A duty to students and industry

When a student begins a master’s program, it’s also the start of an implicit agreement between student and school. Now that the student has chosen that school, the school must deliver what the student is looking for from the program. It must help the student meet their personal and professional objectives.

EDHEC Business School in France appears to understand this idea better than anyone. We spoke with Laurent Deville, the Academic Director of EDHEC’s master’s in finance programs. Their programs are among the top-ranked master’s in finance programs in Europe. 

“This is important, this is our duty to students,” he tells MASTERGRADSCHOOLS. “This is what we offer them: come to the MSc in Financial Engineering and then you will have the opportunity to build the career that you’re looking for.” (01:53)

But at EDHEC, this agreement between school and student comes with a caveat. A successful post-EDHEC career does not come at any cost. Laurent says the school has a duty to its students but also to its principles.

“They are looking for a successful career in the sense that they are going to achieve their goals,  as long as they are in line with EDHEC’s goals. And the goal is this one: let’s make an impact. Let’s make an impact on the industry. Let’s make an impact on future generations.” (02:19)

What “make an impact” means at EDHEC

Impact is the word that defines the student experience at EDHEC. From sustainable finance to marketing analytics, all master’s students are expected to think about their impact in their chosen industry. According to Laurent, being able to make an impact comes down to two things.

“This is a mindset, and this is about competencies,” he says. “Students need to have the knowledge and the competencies that will allow them to change the industry. To change the jobs. To change finance in a sense, in the right direction. Second, to be able to do so, you also need to have the right direction. And we provide that direction.” (02:47)

So for graduates of the MSc in Financial Engineering, what does making an impact look like? It could be providing better financial plans for retirees, for example. It could be investing in green businesses, or ones with sustainable goals. 

Ultimately, the nature of the impact each student makes is a personal decision. EDHEC’s role is to support students in their journey, equipping them with the abilities necessary to create meaningful change.

“I think they have always somewhere in their brain this motto, ‘Make an impact’,” says Laurent. “I should make an impact. I should have a positive impact. I should be aware of the consequences of what I’m doing.

“And so instead of simply looking at the tiny things that I’m doing, I keep a broad perspective. I am part of a whole, and I need to be bringing everything around me to take them in the same direction.” (05:15)

Clearly, this is a finance program with a difference. By focusing so much on impact, EDHEC graduates are not only reshaping the finance industry, they’re reshaping perceptions of the finance industry. But as one of the leading MSc in Finance programs in Europe, this isn’t the only way the school stands out among its peers.

How EDHEC measures the success of its graduates

Laurent’s idea of success is perhaps a little different to most academic directors. He still values the traditional, quantitative measures of success such as graduate employment rate and salary increase. But for Laurent, his greatest satisfaction comes from other factors – those you can’t measure quite as easily.

“What I’m the most proud of is when I see the success of my students in building these successful lives, successful careers, top positions, top jobs,” he says. “But more than that, they are at ease with themselves.” (11:03)

For Laurent, success for EDHEC graduates means giving them the tools to succeed in their careers. But it also means helping students to have a career that aligns with their principles and objectives. It’s one of the key reasons why this master’s in finance is unlike any other.

“They are aligned with their principles. They are aligned with their objectives. When I see this alignment in my former students, then I say we can be extremely proud at EDHEC to have given a little bit of help in them achieving that.” (11:24)

Laurent acknowledges that students’ success is primarily their own achievement but recognizes the contribution of the school in their journey.

“Obviously, they build it. But I still think that we have a tiny part in that as a school.” (11:50)

EDHEC’s MSc in Financial Engineering program stands out due to its strong focus on impact, personal growth, and the alignment of students’ careers with their principles and objectives. By offering students the tools to succeed both professionally and personally, EDHEC is not only reshaping the finance industry but also redefining what success looks like for its graduates.

If you want to learn more about studying a master’s at EDHEC Business School, feel free to reach out to one of our EDHEC ambassadors.