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ESCP Business School Expands Collaborations with IIT Network in India

Overview of the Initiative

ESCP Business School, recognized as the oldest business school globally, originating in Paris in 1819, is on the brink of signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with prominent technical institutes within the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) network. This significant step is part of ESCP’s strategic efforts to enhance its global educational impact, particularly through collaboration with India’s leading technology institutes.

Insights from ESCP’s Leadership

Leon Laulusa, the executive president and dean of ESCP Business School, emphasized their commitment to collaboration during an interview with The PIE News. He stated, “We’re now moving to collaborate with IITs and have already initiated discussions, and are working toward a formal MOU.” The proposed collaboration primarily aims to encompass student exchange programs, joint research initiatives, and faculty mobility between the institutions. The overarching goal is to effectively connect business education with the expanding technological landscape.

Areas of Focus for Collaboration

ESCP Business School has established a reputation for excellence, frequently ranking highly on global education scales, including those set by Financial Times and QS. The school is keen to engage with IITs on various fronts—including joint research, student exchanges, and faculty interactions—especially in crucial areas such as emerging technologies, sustainability, artificial intelligence (AI), and entrepreneurship. Laulusa remarked, “We are not a traditional engineering school; however, we bring essential go-to-market knowledge to innovative products emerging from the applied sciences, illustrating how both IITs and ESCP can complement each other effectively.”

Past Experiences and Future Aspirations

ESCP’s experience isn’t limited to India; they have successfully cultivated partnerships outside of France, such as their collaboration with Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. Laulusa noted that this model involves students spending alternating years at ESCP and Columbia. “This year there being 10 pathways, our students benefit immensely. We aim to replicate this with IITs to integrate various facets of education efficiently,” Laulusa shared.

Prior to initiating partnerships with IITs, ESCP already forged significant relationships with top Indian management institutes, dating back to 1985 with IIM Ahmedabad. What began as a semester-long student exchange has evolved into dual-degree offerings between ESCP and prominent IIMs, alongside various other Indian business establishments. Laulusa reflected positively on these collaborations, stating, “Today, we work closely with IIM Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, and SP Jain – and the collaboration is thriving.”

Expanding Opportunities for Students

The collaborative framework allows students to immerse themselves in diverse cultures and experiences. Laulusa explained, “The unique value we offer enables students to explore multiple cities. For instance, a single program week could involve two days in Paris and three in London.”

Despite a growing trend of Indian students enrolling in exchange programs in France, the reverse flow of French students traveling to India remains underwhelming, often hindered by concerns regarding cultural differences, safety, and awareness of opportunities. Nevertheless, schools like ESCP are determined to shift this dynamic for the better. "Each year, roughly 12 to 15 ESCP student delegates travel to IIM Ahmedabad; however, we see a larger influx of Indian students returning to us,” Laulusa remarked. He emphasized the importance of India as an educational and cultural hub, stating, “India is an incredibly important market, crucial not only in the field of education but also in what we can glean from cultural exchanges.”

Promoting India as an Exchange Destination

To encourage more French students to consider India as a viable exchange destination, Laulusa believes it’s essential to underscore the numerous industrial exposure opportunities the country presents. “Our objective is to promote India not only on an academic level but also through corporate connections,” he added. He sees the potential for students to intern within Indian companies after their studies, facilitating deeper integration into the Indian business landscape.

Currently, while ESCP has no immediate plans to establish a campus or research center in India, they consider their Dubai campus—situated within the Dubai International Finance Centre—a strategic advantage for attracting Indian and South Asian students.

A Unique Educational Model

Laulusa highlighted ESCP’s unique position as a pan-European institution with six campuses across Europe—including Paris, London, Madrid, Turin, Berlin, and Warsaw—alongside their seventh campus in Dubai, which began executive education in 2022 and recently achieved accreditation. This accreditation allows ESCP to award Emirati degrees, further enhancing its appeal to Indian students seeking to expand their education and career opportunities.

The Dubai campus is seen as pivotal in sustaining the increasing enrollment of Indian students at ESCP, which has steadily risen in recent years. For the upcoming 2024/25 academic year, there are now 608 Indian students enrolled, representing a 16% increase over the past three years. India has consequently risen to become the third-largest country of origin for students at ESCP, following France and Italy.

Alignment with Broader Educational Goals

This increase aligns seamlessly with French President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious target of attracting 30,000 Indian students to France by 2030, a goal supported by the French government’s streamlined visa policies for Indian students. Moreover, the strengthening of educational ties between France and India provides a timely avenue for ESCP to explore collaborative opportunities in AI initiatives with Indian universities. This aligns with themes discussed during the recent AI Action Summit held in Paris, co-chaired by both President Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Laulusa reiterated, “The shared focus on AI initiatives with India and France offers a unique opportunity to leverage advanced technologies for mutual benefit and to achieve a global impact.” He concluded with an ambitious vision for the future: “By 2028 or 2030, if students from IITs and beyond view ESCP as the premier destination for education and aspire to become alumni, then we will have genuinely succeeded.”

How AI legalese decoder Can Help

Navigating international collaborations can often involve complicated legal documentation and agreements. This is where AI legalese decoder comes into play. The AI tool can assist both ESCP and the IITs in deciphering complex legal clauses in MOUs and contracts, ensuring that all parties fully understand the terms of their agreement. By leveraging AI legalese decoder, institutions can streamline the partnership process, mitigate legal risks, and foster clearer communication, enabling a more productive collaboration between ESCP and IITs, and ultimately enhancing the educational experience for students from both institutions.

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