Inge Kerkloh-Devif, director of HEC Paris Executive Education, wants to train the CEOs of tomorrow. As emerging markets ramp-up EMBA demand, she has ambitious plans for global expansion.
It’s 9:30AM in Central London. The weather outside the walls of the Thistle Hotel in Marble Arch is sticky humid. Yet inside, Inge Kerkloh-Devif is keeping a cool head.Business schools may feel the pressure of adapting to global expansion and the targeting of new, emerging markets – but Inge, boss of executive education at HEC Paris, shows no signs of stress.
The executive director of global business development at HEC Executive Education is only a year into the job but her results speak for themselves. The leading French business school shot up to the top-three of the executive education rankings last month. In open-enrolment courses, they languished seventh last year.
She has come into the role at an exciting time for executive education. New technology is energizing a revival which has seen demand for courses become insatiable. Schools are expanding into emerging markets and online programs are reaching the masses on a global scale.
Custom programs, lucrative courses tailored for businesses, are fashionable once more. The short-course king is back in business.
But there are still challenges that executive education must face. Moocs – massive online open courses – are threatening to steal business.
“They are a competition, for sure,” smiles Inge, softly spoken with a German accent. “Executive education is in a disruptive innovation situation. We see new players coming in.”
But HEC tailors its executive education for the hard-nosed executive. “If you try to put the normal and common content into your Mooc, you won’t be able to train the CEO of tomorrow,” she says. “The important thing, then, is what you put in the Mooc. It’s not [about] giving access to everybody – it’s also the content you have.”
Inge reckons there are strategic alliances to be made. For HEC, new players mean new opportunities. “There might also be opportunities to do things differently. Why not?”
“But I will talk about that in a couple of months,” she laughs, cautiously.
Inge is only in London for a short stay, but her reach extends far beyond the United Kingdom. Executive education is a global business – and business is seemingly booming. The school has 52 open-enrolment programs – courses directed to all professionals – yet only seven of them are taught in English, she says.
HEC is huge in Qatar, where it offers a complete portfolio of management programs. But Inge has more ambitious plans for expansion. The rest of the Middle East is just a starting point.
China, she says, has a huge need for executive education. “But it’s quite a mature market,” she adds. The development of emerging markets in Africa and Latin America are also feeding the growing demand for executives’ courses.
“All those growing markets – we have such a need for executive education. As they are facing new opportunities and new challenges, they need people to manage those challenges and opportunities,” says Inge. “You start to see it in Indonesia and Malaysia. You can see it in Middle East and in Africa.”
The school has seen an increase in demand in Africa – partly because most of HEC’s programs are taught in French. In October, the school launched its first executive Master’s degree in Azerbaijan. HEC is training governments in Africa to help improve performance, and just signed-up the Central Bank of West African States for a customized program.
Southern America is also set firmly on Inge’s sights. A group of professors just flew back from Brazil – partly to avoid the World Cup inflation – who were looking at expanding their portfolio into the emerging country.
But the school’s focus is on degree programs first, she insists. HEC offers an Executive MBA, as well as an Executive Master's degree and a clutch of certificate programs. It’s Trium Global EMBA, a partnership with NYU: Stern and the London School of Economics, is ranked fourth world-wide.
“We are focusing first on degree programs, because this is really the full HEC experience,” says Inge as she finishes sipping a latte inside the Thistle’s Costa franchise. “Then we focus a lot on custom programs, especially international [ones].”
HEC’s open enrolment programs are on a smaller, national scale – but the portfolio growing.
Part of the expansion puzzle is the online revolution that is sweeping through business schools. HEC offers both an online mode of delivery and face-to-face programs. It depends much on the customer – and the region.
But Inge believes executives need a classroom experience, “because you have the peer to peer learning... the classroom experience is very impacting”. Still, they have not shied away from the cyberworld.
“[We are] starting to bring this interactive e-learning, because e-learning was so much more only online learning, and not having this interactivity [before],” she explains. “And it’s a wonderful experience to mix all those opportunities, and again to have a more global reach,” Inge adds.
She does not, however, think we will ever reach a situation where executives will learn entire curriculums from their laptops and tablets.
Emerging markets, for example, have a preference for classroom learning, she says, and the school must react to the demands of its clients. “They’re executives – we are not teaching fundamentals, we are teaching leadership, strategy. So those are topics which are not only accessible online.”
Globalization has brought with it a more diverse learning opportunity for executive education students and EMBAs. Inge thinks that it is 80-90% of the reason that students sign up. “If you want to do global leadership it’s not just taking a piece of paper or listening to a professor – its real experience.”
It was the reason she took on the job in the first place: “Because it had so [much] international exposure. I think again executive education is a global market today. For our customers, it is very important to have this real experience.”
For HEC the question now is: which new courses do they plan to develop? Inge still has a few aces up her sleeve; the school plans to strengthen its energy, and fashion and luxury offering.
Inge says: “We plan to launch our executive Master in china in 2015. And fashion and luxury is also really a hot topic for us.”
Leadership is still a dominant theme, as are strategy and change management courses. Big data, she says, is also an up-and-coming topic. “It will be an amazing challenge because big data will enable [us] to make strategic decisions in a new way. I think there will be a big need in training executives for strategic decisions on big data.”
With so many different program offerings and new courses in the works, it may be difficult to pin-point executive education’s place within HEC Paris. But one thing is for sure: it is still a huge revenue driver.
“But it’s a revenue which enables us to deliver our education, it’s not for gaining money,” Inge is quick to point out. “It’s really giving out the opportunity to deliver our education. We are training 8,500 executives per year at HEC executive education. This enables us to make it happen.”
Student Reviews
Cultural experience
I have met the most competent and diverse batch in this school. These people not only thrive on their own but also makes sure that you are doing it with them. The professors will take your had and walk you through all milestones and make sure you are not left behind. I have found their extracurriculars extremely engaging. There was always a room to have social life after academic life. The only hindrance is the location of the school, it is slightly outside city and living in city is expensive.
Internationality and diversity of opportunities
About my programme I would say it is very international and flexible: we have the opportunity to choose exactly the courses we want. But at the same time, the frame of the campus is crucial in students' life and enable us to create friendships.
Great selection of people
While HEC's MBA is highly selective, I really enjoy the type of people HEC's selects to make sure everybody gets the best out of their MBA experience and networking opportunities. Not only it's an incredibly diverse pool of people (~60 nationalities) but most importantly they make sure to let in friendly empathic and curious people.
Best in France for Grande ecole
A prestigious business school. Languages are important. It is better to have a scientific baccalaureate with excellent grades in high school and good assessments.
The courses are well designed as per the latest trends and practicality of learning in stressed upon. Overall, a very good experience.
Diversity and quality of fellow students
Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.
The quality of the teachers, the campus, the clubs
The school is very international indeed, we have courses with international students and share things with them within the extra academic life (in the social clubs especially). We have great career prospects if we prepare ourselves well - however, the global curriculum is still very finance-oriented, which is a pity for other interesting domains of the company world, which does not rely on finance only. The social clubs are good practice for the management and for now, are quite independent.
HEC Paris awaits you
HEC Paris is really a nice place to do a master's in business. Many classes are useful and interesting (corporate finance, financial accounting, contract law…), some are less - but the curriculum is to be reviewed in the year to come. Regarding the student life, it is incredible, with about 130 clubs, lots of great parties with even greater people. The Jouy campus offers a lot of opportunities to do sports, and you can breathe fresh air every day. HEC also helps a great deal to find an internship or a job.
A dream institute
Enrolling in the HEC MBA was by far the best decision I made for myself. The people and faculty are great, with lots of opportunities to meet people and expand your horizons. Very nice campus where I have had some good running sessions.
The alumni network is superb and very helpful. It also has a good support system for entrepreneurs. Would definitely recommend it!
Good choice for a career boost
The classes were extremely practical and relevant to the current challenges that businesses are facing. You have access to a wide range of professionals and good career prospects once you leave the university.
Cultural experience
I have met the most competent and diverse batch in this school. These people not only thrive on their own but also makes sure that you are doing it with them. The professors will take your had and walk you through all milestones and make sure you are not left behind. I have found their extracurriculars extremely engaging. There was always a room to have social life after academic life. The only hindrance is the location of the school, it is slightly outside city and living in city is expensive.
Internationality and diversity of opportunities
About my programme I would say it is very international and flexible: we have the opportunity to choose exactly the courses we want. But at the same time, the frame of the campus is crucial in students' life and enable us to create friendships.
Great selection of people
While HEC's MBA is highly selective, I really enjoy the type of people HEC's selects to make sure everybody gets the best out of their MBA experience and networking opportunities. Not only it's an incredibly diverse pool of people (~60 nationalities) but most importantly they make sure to let in friendly empathic and curious people.
Best in France for Grande ecole
A prestigious business school. Languages are important. It is better to have a scientific baccalaureate with excellent grades in high school and good assessments.
The courses are well designed as per the latest trends and practicality of learning in stressed upon. Overall, a very good experience.
Diversity and quality of fellow students
Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.
The quality of the teachers, the campus, the clubs
The school is very international indeed, we have courses with international students and share things with them within the extra academic life (in the social clubs especially). We have great career prospects if we prepare ourselves well - however, the global curriculum is still very finance-oriented, which is a pity for other interesting domains of the company world, which does not rely on finance only. The social clubs are good practice for the management and for now, are quite independent.
HEC Paris awaits you
HEC Paris is really a nice place to do a master's in business. Many classes are useful and interesting (corporate finance, financial accounting, contract law…), some are less - but the curriculum is to be reviewed in the year to come. Regarding the student life, it is incredible, with about 130 clubs, lots of great parties with even greater people. The Jouy campus offers a lot of opportunities to do sports, and you can breathe fresh air every day. HEC also helps a great deal to find an internship or a job.
A dream institute
Enrolling in the HEC MBA was by far the best decision I made for myself. The people and faculty are great, with lots of opportunities to meet people and expand your horizons. Very nice campus where I have had some good running sessions.
The alumni network is superb and very helpful. It also has a good support system for entrepreneurs. Would definitely recommend it!
Good choice for a career boost
The classes were extremely practical and relevant to the current challenges that businesses are facing. You have access to a wide range of professionals and good career prospects once you leave the university.
Diverse
HEC, as an academic institution, serves as a launching pad for students to excel in their pursuits and careers. The diversity among students and professors is truly remarkable. The chance to attend seminars across five major continents is unparalleled. The exposure and relationships it fosters are invaluable.
Super diverse
It's a super diverse and fascinating environment with tons of chances, but the management is very French, and the facilities like the gym and classrooms are not great. This makes the academic side quite ineffective. Plus, we're graded on a curve, leading to a competitive and sometimes toxic atmosphere. Despite all that, the benefits definitely overshadow the drawbacks.
Surreal academic experience
What stood out to me about HEC was the direction and insight it offered on coding approaches. Prior to joining the program, I attempted self-learning, but I felt disoriented and lacked a starting point.HEC enabled me to grasp the basics of programming and provided support when I encountered obstacles. Without that guidance, I doubt I would have achieved the progress I have made to date.
Good security
HEC boasts a dedicated team of security personnel who undergo rigorous training to ensure the perpetual maintenance of tranquility and orderliness within the institution. Their unwavering efforts are directed towards fostering a sense of security among the student body, thereby enabling them to channel their energies predominantly towards their academic pursuits.
Innovative teaching method
I am thoroughly enjoying my time at HEC, from the innovative teaching methods to the welcoming campus environment, which is particularly supportive of international students. The extracurricular opportunities, such as sports and associations, are incredibly valuable. Additionally, the career services offered are exceptional. Overall, I find my experience at HEC to be truly enriching.
mim
HEC Paris has been a transformative experience for me. The caliber of the faculty, the diversity of the student body, and the global network it offers are unmatched. The curriculum is highly flexible, allowing students to tailor their learning experience to their career goals, and the focus on real-world application through case studies and consulting projects provides invaluable hands-on experience. The campus itself is beautiful, and the opportunities to engage with leading companies through internships, competitions, and networking events have been incredible. HEC truly prepares you to be a leader in today's complex business world. I couldn’t have asked for a better program to propel my career forward.
Unwavering enthusiasm
Here's the first paragraph:
I embarked on a journey to Paris, where HEC University welcomed me with open arms. As I stepped onto its prestigious campus, I was captivated by the infectious energy and innovative spirit that filled the air. The passionate faculty, industry experts, and fellow visionaries from around the globe shared their knowledge with unwavering enthusiasm."
Exceptional Experience
HEC offers an exceptional experience that I highly recommend. The small-town setting allows for a unique blend of academic rigor and community engagement. The peaceful campus and close-knit student body create a warm environment. Proactive engagement with professors yields valuable guidance. Friendships may blossom slowly, but persistence pays off. The city's beauty, scenic views, and diverse eateries near campus enrich the experience. University dining may not impress, but it's decent.
2 
Comments.