International Business School EDHEC Launches Online MBA

• The EDHEC Business School, an international business school based in France with locations across the globe, is launching an online master of business administration (MBA) program.
• The online MBA will feature instruction in high-demand areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and stability.
• The program will be taught entirely in English and can be completed in 24 months.
• A growing number of business schools in the United States and abroad are adopting online MBA programs geared toward working professionals.

A top international business school is rolling out an online master of business administration (MBA) program featuring instruction in high-demand fields like artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability.

The French EDHEC Business School's new 24-month online MBA program will be taught entirely in English and feature real-world consulting projects, according to a press release from the school.

The EDHEC online MBA will place a heavy focus on preparing students to "tackle technological, environmental, and societal challenges to advance society and strengthen the global economy," according to the release.

That will include instruction from the EDHEC Risk Climate Impact Institute on green finance and sustainability, as well as courses from the EDHEC Criminal Risks Management chair to make students aware of the black market, cybercrimes, and other emerging global challenges.

It will also feature instruction from the EDHEC Foresight, Innovation & Transformation chair to help students "develop a long-term economic vision that considers AI advances and innovative new business models."

As businesses scramble to incorporate fast-emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, a growing number of business schools are incorporating AI and other high-demand skills like data analytics and information technology into their curriculum.

"Through these close collaborations with research chairs and centres, the EDHEC online MBA will give future leaders the keys to understanding a complex, ever-changing world," Loïck Menvielle, online MBA director and associate professor of marketing at EDHEC, said in the release.

More MBA Programs Highlight Sustainability, Climate Change

EDHEC's online MBA focus on sustainability falls in line with other international business schools' focus.

The international business school INSEAD last year announced a new MBA curriculum focused on sustainability.

Sustainability is incorporated into all of INSEAD's core MBA courses as part of that revamped curriculum, with INSEAD Dean and Professor of Economics Ilian Mihov underscoring in a press release at the time that business schools "have an important role in cultivating future leaders."

Germany's Tomorrow University announced a sustainability-focused online MBA program in early 2024 built entirely for the Apple Vision Pro. That MBA x Vision degree is offered in the U.S., and university leaders hope the virtual reality tech will boost the social aspect of an online program.

U.S. business schools have also adopted a green focus in their MBA programs. The University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business and Rausser College of Natural Resources will launch a concurrent MBA and master of climate solutions program in fall 2024.

"Future business leaders will require a depth of training in both business and climate change to work across disciplines and execute competitive strategies," Berkeley Haas Dean Ann Harrison said in a press release. "This new program will provide a breadth of skill sets, equipping our grads to lead in building a sustainable, low-carbon future."

Other programs have added environmental, social, and governance (ESG) areas for student specialization. The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan announced an ESG concentration starting in 2024.

Jerry Davis, the Gilbert and Ruth Whitaker professor of business administration and professor of management and organizations at Ross, said that the new concentration will prepare students for the growing focus on climate change in business.

"We aim to equip students with the tools to lead in a world where decarbonization is imperative," Davis said in a Ross press release. "Business can be a positive force for progress in the world, and the ESG concentration prepares Ross graduates to make that happen."

A growing number of colleges and universities across the higher education landscape have adopted online MBAs geared toward working professionals in recent years.

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) and Texas A&M University both plan to roll out new Flex MBA programs with hybrid learning options for students in 2024, and a number of smaller universities have also announced their own online MBA programs.