Health: a strategic vertical at the heart of emlyon’s project
In response to the profound transformations affecting healthcare systems, emlyon business school is structuring a dedicated strategic vertical, driven by the Healthcare Innovation, Technology & Society (HITS) Institute. Rooted in the Lyon ecosystem, this cross-disciplinary approach is built on a comprehensive offering encompassing education, research, innovation and engagement, developed in close collaboration with partners at both national and international levels.
Health as a priority focus for emlyon, driven by the HITS Institute
In the face of major transformations in healthcare models, emlyon business school is positioning itself and structuring a dedicated vertical, designed as one of the core pillars of its strategic project, notably through its strong connections with the socio-economic environment. Population ageing, biotechnological innovations, the rise of data and artificial intelligence, and global environmental and health challenges are profoundly reshaping organisational and governance models, calling for cross-disciplinary approaches.
In this context, emlyon’s ambition is clearly stated: to strengthen its attractiveness in order to become a leading business school on health-related issues, and to contribute, through education and research, to the transformation of healthcare ecosystems. It is with this objective in mind that emlyon initiated the creation of the Health, Innovation, Technology & Society (HITS) Institute. Designed as a catalyst, the HITS Institute embodies the School’s ambition by ensuring visibility and transversal coordination of all health-related activities. It brings together expertise in education, research, entrepreneurship and engagement, and relies on academic, economic and institutional partnerships, in France and internationally, to enhance the impact of the initiatives implemented.
This dynamic is fully embedded in the School’s territorial roots in Lyon. emlyon business school stands at the crossroads of scientific, industrial and economic dynamics within the healthcare sector. As a recognised hub for health, biotechnologies and life sciences, the Lyon area brings together international organisations, research and innovation entities, educational institutions, major industrial players and companies, creating a particularly favourable environment for the development of structured initiatives in this field.
emlyon strengthens its cross-disciplinary health offering
Like its approach to global risk management, emlyon has been developing an ambitious ecosystem in the healthcare sector for several years.
Education and research
The health vertical at emlyon business school is reflected in a structured education offering across both initial and executive education programmes. In initial education, the School offers a Master of Science in Healthcare Innovation & Data Science, designed to train profiles capable of operating at the intersection of innovation, data and healthcare. Within the Programme Grande École, a BioPharma track is integrated, built on academic partnerships with Université Lyon 1 and Copenhagen Business School, as well as a double degree with University College London. These programmes aim to prepare students to operate in complex scientific and industrial environments at an international level. The offering is complemented by inter-company and tailor-made executive education programmes developed for healthcare sector players such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Cerba Healthcare and the Hospices Civils de Lyon.
Research relies on a group of fifteen professors and researchers working on topics such as healthcare demand determinants, medical logistics and occupational health. Their work has resulted in numerous scientific publications in leading journals, including Drug Discovery Today, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Health Economics, New England Journal of Medicine, PLoS ONE and Scientific Reports. In addition, the HITS Institute leads a research chair dedicated to the mental health of SME and VSE executives, developed in partnership with Malakoff Humanis.
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial activities in healthcare are led by emlyon venture labs, which supports the development of start-ups in the sector. Supported projects notably include ACS Biotech, DrugOptimal, Electroducer, Mablink Bioscience and NETRIS Pharma.
Engagement and community
The health vertical at emlyon is also reflected through initiatives aimed at its community, contributing to the School’s visibility as a leading management institution in the healthcare field. It is supported by several structures such as the Student Healthcare Club, the alumni Health Club supported by bioMérieux, and emlyon’s participation in the European Network on Climate and Health Education.
In addition to the Student Healthcare Club dedicated to students, the School has invested in the creation of a Health & Well-being Hub supported by Apicil, a “Fragile Health and Disability” scholarship for students, and a dedicated support unit for people with disabilities. emlyon is also a partner of the Sanofi NextGen Scholarship programme, which aims to promote the integration of students representing diverse backgrounds. Student associations further contribute to this dynamic through awareness-raising and mobilisation initiatives, such as charity runs against cancer or actions focused on emotional and sexual health.
emlyon has chosen to place the 2025–2026 academic year under the banner of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No. 3, corresponding to the objective of “ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages”. This annual guiding theme has shaped all key moments and educational initiatives, notably the start-of-year period and a dedicated photography exhibition.