29.5.2026
At ESSEC Business School, classes are memorable intellectual experiences. They are spaces for debate, critical thinking, and openness to the world. Behind this rich learning experience is an international faculty recognized for its academic excellence and its ability to connect research, real world practice, and today’s major challenges. Student testimonials.
For Jinshen, a fourth year Chinese Bachelor student, the Strategic Management Control course completely changed the way he learns. “The format was particularly inspiring.” Before each class, students watched pre recorded videos and then took part in quizzes and case studies during class. “It was a complete learning cycle,” he explains.
This active teaching approach, focused on applying concepts in concrete ways, reflects ESSEC’s philosophy: learning how to analyze, experiment, and think critically instead of only accumulating theoretical knowledge.
Ekaterina, a Russian exchange student at ESSEC, shares the same feeling. She was especially marked by her Behavioral Economics and Project Management courses. “At ESSEC, I was much more challenged in my answers and in my thinking than at my home university.” What impressed her the most was the professors’ commitment: “You can really feel that they are doing their best to truly teach students something.”
Many students mention the ability of ESSEC professors to make classes feel real, engaging, and practical.
For Raavya, an exchange student in the BBA program, Luxury Brand Management was one of the highlights of her semester abroad. As a finance student, she wanted to explore something different from her usual coursework. “The content was fascinating and very different from what I usually study,” she says.
What stood out the most was the professor herself: “We did not even need to open our laptops. We were simply captivated by what she was saying.” With strong experience in the luxury industry, the professor brought a very practical perspective to the course. “Being in Paris and studying luxury brands is a dream,” concludes the Indian student.
In their first year of the BBA program, Clémentine, Ethan, and Mahé were particularly impressed by their micro- and macroeconomics courses. The curriculum was demanding and centered on textbook-based learning, without the use of computers. “The professor was very serious and deeply committed to teaching,” they explain. A rigor they now consider foundational: “Even though the course was theoretical, it always connected concepts to current events to make them concrete. We then applied many of those concepts in other subjects.”
Academic excellence at ESSEC also means courses connected to today’s social and environmental issues.
For Lucile, a second year ACT Bachelor student, the course “From Farm to Fork” was especially impactful. Over several weeks, students explored French agriculture, European agricultural policies, the farming crisis, and water management through debates and group projects.
“These are essential and very important topics.” The teaching format particularly stood out to her. Two speakers with complementary perspectives led the course. Students also worked on debates and mind maps to better understand all the stakeholders involved: farmers, governments, banks, retailers, NGOs, and corporations.
“You realize these issues are much more complex than we imagine,” explains Lucile. For her, this type of course helps students develop listening skills, critical thinking, and the ability to confront different ideas. “We should learn more about how our food is produced and understand the impact of different agricultural models.”
This rich learning experience is supported by an internationally recognized faculty. In 2026, ESSEC has 171 permanent professors, including 158 professor researchers, representing 37 nationalities. Research conducted at the school directly feeds into classroom teaching and allows students to work on concrete and global issues.
Across all these student experiences, one idea comes back again and again: at ESSEC, classes do more than transmit knowledge. They shape the way students think, question the world, and act within it.
