Metavers, artificial intelligence, blockchain, data science… In our representations, these technologies seem to be the preserve of engineers and scientists. This is not the case: for several years, they have become the new mantras of French business schools.
A change that modifies the ways of teaching. Anxious to attract students, many institutions are eager for educational innovations. A transformation further accelerated by the Covid epidemic, between videos to be consulted before face-to-face lessons and discussion forums created with teachers and/or other students. The private higher education group Omnes – which includes Inseec and ESCE – has notably invested 40 million euros to develop educational and collaborative tools. A digital platform, open at the start of the school year, aims to personalize student learning.
An evolution that concerns all professions
Beyond the use of these new tools, the digital transition also penetrates the heart of the lessons, and this from the first year. At emlyon BS, students from the Grande Ecole program (PGE) follow the “prototype at the makers lab” course. In a fablab bringing together 3D printers and other machines, “they discover the Web, artificial intelligence, the Internet of things via a prototype project. They must then develop a Web project or a smartphone application”, explains Florencio Travieso, director academic PGE.
Every year the schools also launch new courses and optional modules. Human resources, accounting, law, marketing… In all disciplines, digital is reshuffling the cards. Because the professions for which they prepare students no longer resemble what they were twenty years ago. “Today, we manage from a distance. And we have to learn to control technological risks, especially in the field of finance”, illustrates Imed Boughzala, director of initial training at IMT-BS, an establishment belonging to the group of schools. of IMT engineers.
“This development concerns all professions. Marketing targets its customers via data management while auditing relies on artificial intelligence”, abounds Patrice Houdayer, director of programs, international and student life. in Skema. So much so, he specifies, that “all our specializations include artificial intelligence modules. Thus, in human resources, students learn to process CVs massively. We also make them aware of the possible ethical biases of these algorithms. “
Data is everywhere
Business schools and technology now go hand in hand. Many partnerships allow students to earn a double degree. Antoine, from Centrale Lille, is now following his last year of studies at Skema, specializing in “digital business & artificial intelligence”. “Artificial intelligence and data are everywhere in the company, he notes. Today, the collection and analysis of information allow leaders to make strategic decisions.” To go further, some institutions even offer hybrid training accessible after the baccalaureate. Audencia, for example, has joined forces with Centrale Nantes to launch a “big data & management” bachelor’s degree. Enough to train graduates at ease on both fields.
Will business schools become engineering schools? No. While almost no student is completely unfamiliar with lines of code, their core business remains managing companies and supervising teams. On the other hand, a leader must understand and adapt to an increasingly technological world. “We teach our students to dialogue with engineers and technicians. But they are not engineers”, insists Imed Boughzala.
According to Patrice Houdayer, their role is elsewhere. “Our mission is to make them think about the use of these technologies. It is essential. Whether in an NGO, in business, in France or internationally and whatever their position, the tools they will use will rely on technology. They need to know how and why to use it.”
There remains one last danger: the obsolescence of skills because, it is inevitable, technologies will continue to evolve. To guard against this, the schools add a string to the bow of their pupils, which is summed up in a formula by the director of programs at Skema: “We must teach them to learn.”