Challenges 2026 ranking – EDHEC’s Grande École Programme ranked 4th for academic strength
EDHEC’s Grande École Programme (PGE) has been ranked 4th in the “Puissance” category (academic strength) of the Challenges 2026 business school ranking. This category assesses both academic excellence and institutional attractiveness, based on key criteria such as accreditations, selectivity, admission thresholds, the proportion of students from preparatory classes, the student-to-faculty ratio, and the school’s overall budget.
This 4th place for academic strength reflects EDHEC Business School’s sustained commitment to academic excellence and the strong appeal of its Grande École Programme among students from preparatory classes—an appeal that has placed the School 4th in the SIGEM ranking for the past five years. This excellence is underpinned by the quality of EDHEC’s faculty. In September 2025, sixteen new professors, all holding a doctorate or PhD from leading French and European academic institutions, joined the School, strengthening all teaching and research departments. These appointments reinforce a collective dynamic focused on innovation, impact and the future.
In line with the Générations 2050 strategic plan, the Grande École Programme continues to expand its academic offering to equip future graduates to become key players in forthcoming transformations. In September 2025, the PGE enhanced its curriculum with the launch of the Humanities Track, a pioneering pathway combining managerial excellence with a strong grounding in the humanities. This innovative track offers immersion in disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, history, ethics, as well as the arts and the management of cultural institutions. Open to students entering the PGE at Pre-Master level, it forms part of a coherent educational continuum with the curriculum delivered in preparatory classes.
EDHEC has also launched a new engineering–management double degree in partnership with the École navale, the French Naval Academy responsible for training officers of the French Navy. This is the first double degree programme established by a military institution with a leading management school. Combining maritime, scientific and human dimensions, this hybrid programme opens pathways towards careers in the defence sector—an industry currently experiencing strong recruitment momentum, particularly for engineers, in the current geopolitical context.
“This 4th place for academic strength highlights the academic excellence of our Grande École Programme. By enriching the PGE with innovative pathways, we reaffirm our commitment to preparing future graduates to understand, anticipate and transform the world,” concludes Tristan-Pierre Maury, Director of the Grande École Programme.
