EDHEC Business School

Founding

EDHEC Business School was founded in Lille in 1906 by industrialists from northern France. Initially established as a business section within the school of engineering of the Catholic University of Lille, EDHEC was created with the objective of addressing the economic and industrial needs of northern France. Its founding occurred in the context of the broader Industrial Revolution that transformed northern France in the 19th century. Between 1850 and 1914, Lille and its neighbouring cities became major industrial and financial centres, prompting regional elites to seek ways to prepare their children and future professionals for business careers, ultimately leading to the creation of EDHEC.

The school's teaching was initially inspired by the moral principles of the Church's social doctrine, in line with earlier efforts by Catholic communities to integrate Christian values into business education.

The idea for the school first emerged in 1884, during a Catholic congress at which Léon Harmel, a prominent industrialist, called for "the immediate founding of a school of advanced industrial and business studies". The envisioned institution aimed to train both engineers and future business leaders, especially the sons of industrialists, who were seen as essential to promoting Christian ethics in the industrial world.

20th century

In 1920, Reverend Joseph Peter, became the first dean of the school. In 1921, the school gained self-governing status and was attached to the law school of the Catholic University of Lille, becoming known as HEC Nord (French: Hautes Études Commerciales du Nord, lit. 'Advanced Business Studies of the North'). Although the school operated autonomously, it shared faculty with the law school, and students were able to pursue joint studies by enrolling in both institutions simultaneously. The curriculum initially included courses in accounting, general administration, economics, and sales methods, complemented by economic geography and foreign languages. Gradually, the school moved away from strictly scientific instruction in favour of subjects focused on business techniques and modern languages. English became compulsory for all students, with additional offerings in German, Spanish, Italian, Slavic languages, and Arabic.

Following a legal dispute with HEC Paris over the use of the name, the institution was renamed EDHEC (French: École des Hautes Études Commerciales du Nord, lit. 'School of Advanced Business Studies of the North') in 1951. The alumni association was founded in 1947 under the name Amicale de l'EDHEC du Nord, later becaming the Association des Diplômés EDHEC. Since 1953, the association has published a bulletin titled Quo Vadis and later renamed EDHEC Informations.

In 1956, EDHEC parted ways with the Catholic University of Lille to establish its own premises. EDHEC became independent two years later, in 1958. While maintaining a partnership with the Catholic University of Lille, EDHEC asserted its independence and distanced itself from the university, which it perceived as insufficiently aligned with its growth and internationalisation strategy. The school received state accreditation in 1971. In 1983, EDHEC signed its first international academic partnership, with the London School of Economics. Olivier Oger was appointed dean in 1988 and served until 2017. Early in his tenure, the school introduced more selective admission processes, revised faculty recruitment practices, and developed its network of international academic partnerships.

21st century

In the early 2000s, the school initiated a strategic repositioning around a limited number of specialised fields. Finance was designated as a primary focus, leading to the creation of the EDHEC-Risk Institute with the aim of producing research that could be commercialised and sold to the financial industry. Despite internal opposition, this initiative gained traction, and financial research has become an important part of the school's income. During the same period, the school began hiring international faculty. In 2005, all courses began to be taught exclusively in English. In 2010, the school relocated from the centre of Lille to a new 49-acre campus on the outskirts of the city.

Research

EDHEC Business School conducts academic research with a faculty of over 175 members. The school allocates approximately 20% of its budget to research. The school's research framework includes 13 centers and chairs, which collectively produce over 100 academic articles each year. EDHEC's research is primarily centered on finance, with additional research conducted in fields such as marketing, innovation management, and taxation.

The EDHEC-Risk Institute is a central component of the school's research activities. It combines academic research with practical applications in the financial industry and has established partnerships with firms such as Bloomberg, Amundi, and Morgan Stanley. In 2018, approximately $34 billion in assets tracked indices developed by the EDHEC-Risk Institute.

In 2023, EDHEC sold 93% of its subsidiary, Scientific Beta, to the Singapore Exchange. Valued at €200 million and established in 2012, Scientific Beta focuses on alternative index design. It has developed a global client base, including pension funds and asset managers. The proceeds from this sale were used to finance EDHEC's research projects, including the development of a database for infrastructure investments and a fintech initiative evaluating the financial, social, and environmental risks of long-term investments.

Business

Delphine Arnault, CEO and Chairman of Dior