Internationalization at the core of emlyon's academic experience
Academic exchanges, double degrees, internships, mobility programs, and institutional partnerships: these initiatives structure emlyon business school’s international strategy, enriching students’ academic journeys and broadening their global perspectives.
A range of initiatives oriented toward the international experience
As one of the most recognized academic institutions worldwide, emlyon business school places international engagement at the core of its strategic ambitions. This priority translates into a continuous effort to orient its programs, campuses, and pedagogical approaches toward a global dimension, preparing students to navigate an increasingly internationalized economic, cultural, and geopolitical environment.
With 135 nationalities represented among its 9,400 students, emlyon draws on significant cultural diversity that enriches all its programs. This openness is reflected both in academic offerings (English-language tracks, internships abroad, international Faculty members, etc.) and in the many opportunities that allow each student to shape a globally oriented academic path and strengthen their professional trajectory.
emlyon thus offers a wide range of international opportunities. Among these initiatives, the International Week—held from November 3 to 7, 2025—stands out as a key event dedicated to promoting mobility and fostering intercultural exchange. Workshops, conferences, meetings, and convivial events invited students to explore the breadth of international pathways available throughout their studies. The International Fair, the highlight of the week, brought together mobility ambassadors, staff supporting international experiences, and above all, international exchange students representing their home institutions and promoting exchange and double-degree programs.
Among emlyon’s many academic partners, nearly twenty schools took part in this edition:
Goethe University – Germany
Technical University of Munich – Germany
Copenhagen Business School – Denmark
National University of Management – Cambodia
Carleton University – Canada
Zhejiang University – China
Beijing Jiaotong University – China
emlyon Shanghai Campus – China
University of Valencia – Spain
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – Spain
Estonian Business School – Estonia
Rice University – United States
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore – Italy
Almaty Management University – Kazakhstan
Maastricht University – Netherlands
University of St. Gallen – Switzerland
Jönköping International Business School – Sweden
Discover testimonials from international students
International engagement is also embodied through the Asian Campus Semester (ACS), the flagship program of the Shanghai campus, offering students a unique immersion into Asia’s economic and managerial challenges over an entire semester. Designed in collaboration with local partners (companies, emlyon alumni network, academic institutions), the ACS enables participants to understand regional business dynamics, explore managerial practices in China, develop intercultural competencies, and build a solid international network.
This international openness begins from the moment international students arrive. The Welcome Days, held prior to the official start of classes, allow them to immerse themselves in French culture, discover their new campus, and create early connections to ease their transition to Lyon or Paris. This dynamic continues throughout the year thanks to the BDI associations of the PGE and GBBA programs. As true intercultural ambassadors, these student-led organizations play a key role in supporting international students and promoting multiculturalism. They work in close collaboration with emlyon’s dedicated services, including the International Relations Department, Mobility Office, Scholarships Office, International Student Office, and Career Center, to nurture a deeply international community.
Global reach: a structured action plan in emlyon’s strategic roadmap
Aligned with its roadmap and as an extension of the strategic plan Résonances, emlyon aims to reach 50% international students by 2030. This objective reflects a strong commitment: strengthening the School’s presence across five continents and consolidating its global reach through a focused development strategy across three key regions:
Strengthening campuses in China and India, supported by strategic academic partnerships with the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the Management Development Institute of India (MDI).
Expanding its presence in London through a program offering integrated into the London Interdisciplinary School (LIS), of which emlyon is a shareholder.
Today, emlyon’s international strategy is supported by four campuses worldwide (Lyon, Paris, Mumbai, Shanghai) and a regional office in Abidjan, complemented by a network of nearly 240 prestigious academic partners. This international footprint allows emlyon to offer students a wide array of academic and professional opportunities: university exchanges, double degrees, internships, gap years, summer or winter schools, and external programs such as Erasmus or the International Corporate Volunteer Program (VIE). These initiatives form a rich and diversified ecosystem that fosters the development of a truly global outlook for all emlyon students.