Internationalisation and geopolitics: The CESEM further strengthens its positioning among the BBA offering in International Management

Published on 21 April 2021 by Aziza B.

With an original format offering a double diploma in international management, the NEOMA Business School CESEM programme reinforces the two mainstays of its reputation: the development of a network of exceptional partners and instruction in geopolitics. A new pedagogic approach that fosters learning between students is also incorporated into the programme to support the smooth transition between secondary school and higher education.

Reinforcing the programme’s internationalisation with two new partner universities

The CESEM programme’s positioning is based on a two-year immersive experience at a partner university at the beginning or end of the curriculum. Students earn a bi-national double diploma, develop high-level language skills and enjoy a rich and intensive experience abroad. “Students do half of their curriculum in one of our prestigious partner universities, 82% of which are accredited. They are among the best institutions in their countries and are recognised internationally,” Frédéric Beaumont, director of CESEM at NEOMA Business School, said. Committed to this perspective, the CESEM will offer two new destinations starting in 2021:

• National Taiwan University for the Asia track: Located in the southern district of Taichung, National Chung Hsing University is a university renowned for the quality of its research. AACSB accredited, it is ranked among the most recognized Taiwanese universities. This new destination expands CESEM’s Asia track offer, which now includes four accredited universities in China and Japan. Students can choose between two bachelor programmes: a BBA and a Bachelor in Marketing. They will also take courses in Chinese.                                                                                                         
• The University of San Diego for the Americas Track: With AACSB accreditation, it is considered one of the best universities in the world. The CESEM is now one of the rare French programmes to offer a real double bachelor degree with a Californian university. With this new partnership, the CESEM now covers the east and west coasts of the U.S.

Supporting the continuum between secondary school and the CESEM programme through the strengthening of its geopolitics teaching with a new Peer Learning approach.

In order to support students in learning the realities of the international world, the CESEM continues to develop with the inclusion of six new multicultural, geopolitical courses offered in the 2021-22 academic year. Students can build their geopolitical knowledge and apply it through new unique pedagogic exercises such as “Night at the U.N.”, a simulation of a United Nations general assembly during which the students play the role of international experts. “It is now necessary to provide students with solid keys to understanding international political and economic relations,” Frédéric Beaumont said. “With this strengthening of our geopolitical course portfolio, we teach them to grow and expand in complex international environments.”

Geopolitics will also be a part of a new initiative that favours peer learning. This programme, called NEOSMART, is a pedagogic approach based on peer learning that supports new students by allowing them to take advantage of the knowledge of more advanced students in the programme. “This method is very beneficial because it contributes to the creation of a learning community and favours a more intense level of involvement,” Frédéric Beaumont said. “The youngest students are very attuned to what other students teach them. For the older students, it is like professional experience. They take on serious responsibility, which relies on their ability to listen, empathise and even resolve conflicts. They surprise themselves during the sessions and feel they’ve learned a lot.” This support will be offered to first-year students and is applicable to economics, mathematics, language and geopolitical courses.

These developments are fully in line with the recent changes made to the baccalaureate in order to ensure a smooth transition between secondary school and higher education.

“With this reform, the secondary school students need to anticipate as much as possible their orientation choice so they can keep pace with the academic path that they will choose later on,” Céline Davesne, associate dean of programmes and international studies at NEOMA Business School, said. “We have a two-part promise: We first guarantee them a consistent curriculum, and the disciplines involving peer learning directly reference the most popular specialisations that CESEM students chose in their final year of secondary school. We also try to make the transition between secondary school and the programme’s first year easier, and here again peer support will take on this role.”

All of these new features will be applied at the start of the 2021 academic year, where in particular students in the Asia track will be part of the first class to start on NEOMA’s future Parisian campus.