ESSEC Business School: How It Has Changed and Where It Is Headed

What does ESSEC Business School look like today?

According to ESSEC's October 2026 figures, the school has 8,534 students in its pre-experience programmes, around 5,000 executive education participants, 171 professors and more than 79,000 alumni. The ESSEC campuses each play a distinct role:

• Paris-Cergy: the historic 68,000 m² main campus, home to the Grande Ecole programme and the Master in Finance.
• Paris-La Défense: base for the Global MBA and the Executive MBA programmes.
• ESSEC Singapore campus: founded in 2005 as ESSEC's first campus outside France, with its current one-north campus inaugurated in 2015 and about 950 students a year.
• ESSEC Rabat campus: ESSEC Africa marked its tenth anniversary in October 2026 and has welcomed more than 3,000 students.

ESSEC also runs hubs (not campuses) in London, New York and Mumbai, the last of which opened in February 2026.

Recent ESSEC rankings show where the school is strongest:

What has changed at ESSEC since 2020?

Under Dean and President Vincenzo Esposito Vinzi, the school has made four visible moves.

1. A rebuilt campus. The Next Generation Campus at Cergy was inaugurated in September 2025, adding the 3,000 m² Pierre Nanterme Center for Responsible Leadership, a sports centre and the Research Green Tower, which houses the school's interdisciplinary Metalab.
2. Data and AI in the curriculum. The RISE strategy that preceded today's plan made entrepreneurship, ecological and social transition, and AI and data for society its priorities. Programmes such as the BSc in AI, Data & Management Sciences, run with CentraleSupélec, reflect that shift.
3. New formats. A one-year Intensive Track of the Master in Management started in September 2024. A Hybrid Executive MBA (about 70% online) followed, and a fully online Executive MBA takes its first intake in December 2026.
4. Rankings momentum. In the FT Global MBA ranking 2026, ESSEC rose 23 places in one year and 46 places over three years.

Where is ESSEC Business School headed?

The ESSEC Transcend strategy runs to 2028. The school says it wants to "open the world" beyond geographic, cultural and disciplinary boundaries, through transdisciplinary and personalised education, inclusive multicultural leadership and research on major global challenges.

In practice, that means more international options. ESSEC lists 240 partner universities in 50 countries and 36 international double degrees, alongside two dual degrees with Yale School of Management and a new dual degree with MIT Sloan from 2026. In Rabat, it has added the International Program in Business Administration (IPBA) and, in October 2026, a Business and Industry in Africa chair.

What this means for applicants

The range of ESSEC programmes is wider than ever, so the right choice starts with orientation, not rankings: the life you want, the industry you want to work in and the skills you still need. Then choose the degree and campus that fit.

• Recent graduates with little experience usually compare ESSEC MiM admissions with ESSEC MiF admissions.
• Quantitative profiles should read our guide to ESSEC business analytics admissions.
• Professionals with three or more years of experience should start with ESSEC MBA admissions.
• Senior managers should compare formats in our guide to ESSEC EMBA admissions.

Admission stays selective across the board, so plan your tests and documents early. Most master's programmes run four application rounds.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak French to study at ESSEC Business School?

Not for most graduate programmes. The Master in Finance, the Data Sciences & Business Analytics master and the Global MBA are taught in English. On the Master in Management, some Cergy tracks are taught in French, and students who do not speak French take a mandatory French course.

Which ESSEC campus should I choose: France or Singapore?

Choose based on where you want to build your career. The Master in Management, Master in Finance and the analytics master all offer a Singapore option, which suits careers in Asia. Cergy, about 30 km from Paris, is the main campus and the only one offering the one-year MiM Intensive Track.