1. The strong interaction between schools and businesses:
a persistent feature
of the CCI Paris Ile-de-France schools
I wish to present how the CCI Paris Ile-de-France places a concrete emphasis on the interaction between schools and businesses. How this interaction reflects the very essence of what the CCI is and does.
Working closely with and for business is a fundamental element in the long history of the CCI Paris Ile-de-France perhaps one of its most striking and persistent feature.
Making the interaction work is at the core of all our schools activities everyday.
Transition:
So, let me begin by the key facts about who we are:
Marianne Conde-Salazar
International Relations Education Division
CCI Paris Ile-de-France

2. CCI Paris Ile-de-France – Key facts
The first chamber of commerce and industry in France and in Europe:
98 elected members, 13 members standing at its Executive Board
5 200 collaborators with 4 main missions :
Serving and advising businessmen
Training and educating future business collaborators and leaders
Developing the competitiveness of the Paris region
Serving the interests of businesses before the French public authorities
A territorial force:
Representing 8 adjoining departements : Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Val d’Oise, Yvelines, Essonne, Seine-et-Marne
Making for almost a 1/3 of the French economic activity: 29 % of GDP
CCI Paris Ile-de-France clearly is one of the pivotal actors in French economy. This position is also reflected in our education mission.
Figures speak for themselves of course, but they also show how open, diverse and yet integrated our educative « planet » is:

3. CCI Paris Ile-de-France - Education mission
students in programmes ranging from vocational degrees to PhD degrees
25 schools in France and 4 in the world. A consistent and diverse ensemble:
4 management schools, 1 engineering school
8 marketing, financial, administration and human resources schools
8 professional schools: gastronomy, perfumery, leather
4 apprenticeship centers
Over adults trained in continuing education
Transition:
The CCI Paris Ile-de-France schools are not cut off from the French education system.
In fact the history of our development in the education field is closely tied to the general history of education in France:

4. Universities and Grandes Ecoles: a brief chronology
1150: The first university was founded in France. English students who were rejected from this university went on to establish the university of Oxford…
1789: French Revolution, there were 22 universities in France.
1803: Industrial Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte founded the CCIP .
1819: The Ecole supérieure de commerce de Paris, now ESCP Europe, was the first business school established in France. Its founders were all business entrepreneurs such as Auguste Blanqui.
1879: ESCP was acquired by the CCIP.
1881: The CCIP established HEC.
2011: Overall in France: 80 universities and 215 “Grandes Ecoles” (of which 38 Management schools are members of the Grandes Ecoles Conference).
Educating or training? Until the industrial revolution the focus is clearly on educating, in the sense of teaching rather than training (with the exception of medical studies).
With the creation of the CCI schools, focus is then on the training for positions that companies need.
With the economic crises in the 20th century, pressure appears even stronger under the effect of the contraction of the job market.
Transition:
This is how we answer to that ever growing need to bridge the gap between higher education and the business world.
The connection between companies and schools helps to adapt the schools’ curriculum to the specific needs of companies.

5. Research and Innovation
The interaction between businesses and CCI Paris Ile-de-France’s schools
School Governing Body
Curricula
Student Recruitment
Courses
Teaching
Research and Innovation
A lasting cooperation with businesses is first based on an original mode of governance:
The CCI Paris Ile-de-France’s General Assembly consists of elected business CEOs.
The CCI Paris Ile-de-France schools’ boards are managed by business CEOs who are members of the General Assembly.
Businesses take part in the financing of the school through the apprenticeship tax, sponsored chairs and foundations…
Businesses take active part in the elaboration and revision of the programmes’ curriculum, as well as the student recruitment and the courses teachings.
The research activities are directed towards knowledge and technology transfer between schools and businesses.
Professional experience is a full part of the general education curriculum: schools have services dedicated to career and internship opportunities and based on a strong cooperation with companies.
The continuing education offer is designed to adapt the needs of businesses with a specific focus on the entrepreneurship spirit.
It is important to notice that the close participation of businesses to the schools’ development is strenghtened through the action of the students associations and the alumni networks.
General Education
Continuing Education
Labour Market

6. Interaction: a word now taken up by universities too
2003: The LMD reform act (Bachelor/Master/PhD) was passed.
2007: The French « LRU » Act (Law on the Responsability of Universities) set the objective of attaining full financial autonomy for French universities by 2013.
2013: Assises de la Recherche: a public platform on new and future developments in French higher education and research.
Phrases de transition:
All actors in the education field in France now understand that « interaction » with businesses has to be taken to the next level.
The CCI is very active in these new developments. This is particularly illustrated by:

7. Illustrating interaction: research clusters linked to businesses
PRES
Pôles de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur
(Research and Higher Education Clusters)
Common objectives and research axes
Common governance: mix of Universities and Grandes Ecoles
“Grand Emprunt”, 35 BN€ in total, with 22 BN€ for higher education, training and Research to finance initiatives of excellence (IDEX, 7,7 BN€) and laboratories of excellence (LABEX, 1,5 BN€)
CCI Paris Ile-de-France examples :
ESCP Europe & HESAM (Paris Novi Mundi)
HEC Paris & Paris Tech
ESIEE Paris & Université Paris Est
Phrase de transition:
I want to close up this presentation by focusing on how universities have now clearly taken on interaction with businesses alongside the continuing action of CCI Paris Ile-de-France

8. “Conférence des Présidents d’Universités”: building a better interaction with businesses
125 universities in France
One development priority :
Students in the labour market, and, the connection between universities and businesses
The main steps :
An agreement with MEDEF on particular professional fields (banking, steel industry)
An agreement currently being in study with the association of French CCI
Universities and businesses now attending common conferences: knowing each other better (e.g. MEDEF workshop dedicated to higher education and research)
Developing joint programs
Programs : businessmen teaching in academia , taking part in jurys, being represented in governing boards
Yet: the governing system in French academia is slowly evolving. For example: business representatives do not have a voting right.

9. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me:
Marianne Conde-Salazar