What Groupe EDH does

Groupe EDH (legal entity GROUPE EDH SAS, formerly Groupe des Écoles Denis Huisman) is a French private higher-education group founded in 1949 and headquartered in Paris. It operates as a multi-brand platform of 15 specialised schools spanning communication and marketing (EFAP), cultural and art management (ICART), journalism (EFJ), graphic design and digital creation (BRASSART), 3D animation (MoPA), interior architecture (CREAD, École Bleue), film and audiovisual (ÉSEC), web and mobile development (3W Academy), fashion (IFA Paris), marketing/communication/design in Spain (CESINE, CREANAVARRA), advertising creation (Miami Ad School), VFX/animation/video games (Gnomon), and trend forecasting and styling (Artemis Academie). The schools deliver Bac+2 to Bac+5 programs, 18 RNCP state-certified diplomas, and active pedagogy anchored in 21 months of internships and corporate projects. The group serves approximately 17,000 students annually across 37 campuses in 24 cities and 6 countries (France, USA, Spain, Netherlands, China, Turkey), supported by 235 international university partners and a community of 100,000+ alumni.

The group generates revenue almost exclusively through tuition and enrollment fees across full-time and apprenticeship (alternance) study paths, with programs priced individually by school, program level and domestic/international status (pricing not publicly disclosed). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, executed by dedicated Chargés de développement at each campus who manage the full admissions cycle from open days and high-school forums through to enrollment. The Group's technology stack is enterprise and back-office focused: a shared Salesforce Marketing Cloud (Journey Builder, Automation Studio, Contact Builder) and Salesforce CRM (Education Cloud) instance powers multi-brand email and lead management; JobTeaser powers per-school career centres; Teamtailor underpins the Group's recruitment website and ATS with AI-assisted candidate analysis for staff hiring. Corporate partnerships drive the placement engine, channelling more than 15,000 internship and job offers per year to students and alumni. Ownership is consolidated through a multi-tier French holding structure under ARC EDUCATION SAS, with no public listing and PE backing from Esas Private Equity (2017) and IK Partners (2020).

Name

Groupe EDH

Legal name

GROUPE EDH SAS

Website

https://groupe-edh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Groupe EDH is a French private higher-education platform operating 15 specialised schools across communication, journalism, design, animation, fashion, film, and VFX, serving about 17,000 students annually at 37 campuses in six countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and enrollment fees: Groupe EDH generates revenue primarily through tuition and enrollment fees charged to students across its 15 schools. Programs range from undergraduate (Bac+3) to graduate (Bac+5) levels, with specialized MBAs and professional certifications. The schools offer both full-time and apprenticeship (alternance) study paths, the latter allowing students to work while studying.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Groupe EDH is a French private higher education group operating 15 specialized schools delivering programs from Bac+2 to Bac+5 in communication, journalism, film and audiovisual, graphic and digital design, 3D animation and VFX, video games, advertising creation, interior architecture, fashion, web development, and trend forecasting. The group trains approximately 17,000 students annually across 37 campuses in 6 countries, with revenue generated primarily through tuition fees, including both full-time and apprenticeship (alternance) study paths.

Product overview

Groupe EDH is a French private higher education group, founded in 1949, operating as a portfolio of 15 specialized schools covering creative industries. The group is organized as a platform of sub-brands rather than a single unified product — each school operates as a distinct institution with its own programs, campus locations, and alumni network, united under shared values (humanism, benevolence, engagement), a common pedagogical approach (active, customized learning linked to professional networks), and shared administrative infrastructure. The 15 schools span: EFAP (communication and marketing), ICART (cultural and art management), EFJ (journalism), BRASSART (graphic design and digital creation), MoPA (3D animation and stop motion cinema), CREAD (interior architecture), ÉSEC (film and audiovisual), École Bleue (interior architecture and design), 3W Academy (coding and digital technology), IFA Paris (fashion design and business), CESINE (marketing, communication, and design — Spain), CREANAVARRA (graphic design, animation, video games — Spain), Miami Ad School (advertising creation), Gnomon (visual effects, animation, video games — US), and Artemis Academie (trend forecasting, styling, art direction — Netherlands). Programs range from Bac+2 to Bac+5, with 18 State-certified diplomas registered in the French RNCP. The group operates across 37 campuses in 24 cities and 6 countries, serving over 17,000 students annually and a community of more than 100,000 alumni.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EFAP: School of communication and marketing - the leading communication school in France with 14 campuses and 30,000 graduates.
• ICART
• EFJ
• BRASSART
• MoPA
• CREAD
• ÉSEC
• École Bleue
• 3W Academy
• IFA Paris
• CESINE
• CREANAVARRA
• MIAMI AD SCHOOL
• GNOMON
• Artemis Academie

Products and services

• EFAP Leading French communication and marketing school offering a 5-year grande école program, with more than 20 specialized MBAs in the 5th year, 21 months of internships throughout the program, and a network of 30,000 graduates worldwide.
• ICART School of cultural and art management training professionals for the cultural market and art sector, delivering state-certified Level 7 'Manager culturel' and Level 6 titles across Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, and New York campuses.
• EFJ

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 graduates employed worldwide in communication, advertising, media, and cultural institutions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYIT (New York Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFAP and ICART New York campuses are housed within NYIT's Manhattan campus, providing students with access to the US university's facilities and fostering international academic collaboration.
• ESSCA Shanghai School of ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFAP's Shanghai campus is partnered with ESSCA Shanghai, ranked among the world's top management schools, enabling EFAP students to access programs in Chinese and international business and marketing.
• 235 International University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Group maintains 235 international university partnerships worldwide, enabling student exchanges, dual degrees, and cross-cultural academic experiences across its network of schools.
• Corporate Partner Network (thousands of companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince its founding, the Group has built relationships with thousands of companies in France and internationally, providing students with over 15,000 internship and employment offers annually and supporting the schools' active pedagogy approach.
• Miami Ad School franchise partners (Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMiami Ad School operates through franchise locations in Latin America (Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Punta Cana, Mexico), Europe (Berlin, Madrid), Toronto, Mumbai, Sydney, and Colombo, extending the brand globally beyond the core Miami and New York campuses.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LISAA: French private school for design, fashion, animation, video games, and graphic design with multiple Paris-region campuses. Direct competitor to BRASSART and École Bleue in the French creative arts education market.
• IONIS Education Group: French private higher education group operating 25+ schools (ISG, EPITA, EPITECH, Sup'Biotech) across business, technology, and creative fields. Directly comparable multi-school portfolio model targeting similar student segments in the French private higher education market.
• Galileo Global Education: Largest French private higher education group operating a portfolio of 70+ schools across business, design, digital, and health (Strate School of Design, ESGI, Paris School of Business). Highly comparable multi-school creative and business education platform with PE backing from Wendel.
• Rubika: French specialized school in animation, VFX, video games, and industrial design formed from the merger of Supinfogame, Supinfocom, and ISD. Direct competitor to Gnomon and MoPA in the French and international animation and game education niche.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): US private art and design university with programs across animation, VFX, gaming, fashion, and design. Closest US institutional peer to Gnomon and Miami Ad School in scale, curriculum, and employer recognition in the creative industries.
• Full Sail University: US private for-profit university specializing in entertainment, media, arts, and technology (animation, game design, film, music production). Comparable to Gnomon in targeting the US entertainment industry employer base with specialized creative training.
• INSEEC U: Major French private higher education group with schools in business (INSEEC, ESCE), engineering (ECE), and luxury/fashion (INSEEC Luxury). Comparable multi-school portfolio model with significant private equity backing from CVC and Bpifrance.
• Studialis (Y Schools): French private higher education group operating schools in communication, journalism, art, and design (ESG, ESGF, MBA ESG, ESGF). Direct competitor in the French private creative and business education market with a similar multi-school portfolio approach.
• Vancouver Film School: Canadian private post-secondary institution focused on entertainment arts including animation, VFX, film, game design, and digital design. Comparable to Gnomon and MoPA in delivering specialized creative industry training.

Broad incumbents

• Laureate International Universities (now Adtalem Global Education): Previously the world's largest for-profit higher education platform with 60+ institutions globally before restructuring. Comparable multi-country, multi-school portfolio model, though much broader scope (health, business, law) than EDH's creative industries focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-edh
• Xx.com/EFAP_
• Facebookfacebook.com/EfapOfficiel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Groupe EDH