Cergy - Rabat, October 9th, 2026 - On the tenth anniversary of its establishment in Rabat, ESSEC Business School celebrates a decade of deep roots on the African continent and openness to the world. As a world school with French roots, ESSEC offers its communities a deeply multicultural environment across its locations in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
ESSEC Celebrates 10 Impactful Years for ESSEC Africa and Reaffirms Its International Ambitions
9.10.2026
The development of the Rabat campus is fully aligned with ESSEC's international strategy. Present on three continents through its campuses in Cergy, Paris-La Défense, Singapore (ESSEC Asia-Pacific), and Rabat (ESSEC Africa), ESSEC also has strategic hubs in London, New York, and as of February 2026, the Mumbai hub. ESSEC has 252 academic partnerships, among 39 double degrees with prestigious institutions around the world, underscoring its international outlook and commitment to academic excellence.
"We are very proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ESSEC Africa campus in Rabat. Choosing to establish ourselves in Africa in 2016 stemmed from a strong conviction: to position ourselves closest to the growth zones and major transformations shaping the world of tomorrow. Celebrating this anniversary only a few months after launching our hub in Mumbai illustrates the continuity and strength of our international strategy." Vincenzo Vinzi, Dean and President of ESSEC.
ESSEC's establishment in Rabat in 2016 marked a new milestone in its international strategy: to have a presence on several continents, building a strong understanding of local realities and contributing to regional growth. Morocco, located at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, provides a natural foothold for ESSEC to develop its international ambition.
In a decade, the 6,000 m2 campus located at Plage des Nations (Sidi Bouknadel) has progressively established itself as ESSEC's academic anchor on the African continent, developing training tailored to the continent's transformations and building bridges between Africa, Europe, and Asia.
ESSEC Africa has established itself as a major regional academic and economic hub with:
- Increasing cultural diversity: over 3,000 students since its creation. While initial recruitment focused on Morocco, it has now opened up to the entire continent. This convergence of histories and visions fosters the collective intelligence essential to nurture leaders capable of operating in complex environments.
- Initiatives aimed at younger generations such as the Youth Bootcamp and international programs welcoming students from all over the world to Rabat.
- A rollout of academic programs: its flagship Global BBA program, the IPBA (International Program in Business Administration), the FEDA (Financial Engineering and Data Analysis), and the IBSCM (International Business and Supply Chain Management), as well as Executive Education programs, customized and international programs for African organizations, inter-campus mobility programs, and summer schools fostering exchanges between ESSEC’s campuses.
- Nearly 100 partner companies and academic associations committed to supporting talent and developing impactful projects, including integration into the Association of African Business Schools (AABS) network.
- A pedagogy focused on agility and hands-on learning: in the face of technological changes, curricula prioritize learning by doing and entrepreneurship with the incubator IN LAB Africa.
- Knowledge creation rooted in African realities: the launch of the "Business and Industry in Africa" Chair, developed with leading ESSEC’s goalto connect scientific research, pedagogical innovation, and industrial challenges across the continent.
"The first ten years allowed us to lay the foundations; the next decade must amplify the campus's impact, promote managerial innovation, and strengthen our academic leadership. Our Rabat campus must be a gateway to Africa for ESSEC's global network, and an open window to the world for African talent. Our ambition remains unchanged: to offer excellent, demanding training to support key players in the continent's development." Hugues Levecq, Deputy Dean of ESSEC Africa Campus.
This ambition is a key priority of ESSEC's strategy , connecting its locations across Europe, Africa, and Asia, and fostering the circulation of knowledge, talent, and expertise between the three continents.
Julia Smith, International Media Relations Officer - 01 34 43 98 25 – smith@essec.edu
Marie Caroline Saro, External Communications Manager - 06 99 09 82 25 – saro@essec.edu
ESSEC Business School has been a prestigious institution for higher learning since its foundation in 1907, set apart by its humanist approach. In light of current and future economic, environmental, social and geopolitical challenges, ESSEC is committed to transforming its teaching, research, and campuses to train inclusive, influential and multicultural leaders.
With 8534 students in pre-experience programs and 5000 participants in executive education across four campuses in Cergy, La Défense, Rabat and Singapore, ESSEC offers programs recognized as some of the best in the world. ESSEC’s exceptional faculty, composed of 171 professors and 26 emeritus professors, 240 partnerships with prestigious international universities and an alumni network of over 79 000 members, showcases ESSEC’s commitment to excellence and academic innovation.
