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ESDES Business School

Founded in 1987 and embedded within the Catholic University of Lyon, ESDES Business School serves around 1,750 students and boasts an alumni network of over 6,000 graduates. It holds prestigious accreditations, including AACSB, EPAS, as well as being a distinguished member of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE), providing Bachelor’s (Bac+3) and Master's in Management (Bac+5) programs. 

In the Financial Times' 2024 Best European Business Schools ranking, ESDES ranked 91st, reflecting strong outcomes in employability, salary levels, and student diversity. Impressively, 90% of graduates secure jobs within 3 months after graduation. Bachelor’s students complete between 4 weeks and 6 months, while Master’s students gain a total of 12 months of internship experience.

ESDES Business School places responsible management at the core of its identity. Since 2016, the school has embraced the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), reflecting its long-term dedication to embedding sustainability and ethics across teaching, research, and stakeholder engagement.

ESDES’s values are grounded in three pillars—ecological commitment, social commitment, and trust in people—tangible across its curriculum, campus initiatives, and governance. For instance, 100% of students engage with climate change awareness through activities like Climate Fresco in their first year, and at least 10% of coursework explicitly addresses impact topics.

Its Institute of Sustainable Business and Organizations (ISBO) publishes work like “La Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises,” placing CSR at the strategic heart of business thinking. Through these layered initiatives, ESDES cultivates graduates who aren’t just managers, but thoughtful change makers for a more sustainable, inclusive world.

ESDES maintains a robust network of over 100 corporate and academic partners, including influential regional players such as Digital League, Beelys, and the Foreign Trade Advisors of France (Auvergne–Rhône–Alpes), which enrich professional placement opportunities through mentorship, projects, and work-study programs. 

With top-tier accreditations, exceptional placement rates, and strong institutional ties, ESDES equips students with the experiential and ethical grounding needed for a dynamic, responsible business career.