The business school market - France

A distinction is also made between the Grandes Écoles (some thirty establishments) and the others. Finally, schools are distinguished according to their status (public, private or consular) and the type of training they offer: Bachelor's, Master's, MBA, Double Diploma, etc. The types of training are themselves divided into two categories: initial training (the student follows his or her first course of study from the baccalaureate), and continuing training (the student already has experience of working life, and returns to the school to train again and develop his or her career). The global business school market is growing, particularly in Asia, where student numbers are increasing exponentially and the reputation of our programs is increasingly recognized. Supply is keeping pace with student demand, as more and more students seek internationally recognized training and qualifications. In this respect, France leads the way, with more than 10 schools in the world's top 50 Masters in Management. In France, the market is also on the rise, with student numbers up 60% over the past 7 years (from the start of the 2015/2016 academic year to the start of the 2022/2023 academic year). The number of schools has increased by over 100 in 5 years, and tuition fees are rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR/TCAC) of 4.5% per year. The total French business school market is thus growing at a CAGR of over 13% per year. The market is emerging from a wave of privatizations, and competition is increasing. Schools are mobilizing ever greater funds to diversify their offerings and defend their prestige. Financial resources are the key to the new competitive world of business schools, which are vying with each other in ingenuity to attract the best students and the best teachers. The French market is therefore highly concentrated and competitive, but this competition takes place at different levels. The Grandes Écoles position themselves on prestige and international influence, while lesser-known schools target specific teaching segments and practical skills. economically speaking, for the most prestigious Grandes Ecoles (HEC, ESSEC, ESCP, EM LYON, EDHEC...), continuing education is a real windfall, because for equivalent training, professionals are prepared to pay the price to graduate from a top-ranking institution. What's more, it's often the companies that pay the price. The trend is towards autonomy and ambition. Schools need the means to develop, and cannot indefinitely increase tuition fees. The traditional model is being called into question, and the offer is evolving towards soft skills and international outreach.