MSc Sustainability programme highlights
Every one of the 5 modules within the course is tailored to centre around sustainabilities' principles. By immersing themselves in this focused educational environment, students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become adept stewards of our planet's future.
- Sustainability Factories
- Fundamentals of Sustainability Transformation
- Collaboration for Transformation
- Change Management for Sustainability
- Sustainability Management & Tools
This highly comprehensive learning empowers graduates to orchestrate resources across corporate boundaries, and to successfully manage organisations in dynamic and changing social and environmental contexts. The programme also provides them with the mindset that makes the difference between the past and the future: a mindset of sustainable collaboration.
KEDGE's Research Centre for Sustainability focuses on interdisciplinary research on organisational impacts. With 24 academics and 6 PhD students, it is among Europe's largest hubs for corporate sustainability research and education. The Centre promotes sustainable business practices, striving for a better world. The MSc programme leverages this expertise, exposing students to seminars and workshops on sustainability challenges on an international level.
As part of the MSc programme, students are immersed in an ecosystem and exposed to invaluable practical experiences and research opportunities. These include internships and industry placements in France or abroad, collaborative projects with corporate partners, research methodologies within the field, a two-month NGO-mission and engaging company challenges which create the opportunity for students to apply sustainability notions and go through a first-hand sustainability transformation experience. This experience enhances their career prsopects and prepares them for leadership roles in the international sustainability sector.
Transformation is also encountered during the sustainability factories, in which students engage in a personal and organisational journey. By enhancing complex thinking capabilities for problem solving, sustainability factories allow for better problem framing, application of knowledge, acceleration of ideas, co-construction of solutions and presentation of sustainable value propositions for a better world.
Personal transformation for sustainability involves an individual's conscious effort to change their attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, lifestyle choices in ways that promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. This transformation is deeply rooted in the recognition of the interconnectedness between personal actions and their impacts on the planet and society.
Students are immersed in an ongoing process that requires research, continuous learning, self-reflection, and adaptation. It involves staying informed about emerging sustainability trends and solutions, reflecting on one's progress and challenges, and being open to evolving perspectives and practices.
Complex thinking for sustainability, anchored in Edgar Morin's approach, emphasises a holistic understanding of the interconnected and interdependent nature of sustainability challenges. Incorporating Morin's principles into our curriculum empowers students to navigate the complexities of real-worl sustainability problems with agility and creativity.
This international Master of Science (MSc) offers thorough preparation for upcoming graduates, comprising:
- Courses taught in English, facilitating mastery of the universal language of business and equipping students to navigate effortlessly in international professional settings.
- Educational resources , such as business simulations and case studies, delve into global issues, offering a comprehensive view of sustainability challenges worldwide. This curriculum is pivotal in equipping aspiring leaders and professionals to confront urgent international issues.
- International speakers and professors, fostering a dynamic multicultural environment both on campus and during internships bring diverse experiences and perspectives, reflecting the industry's global richness and nurturing adaptable professionals ready to excel internationally. This exposure not only enhances their academic experience but also fosters a profound comprehension of global sustainability challenges and the collaborative approaches essential for their resolution.
The curriculum and the vision of the school place significant emphasis on core values like inclusiveness. Within the framework of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, several goals specifically address the principle of inclusivity. At KEDGE, embracing inclusivity entails actively combating various forms of discrimination, including: gender, sexual orientation, religion, geographical and social origin, disability, territory (rural versus urban for example).
This commitment to inclusivity is integrated into various aspects of the academic programme, ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds feel welcomed and supported throughout their master's degree.
The programme approach perfectly captures the school's culture of sustainable development through several initiatives. The Green Plan is the reference of "Sustainability Development" in French superior education. It is both a self-diagnosis guide and a dashboard, as well as a strategic guide for the initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility within universities and other institutions of higher learning. Key components of the Green plan may include: environmental management, social responsibility, sustainable curriculum, campus sustainability, stakeholder engagement, waste management, sustainable transportation, carbon neutrality as well as climate action.
For over a decade, the school has diligently pursued the advancement of its sustainable development strategy, in line with the six principles (purpose, values, method, research, partnership, dialogue) for managing responsible education supported by the United Nations (UN PRME).
Key skills developed in the Sustainability Management programme
Students are exposed to a variety of stakeholders and gain a comprehensive understanding of specific new tools for leading business transformation in a dedicated module:
- Circular economy
- Sustainability research methods
- Responding to climate change
- Sustainable finance
- Reporting for sustainability
Circular Economy Collage
This 3-hour collaborative workshop examines our current economic model, highlights its impacts and explores a different model using fewer resources, designs out waste and respects the planet's limits. Participants are working in small groups with the help of a set of cards and brainstorm ideas to shift away from our economy towards a more sustainable and circular model.
The workshop provides a structured and collaborative environment for exploring the transition to a more sustainable and circular economic model, empowering participants to envision, apply and contribute to positive change.
Our Sustainable Studies module provides students with hands-on experience through real-world projects that tackle global environmental and social challenges. Throughout the course, students collaborate on projects with industry partners, including an in-company internship, where they contribute to sustainable development in a tangible way.
Company Internship: During the internship, students actively engage in projects and initiatives aimed at advancing the company’s sustainability goals. They apply the theoretical knowledge acquired during their studies to real-world situations, gaining practical skills and insights into sustainable business practices. The 4-month internship includes a comprehensive training programme focused on value creation across four key dimensions: stakeholder relations, operational management, strategic steering, and the transformation process.
Why study for a master of sustainability at KEDGE?
The growing focus on sustainability across industries has led to increased demand for professionals with expertise in this field. Graduates with an MSc in sustainability delivered by KEDGE will emerge primed for managerial and cross-functional roles in sustainability. This programme uniquely prepares students to be a catalyst for change for sustainability propelling favourable environmental, social, and economic transformations within organisations. By assuming the role of catalysts, graduates are adept at inspiring, motivating, and facilitating progress towards sustainability goals. Upon graduation, students will have career opportunities in various sectors of activities such as product development & sales, marketing & communication, consulting professions.
This programme provides students with a comprehensive understanding of sustainability and equips them with the necessary skills to address global sustainability challenges. Through a combination of academic coursework, research projects, and practical work experience, students will develop the knowledge and expertise needed to contribute to sustainable change both at a local and international level.
Taught entirely in English at our Paris campus, our one-year MSc programme is for applicants who have a four-year degree and proficiency in English.
For programme requirements and further details on joining the MSc Business Transformation for Sustainability, please visit the dedicated admission page. Apply now and become a leader in driving sustainable change!
