Five questions for Hager Jemel-Fornetty, Director of the EDHEC International BBA

1. What advice would you give to high school students currently making their higher-education choices on the Parcoursup platform?

An important tip I’d give is firstly to get a good understanding of the school’s programme, but also of the value added it can bring you in relation to your personal plans. Find out about the school’s values, and examine the different specialisations and the possible tracks closely. I’d even encourage you to talk with students who’ve already gone through the experience!

2. The programme has changed a lot in 2025. What’s new with it?

The world is changing fast and we’re consequently initiating a wide-ranging transformation of the BBA programme. First of all, we’re incorporating questions related to artificial intelligence into the curriculum. It’s crucial to initiate students in the potentialities of AI, while also nurturing their critical thinking.

We’re maintaining and reinforcing our “Star Class” facility, inspired by preparatory classes for France’s grandes écoles and which we’ve been trialling in our programme for the last two years. Those students with the strongest academic records, like those rated “Very Good” in their baccalaureate, benefit from additional content, more demanding projects and the support of our professors with a view to them obtaining certifications in demand with companies.

Another important innovation concerns our Capstone Projects. In Year 4, students have the chance to work directly on real-life challenges with our corporate partners, such as on luxury marketing projects for Maserati and Publicis Luxe, or digital, data and AI projects for Amazon and BMS.

3. Is the programme’s international ambition still intact?

The international component is a bigger priority than ever! We’ve just signed a major partnership with a leading British university. This double degree, which was officially announced at the end of June, was developed jointly right from square one. And it’s no more than a start, with other partnerships set to follow.

4. How do you ensure the programme’s social accessibility?

I’m particularly attached to this point. EDHEC provides substantial and practical support to the less well-off. Firstly, this involves reductions in tuition fees, according to the student’s position on the CROUS bursary scale. And another new feature was approved very recently. Whereas the EDHEC Foundation could previously shoulder 75% of tuition fees, it can now pay 100% of fees for students in category 7, and up to 75% for those in categories 0 to 6. This powerful commitment enables students from less-advantaged backgrounds to join EDHEC without having to worry about the cost of their tuition – subject to being admitted of course. As from Year 3, students can also switch to an apprenticeship, in which case the company covers the tuition fees and the students are also paid.  

5. What message would you like to send to future BBA students?

When you join the EDHEC International BBA, you join a big family. You become part of a strong community, with a sense of belonging that lasts a whole lifetime. The programme’s an excellent choice for undergraduates who aren’t yet sure which specialisation they’ll eventually opt for. We give them methods and tools to help them learn how to position themselves, understand their role in society and transform themselves so as to transform the world.

Among our graduates, over one third enter the job market directly, in banking, marketing, luxury, sustainable logistics, etc. Others launch into entrepreneurship thanks to our incubators. And a lot of them continue on to a Master in prestigious international schools. This diversity demonstrates the quality of our programme and the recognition it’s earned, as well as our ability to lead each individual towards the future that suits them the most.