Established in 1819, the world’s first business school, ESCP Europe was founded by a group of economic scholars and businessmen including the well-known economist Jean-Baptiste Say and the celebrated trader Vital Roux. Jean-Baptiste Say was an advocate of economic liberalism and is often credited with having coined the concept of entrepreneurship as early as 1800. Vital Roux is particularly known for having largely contributed to the elaboration of the Commercial Code in 1807 as well as for his up-front thinking in innovative pedagogy. One can, therefore, say that the creation of ESCP Europe represents the invention of the "business school" concept.
Although the ESCP Europe brand evolved over its almost 200 years of history, it always remained loyal to its first three letters. Starting in 1819 under the name Ecole Spéciale de Commerce et d’Industrie and soon after renamed Ecole Supérieure de Commerce, it developed to ESCP fifty years later in 1869. After merging with its sister school, the European School of Management (EAP), in 1999, the school was called ESCP-EAP for about a decade. Finally, in 2009, the school’s name turned into ESCP Europe, making explicit reference to its European heritage and positioning.
The international scope of ESCP Europe has been visible since its early age. Already the class of 1824 counted 30% of international students with 15 different nationalities, amongst them seven Spanish, five Brazilians, five Dutch, four Germans, and two Americans. Language education was an essential part of its first curriculum which included, in addition to French grammar, also courses in English, German, and Spanish. As of 1825, a total of ten languages were taught at ESCP Europe and students had to study at least three of them.
Around one and a half centuries later, ESCP Europe was again a pioneer through the creation of a multi-campus business school. In order to respond to the School’s European calling, campuses in Germany and in the United Kingdom were opened in 1973, followed by Spain in 1988, Italy in 2004, and Warsaw in 2015. In the context of an ever more globalized world, the ambition of ESCP Europe today is to train truly European managers by fostering the link between humanistic values and management education. ESCP Europe becomes a veritable European School open to the World.
Mission and Values
ESCP Europe connects and shapes the business world by advancing cross-cultural management knowledge and practice.
Teaching management from an interdisciplinary perspective at the highest level of academic excellence, we develop culturally intelligent, multilingual leaders, who are open-minded, adaptable and responsible.
As managers and entrepreneurs, ESCP Europe's graduates are equipped to lead and inspire in a globalised world.
Key Facts
- 6 ESCP Europe campuses in Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Torino, and Warsaw
- Triple accredited: AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA
- The World's First Business School (est. 1819)
- Over 150 research-active professors representing over 20 nationalities across our 6 campuses
- 90 affiliate professors, 40 visiting professors, over 800 practitioners and experts
- Over 130 academic alliances in Europe and the World
- A full portfolio: Bachelor, Masters, MBAs, PhDs and Executive Education
- 5,000+ students in degree programmes representing 100 different nationalities
- 5,000 high-level participants in customised trainings and executive education
- 55,000 active alumni in over 150 countries in the world
- European Governance representing the School's deep European identity
- Regularly ranked among the World's best business schools
Campuses
ESCP Europe’s distinctive model of a cross-border multi-campus business school embodies the heart of our European identity. With its six urban campuses in major European cities, ESCP Europe contributes actively to the development of a European management culture and allows the School to offer a unique type of cross-cultural business education:
- BERLIN
- LONDON
- MADRID
- PARIS
- TORINO
- WARSAW
Programs taught in:
- English
- French