HEC Paris

HEC Paris is an international business school established in 1881 and located in Jouy-en-Josas, France. Among the most selective French grandes écoles, HEC Paris offers its a variety of degrees in the fields of business management, including Master in Management, MBA and EMBA programs, specialized MSc programs, a PhD program, and executive education offerings.

HEC Paris is the founding member of CEMS - Global Alliance in Management Education and holds the triple accreditation AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS. With ESSEC Business Schoo and ESCP Europe, it forms the informal group commonly referred as the "3 Parisiennes" ("the three Parisians").

History
Established in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce (CCIP), the École des hautes études commerciales de Paris (HEC) wanted to be in the fields of management and trade what Centrale Paris was in the field of engineering. In order to gain recognition from the academic world, the school offered lessons similar to what was taught in secondary education and few classes in management.

In 1921, the school introduced the case study of the Harvard Business School, but most of the lectures remained theoretical. In 1938, the HEC program was lengthened to 3 years.

Due to French corporations' demand for North American style management education, at the end of the 1950s, the case-based method was generalized and a one-year Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles|classe préparatoire was created to prepare for the entrance examination, which had become difficult. An evidence of the recognition of the diploma is that only 9% of HEC students also attended university in 1959, whereas 47% had done so in 1929.

In 1964, French President Charles de Gaulle inaugurated a new wooded campus in Jouy-en-Josas. In 1967, HEC launched its executive education programs. Women have been accepted at HEC since 1973. Only 27 women were accepted that year and HEC jeunes filles (HECJF), another school dedicated to women, was closed. Its alumnae are officially considered as graduates of HEC. HECJF alumni include, for example, Édith Cresson, the first and to date the only woman to have held the office of Prime Minister of France.

In 1988, HEC founded the CEMS - Global Alliance in Management Education network with ESADE, the Bocconi University and the Cologne University.

In 2015, the school adopted a new legal status to allow private investors to join the Board.

In 2017, HEC launched a portfolio of new dual degree programs called M2M with Yale, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Fundação Getúlio Vargas.

Facilities
HEC Paris has numerous facilities common to higher education institutions. In addition to the dorms and academic buildings, the campus hosts a medical center where students can receive free basic healthcare, and a cafeteria simply called the Cantine, which offers subsidized meals. Additionally, students have access to several smaller coffee shops, and a restaurant which serves subsidized meals on weekends (for when the main cafeteria is closed). The campus also hosts several bars, a private lounge for MBA students, and a free self-service food and beverage area for Executive MBA students.

On the lower campus, HEC also has a château that hosts classes for Executive MBA students, as well as many receptions and parties for students from other degree programs. The château is located at the edge of a large lake, which also encompasses various sports fields (rugby, football/soccer, etc.). These are often used to host the HEC-led MBA Tournament.

International rankings
HEC Paris has constantly been ranked the best business school in France, and among the top in the world.

HEC alumni include 12 CEOs of F500 companies – 2017 more than any other business school in the world and third institution only to Harvard University and Stanford University -, several heads of states and governments, heads of international organizations, and other prominent figures in politics, business, and the arts.

In 2017, HEC Alumni has been ranked by The Economist as the 2nd most powerful business school alumni network in the world.

Admissions
HEC Paris is considered among the most selective French grandes écoles. The number of applications has steadily increased over the years.