctive districts, is aged under 30. and the good life. stretches from the Vieux Port to the The capital of the Riviera is France’s ! Informations Add to that the extensive creeks, including the ‘Bonne mère’, as the second tourist attraction after Paris, and LIVE AND STUDY IN SOUTH-EASTERN Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde is the country’s fifth largest city. Its 7.5 km university infrastructure and known, and the Panier district, and has of pebble beaches, the turquoise water / Transport 1 hour 10 minutes’ flight from / Things to see and do the Sainte-Victoire Mountains as the recipe for a GREAT charms aplenty. Its 240 km2 area incorpo- lapping against the Promenade des Marseille-Provence airport Montpellier-Méditerranée in the region painted by Cézanne, and the LIFESTYLE is complete. rates 100 km2 of natural parkland and a Anglais, the old town centre and the sur- in Marseille links up 86 cities airport, 8 km from the city Montpellier’s Canal du midi and its Sainte-Baume range all offer and 28 countries via 28 airlines. centre. Brussels is just 1 hour 360 km of navigable waterways, perfect starting points for / BY ROMY DUCOULOMBIER maritime shoreline searching 57 km rounding countryside create an idyllic including 20 km of creeks! setting for the city’s 350,000 inhabitants. It is also home to Europe’s 45 minutes away on Brussel the Pont du Gard, the world’s best attractive hikes. The Italian border The premier university city within the premier low-cost airport, the Airlines and Barcelona is preserved aqueduct or the nearby is a short spin from Nice, beyond Aix-Marseille education authority, it has Its proximity to Italy, a mere 30-minute mp2. Meanwhile, 200 trains a 3 hour 30-minute drive. resorts of Sète, La Grande-Motte which lie the markets of since 2012 been home to the largest drive away, has given Nice a colourful a day leave the city’s The Nice-Côte d’Azur airport, and Palavas-les-Flots. The creeks Ventimiglia and San Remo, not to French-speaking university (AMU) in the baroque character. A walk through its old Saint-Charles station including just 3 km to the south west of Marseille can be easily reached mention the surrounding world. Its easy-going way of life, along town, through the Cours Saleya with its 17 daily TGV connections to of the city, serves via the rambling paths winding countryside, the Mercantour with cultural attractions such as the floral market, bustling little streets and Paris. The port offers ferries 100 destinations via through the National Park: National Park, the Roya Valley, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Italian facades, or a visit to the sumptuous to Corsica, Sardinia, Algeria 53 airlines. Sormiou, Morgiou, Les Goudes, Lérins Islands and the ski resorts and Tunisia. Paris is only a En-Vau, Cassis and its fishing port, (Auron and Isola 2000).

Civilisations (MuCEM) or the Friche Belle Palais Lascaris is a sheer delight. - DR - ISSOCK/OTCN © C.CHILLIO 50 / ATTRACTIVE REGIONS - SOUTH WEST ATTRACTIVE REGIONS - SOUTH WEST / 51

quai des Chartrons or the ‘Port de la Lune’, but it’s done so in truly 21st-century style! It is also here on the banks of the river that the city comes alive for the Bordeaux fête le Vin and Bordeaux fête le Fleuve festivals – a celebration of wine and the river that are held alternately in the city each June. 2014 saw the ninth wine festival – a friendly event focused on discovering wines, in which over 650,000 tastings took place!

Toulouse is an aviation pioneer and home to the Airbus company. The launch of the A380 has made the city the European capital in the sector. The satellites launched by Testimony the Ariane rocket on its travels are also JEAN GUITTARD designed and assembled in the workshops 21 years old, in the second year / All three of the Bordeaux tramlines of the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, of a Masters in History in Bordeaux circulate at some point along the Astrium and Thalès. And finally, visitors can I was born in Bordeaux and have scenic riverbanks of the Garonne. discover the rockets for themselves in the always been very attached to this city. / The Saint-Sernin basilica, in Toulouse, / SOUTH WEST, Cité de l’Espace, the showcase of the CNES! Over the last decade or so, it’s clear is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage that a huge effort has gone into urban site. The living is easy in the South West redevelopment, cultural and sporting WHERE GET-UP-AND-GO attractions as well as into transport. I study history at the Université But no reference to this region is complete MEETS THE GOOD LIFE Bordeaux Montaigne and I’m part without mentioning its food and wine! of the Babaoc student Association. Over a thousand restaurants offer classic The idea is to sponsor a foreign student Bordeaux and Toulouse, ust a short distance from the The beautiful city also boasts a 200 ha listed  foie gras, entrecôte steak, cassoulets and and help them get to know the city, THE TWO MAJOR Atlantic Ocean, and 2 ½ hours zone – the biggest in France. The city’s sym- fragrant, fluted Toulouse sausages. make friends, and go out to evening from the Pyrenees, Bordeaux is bol, the Capitole, and the UNESCO-listed Europe’s premier Meanwhile the 100,000 hectares of vines events as a way of getting used to life CITIES of the South West in France and Bordeaux. a lively and dynamic French Basilica of Saint-Sernin, along with the that make up the Bordeaux vineyards J aeronautics centre I live in Mérignac and regularly go into of France, both enjoy city of 700,000 residents. The pink city of Canal du Midi running through the city, are and the second largest space centre amount to nothing less than the world’s Bordeaux for the Musée d’Aquitaine superb locations, renowned Toulouse, with its Occitan charm, attracts all landmarks to discover, along with the in the world, with a number of greatest estate for fine wines, with 60 AOC or the Utopia cinema, which has a cuisine and dynamic 20,000 people to its region every year! enchanting maze of little streets. cutting-edge industries. varieties and 9,000 estates. ◆ wonderful selection of arthouse films. In Bordeaux, the major urban project growth. And all at the heart Full speed ahead launched in 1996 gave the city a total of a SUNNY REGION makeover, showcasing its magnificent heri- ! Informations to which new arrivals There’s no stopping the cities of the South tage – also listed since 2007. From the place LIVE AND STUDY IN SOUTH WEST are flocking! West! With a demographic growth of 9% – des Quinconces, with its impressive monu- as against 6% nationally – and 5 million ment to the Girondins, to the historic little / Transport Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, / What is there to see in the And why not take a trip down / BY FANNY COSTES tourists a year, Bordeaux is out in front with streets of the Saint-Pierre district, and from TGV trains setting out from Porto, Amsterdam, Rome, surrounding region? to the Basque country amid the leaders. Voted the second most favou- the place du Parlement to the La Victoire Bordeaux Saint-Jean railway London, and Lyon as well as In the Bordeaux region, visit the festive atmosphere of rite city by the French for its quality of life, district, the city’s charms know no end… station can reach Paris in under Tunisia and Morocco, while Arcachon for its long beach Bayonne and Biarritz? it is also the second most popular destina- 3 hrs 15 mins (to be reduced flights leave Toulouse-Blagnac and its oysters and stroll out Explore the Toulouse region tion for new businesses. Meanwhile, Festive and economically powerful to 2 hrs 5 mins from 2017 for destinations throughout to the Pilat Dune – Europe’s with its Fronton vineyards and Toulouse is a renowned centre of European with the LGV). Toulouse is France. highest. The Aquitaine region stroll along the Green Trail technology, resolutely turned towards But Bordeaux is far from being a museum. 1 hr 50 mins away. Bordeaux represents Europe’s largest following the Canal du Midi. the future and ranked as the best city for True, the city has sought to revive its port Mérignac Airport connects pine forest stretching along the In winter, the ski resorts of the with Corsica, Marseille, Nice, immense coast of Landes. Pyrenees are just a hop away.

students in the country! traditions, on the banks of the Garonne, the © VINCENT BENGOLD - DR 52 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES - NANTES ATTRACTIVE CITIES - NANTES / 53

Nantes, a food-lover’s delight

Feeling a bit peckish? Visit some of the city’s award-winning restaurants, crêpe- ries and bistrots and sample some of the dishes made from local produce. Langous- tines from Le Croisic, Guérande salt, Bou- chon mussels from Pénestin, zander and glass eels from the Loire, Challans poultry and lamb’s lettuce from the Nantes Testimony region: the city, positioned between land FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ / The Giant Elephant is part of the and sea, is located at a gastronomic cross- VILLARREAL « Machines de l’Ile », a unique artistic roads, subject to the culinary influences of Mexican student from Nantes University / NANTES, project set on the exceptional site of Brittany, the Loire and the Vendée nearby. A CITY BY THE SEA the city’s former shipyards. My first contact with the city was / Enclosed between two rivers, the Loire A diverse and culturally rich life when I was studying at Toronto and and the Erdre, and the Atlantic Ocean, met students from the University of Nantes reconciles urban life with the Don’t be surprised if you encounter a large Nantes! The educational opportunities and Nantes’ location was immediately many charms of a beautifully preserved canvas and metal “elephant,” on a street very attractive to me… The University’s natural environment. corner or a “small giant” or “deep sea French as a Foreign Language diver,” wandering around the town. What programme, meant that I was able to do they have in common? These strange acquire the basics of the language  machines seek to transport us to a dream- very quickly, continue my graduate studies in international communication like, fantastical world, half-way between and settle into the city! Nantes is an 62,369 students Jules Vernes and industrial poetry! Howe- in Nantes in 2013, of which 13.5 % are amazingly culturally diverse city and ver, Nantes is also a cultural centre, home from abroad. Nantes is not “under offers a great quality of life with lots Nantes, nestled between hat strikes you most as fortress, you could almost believe you’re threat” from an ageing population: to the Lieu Unique (national arts and of green spaces to play sport as well as easy access to Europe and other the LOIRE VALLEY you stroll through the back in the Middle Ages. The area is remi- 2 out of 3 inhabitants are below music centre), the Voyage à Nantes – an streets of Nantes, is the niscent of Paris’s Latin district and the forty years of age. artistic summer trail - and la Folle Jour- French cities. The student organization, AND BRITTANY, “Autour du monde,” helped me meet mix of tranquillity and castle is redolent of the Loire châteaux. née, a classical music festival that now W other people while the unique one- is a young, dynamic city energy. This may be something to do with However, this is certainly not a backward- boasts an international reputation. ◆ stop-shop for foreign students, studying and a great place to live in. the Loire river, which traverses the city, or looking place; it’s a lively thoroughfare at the university, helped me deal with An efficient network of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean (barely where you can lunch, enjoy a show and Informations administrative matters. 30 minutes away by car). Nantes is a city even learn a few facts in the informative, ! public transport, means LIVE AND STUDY IN NANTES that knows how to go slow but somewhere high-tech museum! You can also marvel that it is just a short that you’ll never be bored. An outward- as the Neo-classical style passage Pomme- / Do you fancy studying et de la francophonie (MEIF), 4 hours from Lille or Bordeaux, “folly,” rebuilt by wealthy art journey to Paris and other looking city, which is regularly voted one raye, immortalised by Jacques Demy in his in Nantes at 15 rue de la Madeleine, an 4.5 hours from Lyons and 5 hours patrons, during the 19th century, European capitals. of the best places to live in France, Nantes film, Lola, the cours Cambronne or the Nantes University has an organization that encourages 10 minutes from Strasbourg. is now the venue for the Hellfest continues to attract and delight thanks to Graslin theatre located in the square of the information page in English, student mobility and Festival, a festival devoted to… / BY CAROLINE BODIN its ever-changing cultural scene. same name, ultra-modern architectural specifically for foreign students. intercultural exchanges! / Things to see and do in hard rock. If you prefer relaxation creations from the “île de Nantes.” A unique “one-stop-shop,” the region and water sports, then head for An historic and architectural heritage Whether you’re an opera fan or contempo- offers assistance with all / Transport Explore the banks of the Erdre Saint-Brévin-Les-Pins or la Baule, rary art enthusiast, everything is within aspects of student life, Nantes Atlantique, the busiest – a tributary of the Loire – and its a chic holiday resort with one of Do you fancy a quiet stroll through the easy reach! Besides, it’s easy to get about including accommodation, airport in the west of France, beautiful castles, by bike or on a the largest beaches in Europe. city centre? There’s the imposing castle on foot in Nantes or by tram or bike. The negotiating red tape, offers direct flights to hundreds scenic boat trip. Visit Clisson la And a little further away is the that once belonged to Anne, Duchess of city has an impressive number of cycling understanding the health of French and European Romantique, a small town with Gulf of Morbihan and Brittany and former queen of France. paths as well as “bicloo,” part of the rental system etc. Visit the Maison destinations. Nantes is only an Italian feel, on the Sèvre just Belle-île-en-Mer (accessible by des Echanges internationaux 2 hours from central Paris by train, one hour from Nantes. This road or fly with Air France).

Walking along roads that snake around the bike scheme. - PHILIPPE CAHAREL/LVAN - NAUTILUS/LVAN © JEAN-DOMINIQUE BILLAUD 54 / BUSINESS SCHOOL ESC RENNES ADVERTISING / 55

! Informations ESC RENNES E / 3,831 students, of which 40 % international students ESC RENNES / 83 % of the faculty is international MULTICULTURALISM, / 100 % of classes taught in English / Partnerships with 207 universities in A CHALLENGE 45 countries throughout the world / Accredited by AACSB, EPAS and AMBA

OF OUR TIME / Ranked 23 rd among the top 70 Master in Management programmes worldwide by the Financial Times DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL SKILLS IS A MAJOR ISSUE FACING www.esc-rennes.fr ALL STUDENTS, SOON TO BE anagement has cer- ENTERING A GLOBALISED LABOUR THE WORLD GATHERS IN RENNES tainly changed. And MARKET, A FACT CONFIRMED All the colours of the world are the grandes écoles BY OLIVIER APTEL, DIRECTOR represented on the campus. “While who train the mana- GENERAL OF ESC RENNES I’m talking to you, I can see hundreds Mgers of tomorrow have clearly of students milling around the understood this. So for ESC Rennes, corridors, students who’ve come the primary concern in a globalised from all over the world to study spe- labour market, is multiculturalism. cialist subjects such as luxury mana- “Teaching management to youngs- is unique in France and relatively rare gement, tourism and even supply ters is all about transferring tech- elsewhere in the world. It’s what chain management. Seventy nationa- niques, teaching about ethical attracts French students looking lities live together on this site. It’s an behaviour but also, and most impor- to operate internationally, as well extraordinary resource,” enthuses tantly, teaching them to work in any as foreign students who want Olivier Aptel; a resource that helps to cultural context. A failure to pass on to spend a year in France and be further develop the skills of these these skills to today’s students would confident that they’ll have access to young experts, soon to be entering be tantamount to professional negli- high-quality classes, conducted the job market in France and abroad. gence!” so states the school’s direc- in English. “Our international students attend At ESC Rennes, tor. This is why the management ESC Rennes is a school that is both the courses taught in English and the main hall school has made internationalism its in and of the world! Companies are in permanent contact with of Campus 1 central priority, largely thanks to its today are looking for managers with is named our French students; they sit on faculty members. “We have some strong intercultural skills, capable of « Entrepreneur the same benches and participate 34 different nationalities amongst pursuing new avenues. “Our students Street »: already in the same work groups. It’s an our faculty: American, German, are responsible, pioneering, global an incentive for extraordinary advantage for all Chinese, Italian, Indian etc. 83% of citizens, a reflection of the Global students to start our students who, wherever they’re our core faculty come from abroad Responsible Pioneer concept that thinking about from, are extremely inter-culturally and all courses are conducted in we’ve developed and apply to all our their professional competent, a skill much needed English. This multicultural approach activities,” states the director. future. by companies today.” © MARC JOSSE 56 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES - STRASBOURG ATTRACTIVE CITIES - STRASBOURG / 57

University, with its extensive botanical gardens. And of course no description of Strasbourg is complete without mentioning the Orangerie and Robertsau districts, with their wealth of European institutions. The Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights are all housed in a series of contemporary buildings.

A rich and cosmopolitan city centre

/ Strasbourg has been the official seat of This historical richness in no way cramps Testimony the European Parliament since 1999. the city’s style. The population density TOMMY VEYRAT North of the “Grande Ile”, the building remains low for a city of this size and soft 22, a Masters student in political science constitutes a flagship for the European transport is a priority – Strasbourg has the at the IEP in Strasbourg district in the capital city of Alsace. country’s most extensive network of While the climate is admittedly less / The “Maison des Tanneurs” (Tanners tramlines and cycle paths! pleasant than in the south of France, Guild) is one of the symbols of the Its cosmopolitan and young character also Strasbourg stands out for its lifestyle. / so-called Petite France district, where makes it a perfect place for cultural and The beauty of its architecture is STRASBOURG, enhanced by the vibrant, cultural and millers and tanners used to live. It has artistic exploration. A number of festivals been listed as a “Monument historique” are organised throughout the year, inclu- festive city centre. As the most cycling- THE PRETTY HEART OF ALSACE friendly city in France, its many cycle (building of historical interest) since 1927. ding the eclectic musical programme of paths, pedestrianised streets, ultra- the Artefacts, the Nuits électroniques de efficient tram system and the great l'Ososphère, or indeed the Jazzdor. parks such as the Orangerie make it a  The Strasbourg way of life is also much very enjoyable place to live. On top of loved for its culinary tradition. Hearty that, the University is not just a place Just a few kilometres from trasbourg lies at the heart of the splendid district known as Petite France 20% of foreign students: eaters and lovers of fine food alike flock to to study but a place to live thanks to Strasbourg is France’s largest university in the many student associations active Alsace, on the left bank of the is a maze of winding little streets lined with tables laden with sauerkraut, flam- the German border in the terms of student numbers and faculties. throughout the year. I particularly like Rhine and not far from the half-timbered houses and surrounded by mekueche or munster, washed down with east of France, Strasbourg is It is also the second region in the country Krutenau – the student district par S Vosges mountains. The visitor the river Ill, extending as far as the covered in terms of scientific publications, and steins of beer or the regional wines, which excellence – for its bars, its little streets France’s 7th city to Strasbourg might be forgiven for bridges and the dam by Vauban. occupies third place in public research. need no introduction. ◆ and its feel of being a village in the city. and a RICHLY thinking this is a young city, with 54,000 Other delights include the Rohan Palace HISTORICAL PLACE students attending its universities and and the magnificent cathedral, alongside Informations grandes écoles. which France’s oldest Christmas market ! that has been the capital of LIVE AND STUDY IN STRASBOURG is held. This year will see the 443rd such Europe for over 60 years. Heir to a superb past market, open from 28 November to / Things to see and do in vineyards of neighbouring route 2 hours 20 minutes away, while station every 15 minutes. / BY FANNY COSTES 31 December! The Grand île is also home the region Champagne for a taste of Colmar can be reached in 30 This has in fact always been a bustling to most of the shops and restaurants, The region of Strasbourg is rich something sparkling. minutes, Mulhouse in 40 minutes, / Top tip metropolis. With its 2,000 year-old full of fun and festivity. in environmental, historic, cultural Dijon in 2 hours, Lyon in under Enjoyed by students in Alsace for history and its symbolic role as the scene and culinary diversity. Visitors / Transport 4 hours, and Nantes in 5 hours. 20 years, the Carte culture of Franco-German reconciliation, it has A charming heritage can go skiing at a resort in the Located at the intersection of Meanwhile the German cities (€ 6.50) offers holders of all ages learned how to adapt down the centuries, Vosges, hiking in the Vosges du major international lines (East of Frankfurt and Munich are only the chance to buy tickets for just but still bears the traces of its rich heri- A little further to the north, the German Nord National Park – classified as European TGV and Rhine-Rhône 2 hours and 3 hours 50 minutes € 5.50, in any of the 45 Festival tage, from the Middle Ages to the creation imperial district is an impressive sight, a World Biosphere Reserve – or TGV), Strasbourg enjoys rapid away respectively. A further 200 Halls in Alsace and for € 4 in six of Europe. crossed by spacious thoroughfares and ramble along the Romane Route. connections to several major destinations can be reached from cinemas in the Lower Rhine The mediaeval and Renaissance centre, dotted with large squares such as the place Discover the charm of Colmar European cities and even offers Strasbourg-Entzheim airport, region for evening screenings, as known as the Grand île, is inscribed on the de la République. To the west lie the Halles and Mulhouse, explore the Wine the unusual option of a 35-hour from where the shuttle offers a well as free admission to 21 Route and even venture into the trip to Moscow! Paris is just nine-minute journey to the museums throughout Alsace.

UNESCO World Heritage list. Meanwhile, and the station, while to the east is the RÉGION ET SA DE STRASBOURG HAMM - YNC OFFICE DE TOURISME © CHRISTOPHE 58 / ATTRACTIVE CITIES - LILLE ATTRACTIVE CITIES - LILLE / 59

/ In Lille, the Grand-Place (the city’s main square) is used for a variety of gatherings, festivals and celebrations. It is where the “Grande / LILLE, Braderie” (a huge sell-off and flee market) takes place every a year. A FOCUS / The old stock-exchange is unquestionably one of the most ON YOUNG PEOPLE! prestigious monuments of Lille.

Testimony JOEL HIGHBURY arranged around an arched courtyard, is one monuments, designed by leading names American student of the city’s most beautiful monuments. from the world of architecture (Christian de at Lille Catholic University These days, this stunning example of Fle- Portzamparc, Jean Nouvel etc.) it repre- When I arrived here in 2011, to continue mish Renaissance architecture, is home to a sents a symbol for change and set the tone my studies in linguistics, literature, second hand book market. The Town Hall for future development. In the world of culture and cinema, I had never belfry, which stands 104 metres high - a design, the Maisons Folie have reclaimed even heard of Lille. It’s strategically record for the region! – is a UNESCO world the industrial wasteland to create a space positioned vis-à-vis London and heritage site. for artists. La Gare Saint-Sauveur is now Brussels thanks to Eurostar, and I now consider it my second home. The region devoted to contemporary art and events. is also lively with the Dunkirk Carnival A city preparing for the future Since 2012, the Louvre-Lens, which is and the Grande Braderie flea market, 40 km from Lille, has housed collections held in September every year. And let’s Lille has long been a trail-blazer in terms of from the Paris museum and the LAM, in not forget the region’s fabulous historic modern and contemporary creativity and Villeneuve-d’Ascq, presents, in one space, heritage, its proximity to Belgium and Lille, a regional capital s the fourth largest French town along Rue de la Monnaie and Rue Basse is a didn’t have to wait to be named “European modern art, contemporary art and outsider its Palais des Beaux-Arts, considered to be France’s second most important and a renowned centre of hospi- real delight! A stone’s throw, La Grand Place Capital of Culture” in 2004, to switch its outer. And let’s not forget, Roubaix’s with THE HIGHEST Fine Art museum. The great student PERCENTAGE OF tality, Lille showcases the fabu- is the city’s nerve centre: the place to meet, focus to the future. The district of Euralille museum of art and industries housed in an atmosphere and friendliness of the A lous lifestyle on offer in this part with terraces, cafes and the Furet du Nord, came into being during the 1990s. With Art Deco building which was formerly locals finally convinced me that I had YOUNG PEOPLE of northern France. Situated at an interna- one of Europe’s largest libraries! But you its glass, concrete and stainless steel a public swimming pool. ◆ made the right choice! in France, is looking tional crossroads and dynamic economic can’t explore the centre without sampling to the future! centre, Lille continues to attract an increa- some of the regional specialities: stroo- Informations singly young population: entrepreneurs, stu- pwafels from Maison MEERT, rue Esquer- ! This manageably-sized LIVE AND STUDY IN LILLE dents and designers who bring a new, inno- moise, merveilleux (meringues covered with city combines exceptional vative and energetic approach to the city. whipped cream, coated with chocolate), car- / Transport Oporto, Algeria, Tunisia, Venice / What is there to see in the measuring some 320 m in length, architectural heritage bonnade (sweet-sour beef stew) and potje- Lille is very well served on the and Geneva. In terms of domestic surrounding area and built on a spoil heap. You can with cultural innovation. A stroll around the old town vleesch (potted meat) or visiting the Flemish transport front and has two train flights, most of the airlines fly to In Lewarde, a stone’s throw from explore the Opal Coast, just two cafeterias such as Florent Ladeyn’s Le stations, Lille Flandres which is Bordeaux, Lyons, Nantes, Nice Lille, you’ll discover Nord-Pas- hours’ drive from Lille, admire the / BY ROMY DUCOULOMBIER Le Vieux-Lille (Old Lille) is at the heart of Bloempot, set up in an old joiner’s workshop. just one hour from Paris by TGV, and Toulouse etc. In the city itself, De-Calais coal mining area, listed by Cap Blanc Nez cliffs and visit the Lille’s picturesque, historic centre and, with and Lille Europe which is there are two underground lines UNESCO as a world heritage site. seaside resort of Le Touquet-Paris- its cobbled streets and colourful brick buil- Must-see sights 35 minutes from Brussels, 1 hour and a tram which links Lille to This historic mining site, with the Plage. And if you cross the border dings, is the perfect place for a stroll. The old 20 minutes from London and Roubaix and Tourcoing. Finally, largest mining museum in France, to Belgium, you can head for centre, which includes the historic Flemish The Rihour Palace, in the square of the same 2 hours 40 minutes from 2,100 bikes – V’Lille – are takes you on a historical journey, Bruges, the Venice of the North, town and stretches from La Grand Place to name, dates back to the time when the Amsterdam, via Brussels. available, as part of a bike rental back through three centuries of just one hour away, and stroll along Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, is tee- Dukes of Burgundy controlled the city while Lille-Lesquin international airport, scheme, from 263 stations, so you coal production. In Noeux-les- its canals. Closer to home is Tournai ming with shops, galleries and restaurants. the Vieille Bourse, the old stock exchange, 10 km from the city centre, has can fully explore the city centre. Mines, you can learn to ski on with its listed cathedral and its direct flights to Barcelona, Europe’s largest artificial slope, traditional historic centre.

Strolling around the Place aux Oignons, which comprises 24 identical houses GHESQUIËRE LILLE / LAURENT © OTCL 60 / NATIONAL AGENCY FOR PROMOTION CAMPUS FRANCE ADVERTISING - COMMUNIQUÉ / 61 AGENCE FRANÇAISE POUR LA PROMOTION DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR

nity. Of course it’s true that factors chance. Il est vrai toutefois que certains C such as ability to speak French can facteurs comme la langue parlée peuvent facilitate matters. Having said that, venir faciliter les choses. Cela étant, dans CAMPUS FRANCE in our mobility programmes, we nos programmes de mobilité, nous offer an array of initiatives for stu- intégrons plusieurs actions vers les dents who don’t speak French.” étudiants non-francophones ». À cela, “EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES There are several reasons for that: plusieurs raisons : un nombre croissant de a growing number of courses, inclu- formations – et notamment 700 masters FOR ALL” ding around 700 Masters, have an environ – dispensent des cours en anglais. English-language element. Campus Campus France confirme aussi qu’il est « Pour tous, la même opportunité » France also confirms that students possible qu’un étudiant soit admis en can also come to France even if France malgré un niveau de français un their French is rather weak, as there peu faible, qu’il pourra toujours améliorer are language improvement opportu- lors de son cursus proprement dit ou qu’il FRANCE RANKS AMONG THE WORLD’S LA FRANCE RESTE L’UN DES TOUT PREMIERS PAYS AU MONDE POUR nities during the course itself, or on perfectionnera en amont lors de stages TOP COUNTRIES FOR THE NUMBER OF L’ACCUEIL D’ÉTUDIANTS ÉTRANGERS intensive courses prior to the begin- intensifs. Aujourd’hui, environ 40 % des FOREIGN STUDENTS AT ITS UNIVERSITIES. SUR SON TERRITOIRE. ENCOURAGER ning of the course. Today, around étudiants étrangers venus s’installer en ONE OF THE MISSIONS OF CAMPUS FRANCE ET FACILITER LEUR VENUE, SUIVRE IS TO ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE THIS ET SÉCURISER LEUR PARCOURS : 40% of foreign students who come France évoluent dans le domaine des PROCESS, WHILE ALSO FOLLOWING UP C’EST L’UNE DES MISSIONS DE to France opt for science courses. sciences. Antoine Grassin : « Il est certain CAMPUS FRANCE. “We certainly have some real lea- que nous disposons de véritables réfé- AND SUPPORTING THEIR STUDIES. GENERAL ANTOINE GRASSIN, SON DIRECTEUR DIRECTOR ANTOINE GRASSIN EXPLAINS GÉNÉRAL, S’EN EXPLIQUE. ding institutions in scientific excel- rences d’excellence scientifique, dans le

© MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES © MONKEY BUSINESS lence, in physics, mathematics or life domaine de la physique, des mathéma- sciences. Our management schools tiques ou des sciences de la vie. Nos ach year, France plays ls sont environ 300 000. Chaque We coordinate the welcome of l’international. Nous coordonnons l’ac- also figure very highly in the interna- écoles de gestion se classent elles aussi host to around 300,000 année, la France accueille de très scholarship holders and are cur- cueil des boursiers et menons une tional rankings, particularly in très bien dans les classements internatio- foreign students – third I nombreux étudiants internationaux. rently working on further initiatives réflexion sur la mise en place d’autres Europe. Other much-appreciated naux, notamment européens. Autres place in the world Au classement mondial, elle se positionne to boost the numbers of foreign dispositifs pour favoriser la venue d’étu- courses include engineering training filières particulièrement appréciées : Erankings behind the United States au troisième rang dans ce domaine, der- students and facilitate their arrival diants étrangers et faciliter leur arrivée in French, which enables foreign les formations d’ingénieur à la française, and the United Kingdom. Spending rière les États-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne. in France.” en France ». students to become operational as qui permettent aux diplômés d’être on higher education totals 22,95 Les dépenses en faveur de l’enseigne- soon as they enter the workforce,” aussitôt opérationnels en entreprise ». billion euros in 2013, or more signifi- ment supérieur atteignent 22,95 milliards SCIENCES FIRST LES SCIENCES D’ABORD says Grassin. France also caters to La France accueille également des cantly, 10,800 euros per student, d’euros en 2013 ou, donnée plus significa- French higher education is reputed Réputée pour son excellence, la qualité foreign students in the arts, philoso- étudiants étrangers en lettres, philoso- irrespective of origin. tive, 10 800 euros par étudiant, toutes for its excellent quality, in line with des formations supérieures françaises phy or sociology. phie ou sociologie. Antoine Grassin is the General origines confondues. the highest international standards. tient la comparaison avec les plus hauts Director of Campus France – a Antoine Grassin est le directeur général The feedback surveys conducted standards internationaux. Menées par OPENING DOORS OUVRIR DES PORTES public body, created in 2012 and de Campus France. Créé en 2012 et placé by Campus France among foreign Campus France, des enquêtes de satis- Any discussion of studying abroad Qui dit études à l’étranger, dit volonté placed under the authority of sous la double tutelle du ministère des students have revealed that it is faction auprès des étudiants étrangers also involves the question of reco- de reconnaissance de la formation et the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Affaires étrangères et du Développement precisely this quality that draws ont montré que ces derniers viennent jus- gnising equivalent qualifications des diplômes correspondants. Antoine International Development and international et du ministère de l’Educa- them. “Our message has a universal tement chercher cette qualité. « Notre in the students home countries. Grassin reconnaît que la France a encore the Ministry of Education, Higher tion nationale, de l’Enseignement supé- reach,” says Grassin. “It says that message a une portée universelle, assure Antoine Grassin concedes that des progrès à faire dans ce domaine. Education and Research. It is tasked, rieur et de la Recherche, cet établisse- every successful student has the Antoine Grassin. Il consiste à dire que France still has room for improve- Toutefois, à ses partenaires européens, amongst other things, with promo- ment public est chargé, entre autre, de la right to come and study in the tout étudiant en mesure de réussir ses ment in this area. Nevertheless, the elle ouvre des portes tout à fait intéres- ting French higher education promotion de l’enseignement supérieur French higher education system.” études dispose de ce fait d’un accès à country is opening up some interes- santes, qui lui permettent d’ailleurs abroad. “Our ambition is to support français à l’étranger. « Notre ambition It is not even necessary to speak l’enseignement supérieur en France ». Pas ting doors to its European partners, d’établir des partenariats avec des entités French establishments, universities est d’accompagner les établissements French, according to the General même besoin de parler français, d’après thus enabling the establishment of d’enseignement supérieur hors de ses or grandes écoles, so that they can français, universités ou grandes écoles, Director. “I think that all potential le directeur général : « Je crois que tous partnerships with higher education frontières. Attention simplement aux extend their international reach. afin qu’ils puissent mieux se projeter à candidates have an equal opportu- les candidats potentiels ont la même institutions beyond its borders. But professions réglementées : il est encore 62 / NATIONAL AGENCY FOR PROMOTION CAMPUS FRANCE ADVERTISING - COMMUNIQUÉ / 63 AGENCE FRANÇAISE POUR LA PROMOTION DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR

One-day event dedicated to higher-education and graduate studies in Vietnam, in the presence The Campus of His Excellency the Ambassador France team of Vietnam. in Paris. Journée consacrée à l’enseignement L'équipe de supérieur vietnamien en présence de Campus France son Excellence Monsieur l’Ambassadeur à Paris. du Vietnam. © DR © DR TESTIMONY TÉMOIGNAGE Carole Bai Carole Bai STUDENT AT ESSEC note that with regulated professions, assez complexe pour un étudiant offices and satellites in 115 countries, au minimum le risque d’erreurs de ÉTUDIANTE À L’ESSEC it is still relatively difficult for a étranger, même formé en France, de offering support and follow-up, and parcours. « Dans la plupart des cas, Carole arrived in France from Beijing foreign student, even one educated prétendre à la profession d’avocat ou thus minimising the risk of anything ils gardent un souvenir agréable de Carole est arrivée en France en août 2013, in August 2013. After her first year in in France, to enter the legal or medi- d’obtenir le droit d’exercer la médecine, going wrong. “In most cases, they leur séjour dans notre pays. Une fois en provenance de Pékin. Après une première business school, she took on a six-month cal professions, for example. In order par exemple. Pour mener à bien ses look back happily on their stay in qu’ils ont passé les barrières du année dans son école de commerce, elle work experience placement until January. to accomplish its missions, Campus missions, Campus France oriente aussi France. Once they have overcome logement et d’un compte bancaire, effectue désormais un stage de six mois, As a scholarship student, Carole considers France also steers candidates les candidats vers les universités et the barriers of accommodation and a les choses se passent généralement jusqu’en janvier. Sa formation durera trois herself lucky. Campus France frequently towards regional universities and écoles en région. « Plusieurs d’entre bank account, things generally go bien ». Pour permettre aux anciens ans, peut-être quatre. Étudiante boursière, sends her news about France, which other higher education institutions elles sont placées en haut du classe- well.” To allow international alumni to étudiants de maintenir le lien entre Carole se dit chanceuse. Campus France lui she devours with great interest. throughout the country. “Several of ment de Shanghai, comme l’université stay in touch with each other and to eux et avec la France, Campus France adresse régulièrement des informations sur The organisation also offers cultural them occupy high positions on the Joseph Fournier de Grenoble, la School maintain their links to France, a web développe une plateforme Internet la France, qu’elle « épluche » avec beaucoup activities and has helped her find Shanghai Rankings, such as the of Economics de Toulouse ou d’autres platform is currently being deve- qui sera opérationnelle d’ici la fin de d’intérêt. L’organisme lui propose aussi des accommodation in the Parisian suburbs. Université Joseph Fournier in organismes à Montpellier, Strasbourg, loped by Campus France: it will be l’année. A la demande des gouverne- activités culturelles et l’a aidée pour trouver The young woman would not hesitate Grenoble, the School of Economics etc… Hors de Paris, l’autre avantage fully operational by year-end. This ments étrangers, il arrive que Campus un logement en banlieue parisienne. Sans to advise her friends to follow suit and in Toulouse and other institutions pour l’étudiant étranger, c’est que la vie will enable links to be made with the France organise des manifestations hésitation, la jeune femme conseillerait à ses study in France. “I’ve had time to study in Montpellier, Strasbourg, etc… est souvent plus facile et moins coû- business world. Upon request from pour présenter aux étudiants français amis de l’imiter et de venir étudier en France: the theory and practice. The government Outside Paris, the other advantage teuse. Il nous appartient de faire valoir foreign governments, Campus France les possibilités d’études à l’étranger, « J’ai du temps pour apprendre la théorie et supported me in the administrative for the foreign student is that life is l’ensemble des formations envisa- may from time to time organise spe- comme l’action sur le Japon qui a été la pratique. Le Gouvernement apporte son procedures. The three-year student visa often easier and less expensive. geables, y compris jusqu’au niveau cific events, with a view to introduce un grand succès. « L’intérêt de la aide administrative : le visa étudiant de trois has made life much simpler on a daily Our job is to showcase all the pos- doctorat ». Antoine Grassin estime French students to the possibilities France, c’est aussi qu’un équilibre ans simplifie beaucoup ma vie quotidienne ». basis.” Carole wants to make the very sible training options available, inclu- qu’en général, les étudiants étrangers offered to them to study abroad. The existe entre les étudiants étrangers Carole veut profiter pleinement de cette most out of her international experience. ding up to doctorate level.” Antoine en France sont bien informés sur ce qui event on Japan, for instance, was a qui viennent en France et les étudiants expérience internationale. Elle s’exprime She speaks virtually fluent French and Grassin thinks that in general, foreign les attend. Campus France les ren- great success. “It is in France’s inte- français qui font un séjour d’études à dans un français quasi-parfait et n’a donc pas has had few difficulties in making herself students in France are well informed seigne à travers les 210 Espaces et rest to create a balance between l’étranger ». trop de difficultés à se faire comprendre. understood. Only a very mild accent on what to expect. Campus France antennes répartis dans 115 pays, les those who study here and those who Seul un très léger accent trahit ses origines. betrays her origins. Now 23, she intends provides this information at 210 accompagne et les suit, ce qui réduit study abroad.” / www.campusfrance.org Elle a aujourd’hui 23 ans et, une fois son cursus to return to her country once her course terminé, pense retourner dans son pays. Elle is over, where she hopes to find her first espère pouvoir y trouver un premier emploi, job, in the health or energy sectors. dans le secteur de la santé ou de l’énergie. 64 / FRENCH EDUCATION FRENCH EDUCATION / 65

FRANCE /welcoming students with open arms

Behind the United States rance often comes up against tough competition, but always comes out of and United Kingdom, it well. Much as foreign students may hesitate between several countries France is the country with F before making a decision, nearly 300,000 of them choose the country of Voltaire and Hugo each year for their higher education needs. Once they arrive, the largest numbers of the vast majority claim to be satisfied with the experience. The results of a TNS foreign students on its soil. Sofres study conducted in November 2013 suggest that 70% of non-French-spea- French higher education, king ex-students maintain personal and professional links, while 91% of the recognised around the entire cohort surveyed recommended France as a destination for students. Accor- / This year, close to world for its excellence, ding to other figures presented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research 300,000 international offers a wide variety of last September, foreign students numbered exactly 289,274 in the academic year students have decided 2014-2015: three quarters of them had enrolled at university and others in a to study in France. courses – all gateways grande école. In total they represent 12% of students and 41% of doctoral students. towards business and One in 4 comes from the countries of the Maghreb – with Moroccans leading the employment. way – and nearly one in five hails from another country in French-speaking Africa. by Martin de Kerimel 24% come from Europe, 21% from Asia and 9% from the Americas. Even if the numbers are relatively low, France also attracts students from Vietnam, Brazil, Korea and India. Irrespective of their age, they are encouraged to develop a good that studying in the French higher education system often of student hostels or flat-sharing opportunities – an appea- command of French before they arrive here – the ability to speak French is still involves staying several years in the country. In harmony ling option for those who wish to remain with their friends de rigueur at the country’s universities. However, a growing number of English- with its main European partners, France organises its uni- or make new ones. Created in 2012 and under the authority medium courses have opened in the grandes écoles and a year spent abroad is often versity degrees in three cycles: three years for a Bachelor’s of the government, the public establishment that is Campus an indispensable part of acquiring a degree. degree, two more years for a Masters and another three France is tasked with the promotion of higher education in again for a doctorate. One of the attractions of the French France and facilitating the arrival of foreign students in the First stop: the embassy university system is that it is primarily based on public ins- country. In similar fashion, a number of support associa- titutions. Tuition fees therefore remain relatively low and all tions – both national and local – offer a welcome to new For foreign students who wish to study in France, the first port of call is the academic disciplines are taught: human and social sciences, arrivals. France is determined to maintain, and indeed to Cultural Department of the French Embassy in their home country. For even physics, maths, chemistry, engineering, medicine, law, strengthen, its status as a major country open to the entire more detailed information, they can also contact the education authorities in management and political science. Meanwhile the private world. Last September, the government announced the whose catchment area the course they want to pursue falls. In a number of cases, grandes écoles are usually fee-paying, but also offer their stu- immediate implementation of new measures to facilitate the admission to university is conditional on having made a prior application, based dents access to contacts in the business world and important arrival of foreign students. The authorities intend to simplify on a dossier prepared in advance of their first year of studies. In order to help alumni networks. some of the administrative procedures imposed on those freshmen untangle the complex administrative knots, most major French univer- already holding a Masters or involved in scientific research. sities have set up a one-stop shop system. There, applicants can obtain all the Rights and responsibilities They are also considering the possibility of offering mul- information they need to help them integrate – this administrative support ti-year residence permits valid for the duration of the study ranges from assistance with various formalities to information on accommoda- At the administrative level, students in France must be affi- for all applicants, or the extension of permits for Masters tion possibilities and responses to questions on health cover, transport options, liated to a social security regime. For accommodation purpo- students intending to create a business. Public universities insurance and daily life in France. The aim of these one-stop shops is to help ses – even if the prices vary widely depending on the host are also to be given greater funds to promote training students from outside the European Community to obtain their residence permits city – there are several ways to save money. Beyond traditio- in other languages, designed primarily for students from

in France as quickly as possible – an indispensable piece of paper in France given STUDIO GREGOR - MINERVA © ADAM nal rental accommodation, there is for example the option emerging countries. 66 / BUSINESS SCHOOL EDHEC BUSINESS SCHOOL ADVERTISING / 67

EDHEC BUSINESS SCHOOL

EDHEC Business FOR A NEW School has five campuses, including LEADERSHIP Paris, Lille, Nice (pictured here), London and Singapore.

DESPITE BEING AS SUBJECT TO THE WHIMS OF FASHION AS THE PRÊT-À-PORTER SECTOR, THE DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP HAS HARDLY CHANGED IN HALF A CENTURY. SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE hat does it mean to TRADITIONAL SOLUTIONS NO be a leader today? LONGER SEEM TO HOLD WATER? In the mind of Valérie-Claire Petit: EDHEC BUSINESS SCHOOL “ItW seems to be a combination of IS COMMITTED TO A NOVEL Steve Jobs, Napoleon, De Gaulle APPROACH, BASED ON THE and Mandela, a superman leading CONCEPT OF AUTHENTICITY his troops into battle. In short, a genuine stereotype with which

we’ve been living for 50 years” says © OLIVIER ROMUALDO the professor in leadership of the EDHEC Business School and one of the rare researchers in the field in France. “A stereotype that excludes THINK OTHERWISE leader at a certain point in time and forms of leadership assessment Most leadership training pro- be acquired through real situations, 90% of the population and of my “Leadership needs diversity and an excellent one at a different approaches and instruments grammes emphasise the role of the on which the students reflect with students, even the most talented. that's what we teach our students. moment. My role as a leadership tailor-made for students and mana- leader, encouraging people in the teacher. Besides the work expe- And one that scientific research It’s a learning approach based on teacher is to support my students gers participating in the school’s leading positions to change them- rience placements and the interna- deems to be completely coun- innovation that allows them to work and give them the tools, the confi- Global MBA and executive pro- selves. That is no longer enough. tional exchanges, we try to create as ter-productive, out of touch with out and test their own personal dence and the courage to express grammes. Leadership can only exist on condi- many learning situations as possible. society and even more so with the definition of leadership. We have their leadership with authenticity, tion that the chemistry flows Recently, some of the students world of business” she says. “We to work with who we are, our nature, on which both performance and LEARNING BY DOING between these three parameters. tested their operational leadership in have to stop telling people to ‘be but also to take on board the situa- personal satisfaction are based.” So is leadership in fact an equation “That’s why, above and beyond the field in the role of the director of charismatic’ and find a new model, tion around us. Because leadership EDHEC has developed its own tools based on three unknowns, the personal intelligence, we focus on a major store, working with teams a new way of doing things.” is context-driven: I can be a bad based on scientific research, in the leader, the situation and the team? situational intelligence that can only set up by some of our partners. 68 / BUSINESS SCHOOL EDHEC BUSINESS SCHOOL ADVERTISING / 69

INTERVIEW ! Key Facts EDHEC LinDa JinLi BeLy THE FOUNDER AND CEO / 5 campuses: Paris, Lille, Nice, OF SENYA INTERNATIONAL FRANCE London and Singapore

/ 17 degree programmes from EDHEC entrepreneur Linda Jinli is the What has been the most rewarding undergraduate to PhD and founder and CEO of Senya international aspect of your entrepreneurship executive education France, a company that manufactures experience? and distributes small home appliances to I was very happy to come back to EDHEC / TOP 20 Master in Management and 3rd MSc in Finance worldwide businesses and individuals. After getting to start my business – it felt like I was (FT, 2014) a bachelor’s degree from the university coming home. This experience has been of Science and technology of Shandong rewarding in many ways, but certainly in / 25,000 graduates in 120 countries in China, Linda Jinli graduated with a terms of self-development. In the past 17 master’s degree in business management months, i have been able to learn so many / Accreditations from EDHEC in 2003. She benefits from different things about sales, customer One of the 60 business schools in the world to have achieved AACSB, EDHEC Young Entrepreneurs incubator relations, marketing, branding, design, EQUIS and AMBA to launch her business. finance, human resources, quality and logistics. Starting my own business has www.edhec.edu How has your EDHEC education been a big challenge, but I am glad that http://edhecnewgentalent.com/ helped you in your career as a I did it. I am looking forward to the next business entrepreneur? challenges! When I did my master’s degree at EDHEC provides its students with a EDHEC, I studied together with class- What is your advice for people who new approach to leadership, beyond mates from more than 20 nationalities. It want to start their own businesses? some of the dominant stereotypes was an amazing experience to learn how The most important thing is to have the that have prevailed in the corporate

to make a project in a team with people courage to break the routine. Do not be THOUROUDE © HERVE world over the past fifty years. from different cultures. Today, Senya scared by the obstacles. They are just works with manufacturers, clients, and part of the road to success. Do not give up Three days spent living the life of leadership models and promote a EDHEC FOR BUSINESS service providers in different countries. easily. Be flexible if the company does not a manager can work miracles for diversity of talents. It’s a strong stance: “Remember that The intercultural communication skills run as planned. A determined mind and some people!” says an enthusiastic “Its aim is to understand and accele- EDHEC is an independent school that I learned at EDHEC are very helpful. self-confidence are very important. Valérie-Claire Petit. rate this change towards a more which has always sought to stand inclusive, more open, more diverse out and break with prevailing OPEN LEADERSHIP and more agile leadership. For some truisms. Being one of the best So what then is the role that years, the EDHEC NewGen Talent business schools in Europe has not business can play in this transforma- Centre, our observatory for the new stopped us from heading in unex- tion? “Businesses have come to the generations in business, has been pected and even occasionally quirky same conclusion as us. They’re fed measuring the extent to which their directions, and it’s something we’re up of recruiting clones, and they expectations are different from proud of!” and to the economy as a while, want people who are different and those of the older generation. The Back in 2001, EDHEC was already through its teaching programmes Talent diversity know it” says the specialist. Hence Open leadership movement is about playing a historic pioneering role in and the excellence of its research: a is at the heart the launch of a new applied research creating a synergy between these creating the first Chair in Leadership pragmatism that makes EDHEC of the EDHEC centre at EDHEC, the Open lea- new aspirations and innovative in France. What has driven the Business School stand out from promise. dership programme, which brings business approaches in order to school since it was founded by a other academic institutions and together companies involved in the create leaders for the future who are group of entrepreneurs in 1906? offers an incontestable benefit to its © DR school’s work to help transform both fulfilled and effective.” A sense of usefulness to business students. 70 / INTERVIEW

/ Philippe Jamet “A WAY OF REVITALISING THE FRENCH SYSTEM”

President of the Conference des Grandes Ecoles, Philippe Jamet believes that encouraging foreign students to come to France is not only possible but desirable. An interview. by Martin de Kerimel

Philippe Jamet, can the number of foreign students applicants in their professions already and who have been in France grow? told “Don’t call us – we’ll call you!” Today, we need to view It must! But not at any cost of course: economic considera- things differently for a number of reasons, in a new global tions must play a part. But at a certain level, the national context. The entire country can benefit from keeping as budget should not be used to contribute to the training of many talents as possible here in order to take its develop- foreign students who are likely to return home. Let’s be clear ment and innovation forward. The idea is not to hoover up – there are 250,000 foreign students in France today. experts and talents who could be better used in their home We think we can take on another 500,000, at a rate of countries! But if some of those people want to gain profes- 50,000 per year. But a precondition for this would be to sional experience in France before returning home, it’s not change the underlying economic model. How? By making necessarily in the best interests of the country to stop them students from outside the European Community pay – as is from doing so. the practice in many foreign countries. That would allow us to reinject new money into the system to be used as grants Do foreign students who fail have the same opportu- for those in economic difficulty. nities to bounce back as their French classmates? You mean academic failure? On that score, there is no diffe- And if there is no change in the economic model? rence based on the status or nationality of the student. Without change, it’s difficult to foresee progress, given that I would go as far as to say that we pay particular attention to government subsidies are on the decline. We have to create foreign students – our reputation is at stake. If we want more room for manoeuvre – taking in more foreigners is a others to come to study in France, those who are already way of revitalising the French higher education system. here have to be bearers of a positive message. So there is no Today, given our existing model, there are limits to what other way to view them– even in case of failure. we can do. Your slogan highlights the notion of excellence. In Would you say that foreign students who choose to what way do you think the French higher education study in France have an edge when it comes to finding system offers excellence to foreign students? work in our country? The primary consideration is professionalisation – the link The Conférence des Grandes Ecoles has debated this long between education and employability. That’s what many and hard. We receive frequent feedback on the subject, students come looking for. They think that study in France

usually from people who have heard that there are enough will make it easier for them to find jobs – and they’re right. © DR