One of the world’s top business schools, HEC Paris, has unveiled plans for a sweeping €230 million ($AUD412 million) redevelopment of its flagship campus in Jouy-en-Josas, just outside Paris, in a project designed to redefine global management education and the learning experience.
The transformation—slated for completion by 2031—is not simply a renovation but a comprehensive reimagining of the campus environment.
Backed by loans and philanthropic contributions to the HEC Foundation, the project aims to position HEC Paris at the forefront of business education as it tackles 21st-century challenges through education, research and action.
The initiative brings together renowned architectural firms Snøhetta, NeM, and Pierre-Antoine Gatier, with RF Studio leading the interior design. Bouygues Construction has been appointed to oversee the build, which is set to begin in late 2026.
The redevelopment is anchored in four strategic pillars: academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration, immersive on-campus experiences, inclusivity, and sustainability.
The new campus will bring together faculty, students, and corporate partners in a centralised ecosystem designed to foster high-impact research and innovation. Classrooms will be designed for hybrid and collaborative learning formats, while new interdisciplinary spaces will connect business education with social sciences, the arts, and technology—including AI and digital transformation.
HEC says the redesign is a response to today’s complex global challenges, with the campus acting as a “living lab” for actionable ideas and real-world solutions.
Despite the rise of digital education, HEC Paris is doubling down on the power of in-person collaboration. The project’s centrepiece—the new “Campus Heart”—will serve as the dynamic hub of academic and social activity. It will include an 850-seat auditorium, cutting-edge library, collaborative labs, and dining and leisure facilities. Once complete, it will support over 5,000 students annually from more than 130 countries.
A strong emphasis has also been placed on inclusion and community, with redesigned student residences, cultural venues, and sporting facilities aimed at fostering diversity, dialogue, and wellbeing.
Set in one of Europe’s most picturesque natural areas, the campus redevelopment will adhere to the highest environmental standards. The project is targeting BREEAM “Excellent” certification and the French BBCA low-carbon label, with major enhancements to local biodiversity and green space.
Walking and cycling paths will be expanded, impermeable surfaces reduced, and new tree-lined areas introduced to ensure the campus becomes not just a place to study—but a model of intelligent coexistence between people and nature.
With 40,000 square metres of space to be built or renovated, the HEC Paris campus transformation marks one of the most ambitious education infrastructure projects in Europe. For prospective MBA students, it signals a bold investment in the future of learning, leadership and global impact.
