INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT

Despite a particularly complex year in 2020 at the international level, the International Affairs Department has continued to move forward by multiplying the number of projects and their implementation. One leitmotiv: student satisfaction.

Desi SCHMITT

DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

1600

in 2020, the number of teaching hours provided throughout the 5 programmes on our Chinese campuses (BBA, MSBA, DBA, FinTech SABS and DBA SABS)

2020 was a peculiar year. How was it felt in your division?

2020 was an especially complicated year from an international viewpoint for higher education establishments. Nonetheless, in spite of the pandemic, we were able to offer the possibility to all the Audencia students who were set to go and study with one of our partners to enjoy an international experience (virtually or remotely). We contributed to creating and launching a new GMT course for 39 students on the Grande Ecole programme. We increased the amount of short programmes (in the summer, autumn and winter terms), all on-line, with a total of 663 students trained, from 35 different nationalities. In China, it was also an auspicious year with the launch of our new Fintech SABS programme, which received Chinese Education Ministry approval and attracted 104 students. Also, and more importantly, we continued to look to the future through signing first-rate new agreements, such as the one with the City University of London or the double diplomas with establishments such as Lancaster University (with both institutions boasting triple approval). These results proved that the team was invested, flexible, committed and especially focused on putting student satisfaction and experience at the heart of its missions, both at national and international level.

AUDENCIA 20-20 – What is your assessment of the previous strategic plan?

Thanks to the previous strategic plan, Audencia has changed dimension. Firstly, we succeeded in the drive to bring about internationalisation of our programmes, by focusing on quality over quantity regarding our partnerships. We also significantly increased the percentage of international students by putting forward an expanded offer, particularly in the field of international double diplomas. Additionally, we succeeded in establishing ourselves on several continents. In China, in 2020, 700 students received teaching, on courses ranging from Bachelor to DBA on our campuses in Shenzhen ad Chengdu. In South America and Africa, the previous strategic plan led to development of our cooperation with Brazil, Kenya and Ghana via the launch of the Collaborative Institute for Global Agrobusiness (CIGA), without forgetting the launch of the Executive MBA’s in Morocco and Algeria. Through these various vectors, we achieved our 3 main objectives: accelerating our internationalisation, becoming a global player present on several continents and enhancing our differentiation, especially by means of hybridisation!

AUDENCIA
STRATEGIC
PLAN
ecos 2025

IN CONCLUSION

WHAT WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DEFINE YOUR VISION FOR AUDENCIA’S NEW STRATEGIC PLAN?

STIMULATING!
If I only had to use one single word, it would be “STIMULATING”, with regard to the objectives that we have set ourselves particularly on the international stage!