This is only a step says JeanPierre Helfer

More than ever, the international development is a priority for the business schools. An absolute imperative at least for those who intend to be at the forefront of the competition. Witness, Audencia-Nantes, which multiplies the initiatives in this area.

To enhance its visibility, Audencia has chosen to focus on emerging countries, and including two destinations: Latin America and Asia. Concerning the first, it just give it a serious blow of accelerator, through a series of new agreements. First to the Brazil, with the school of Economics and administration of the University of São Paulo (USP), the largest of the country (86,000 students, teachers list). The first partnership of the die Audencia engineers-managers should be thus concluded soon with the USP. The "business school" also signed an agreement with the Universidad Catolica de Buenos Aires, in Argentina, as well as with the Universidad Esan in Lima, in Peru, number one in the Spanish-speaking world for training management post-bachelor. In total, Audencia aligns now 16 partners in Latin America.

Multiple partnerships

But it is especially in Asia, especially China, that the school grows its pawns. For her, the former empire of the environment remains a must and the recent case of diplomas "purchased" by Chinese students change anything. "It's a difficult market, of course." "But could not make the impasse on a country of 1.3 billion people, which will tomorrow be the world's leading economic power," argues Jean-Pierre Helfer, the Director-General.

Since a few months, the school is therefore overdrive in China. It has to strengthen its ties they date back to 2004 with the "School of Economics and Management (SEM) of Tongji University of Shanghai (60,000 students, 8,200 professors), one of the most prestigious of the country. Program: launch of an MBA "South China", development of exchanges of students, next opening of offices on place... Continuous training seminars should also see the day. Shanghai, the school should be able to use the building at the franco-chinois Centre, inaugurated by Jacques Chirac in 2004. Tongji became the first partner of Audencia in Asia. "This is only a step," says Jean-Pierre Helfer. We want to go further and establish an extensive collaboration. "Are especially project, for 2014, the creation of a generalist MBA, the development of an"international bachelor", international research seminars, exchanges of teachers, lectures"executive "...

At the same time, other agreements are in sight, with Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) including, for a joint MBA, in English, and with the University Tsing-Hua, for an exchange of students. All adding to other cooperation, for example in Beijing, with UIBE, specializing in international trade. Like the Chinese universities, cooperating with several Western partners, Audencia diversifies indeed agreements which does not rank partners based on their reputation.

Finally, Audencia teamed with both institutions European, HHL Leipzig, the oldest school of management of Germany, and one of the most quoted, and the MIP Politecnico of Milan, including for the placement of their MBA in China graduates. "It is a network that we links patiently, explains Jean-Pierre Helfer." To increase our visibility in China, we need the marks of local universities, which are well identified in the country. For their part, Chinese universities need to open. Their teachers are still very few international.

Opportunities for students

On-site, Audencia, it is true, marked the minds by organizing, in March, a meeting of his international "board" on the campus of Tongji. As the Nantes delegation included in its ranks a player: Alain-Dominique Perrin, ex-PDG of Richemont and pattern of the EFMD (1), the Organization issuing the Equis accreditation. A label of much interest the Chinese...

For Jean-Pierre Helfer, these partnerships directly affect the life of the school. "Our students follow these agreements very closely." They know that this means for them to trade opportunities increased. And that they are the first beneficiaries of our international visibility.