Press release
A global academic alliance between HEC Paris and the MIT Sloan School
Jouy-en-Josas, 8 December 2008
HEC Paris and the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge have become academic
collaborators. The two prestigious institutions have joined forces to develop a comprehensive
cooperation strategy. The agreement aims to foster exchange and collaboration through educational,
research, professional and cross-cultural activities among students and faculty.
The collaboration creates a double-degree program between the HEC MBA or MSc and MIT Sloan’s
new Master of Science in Management Studies (MSMS) to begin September 2009, allowing selected
HEC students to double the benefits of their management education.
In addition to the degree a student exchange program for the respective MBAs to do one semester of
studies in the other institution to be launched in the 2009-2010 academic year is under discussion.
Plans for a faculty exchange program which will involve visiting professors from each institution and
joint research in disciplines such as strategy, product development and leadership are also being
considered. The faculty exchange program would include facilitation of joint doctoral committees to
supervise doctoral theses at each institution.
For Dean David C.Schmittlein, the alliance is a natural extension of MIT’s ongoing efforts to
strengthen ties with leading management institutions worldwide. “More than ever, the world needs new
leaders in management” he says. “Our partnership will provide students and professors with the global
perspective they need to succeed.”
Dean Bernard Ramanantsoa explains the agreement’s strategic significance: “This intercontinental
partnership provides both institutions with the opportunity to produce truly international leaders.”
“Participants come away with two degrees and access to alumni networks from top schools on both
sides of the Atlantic,” says Valérie Gauthier, Associate Dean of the HEC MBA Program who will
follow up the agreement. “Not only do HEC participants gain valuable experience living and studying
abroad, our school raises its profile in the US and around the world.”
About MIT Sloan School of Management
For over fifty years, the MIT Sloan School of Management, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been one of the world's
leading academic sources of innovation in management theory and practice. With students from more than 60 countries, it
develops effective, innovative, and principled leaders who advance the global economy. http://mitsloan.mit.edu/academic/msms/
About HEC Paris
Founded in 1881, HEC specializes in management education and research.
HEC offers a complete and unique range of academic programs for the leaders of the future: the Masters Degrees (MSc
programs and Specialized Masters), the MBA program (full-time and part-time), the Executive MBA (Paris, Beijing, Shanghai
and St Petersburg), the TRIUM Global Executive MBA (New York, Paris and London) and the PhD.
HEC has a permanent faculty of 105 professors, 3200 students on its campus and over 8500 managers and executives trained
in the executive education programs each year. All together, 84 different nationalities are represented on a 250 acres wooded
campus. HEC Paris is ranked #1 Business School in Europe three years running by the Financial Times.
For more information: www.hec.edu
Press relations, HEC Paris
Elisabeth de Réals +33 1 39 67 94 23, dereals@hec.fr
Press relations, MIT Sloan School
Paul Denning +617-253-0576, denning@mit.edu