Audencia

What Audencia does

Audencia is a private French higher education institution (Ecole Sup\u00e9rieure de Commerce) founded in 1900 and headquartered in Nantes, delivering management and communication training across undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. Its portfolio spans the flagship Programme Grande Ecole (Master in Management), Bachelor in Management and Global BBA, Masters of Science and Mast\u00e8res Sp\u00e9cialis\u00e9s, an MBA/DBA track, and the SciencesCom communication school, supplemented by the GAIA school of ecological and social transitions. The institution serves roughly 8,000+ students (including 1,500+ apprentices) across 11 campuses in France (Nantes, Paris, La Roche-sur-Yon), China (Shenzhen, Chengdu, Shanghai), Brazil (S\u00e3o Paulo), Spain (Barcelona), and Australia (Sydney), supported by 180 permanent faculty (60% international), 280+ university partnerships, and a 49,000+ alumni network.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition fees (\u20ac10,250 per year plus \u20ac1,500 service fees at the Bachelor level, with higher-priced MSc, Mast\u00e8re and Executive Education tiers), corporate apprenticeship contracts, executive education programs (MBA, DBA, Executive Certificates), and corporate training partnerships. Distribution runs through direct on-campus enrolment, the French Parcoursup national platform for post-bac recruitment, dedicated admissions teams for international and apprenticeship cohorts, the Jobteaser platform for graduate placement, and corporate engagement through 900+ enterprise partners. Technology infrastructure is conventional for the sector: digital learning platforms, Bloomberg terminal access for finance students, and the Knowledge Hub digital research library; there is no proprietary AI/ML product stack documented in the source material.

Audencia is governed as a not-for-profit entity under the brand 'Audencia Business School,' with wholly-owned operating subsidiaries SciencesCom (communication), GAIA (ecological transitions), and Fondation Audencia (philanthropy). It holds Triple Crown accreditation (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA), with EQUIS renewed in 2025 for the maximum 5-year term and the Bachelor in Management's grade de licence renewed in 2021 for the maximum 5 years. The school is ranked 25th globally for Master in Management (Financial Times 2025), 6th in France (l'Express-NextEdu 2026), and 7th in SIGEM 2025, and reports a 90% employment rate within six months of graduation.

Name

Audencia

Legal name

AUDENCIA

Website

https://audencia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Audencia is a private French business school (founded 1900, Nantes) delivering management and communication education to 8,000+ students across 11 campuses in France, China, Brazil, Spain and Australia, with Triple Crown accreditation and a 49,000+ alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Business School

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit) (EDAIAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Real Estate, Appraisal & Mortgage (Agent/Broker CE, Appraiser CE) (EDAAALAI)

Keywords

• Business school education
• Management training programs
• Executive education services
• Communication degree programs
• Sustainability business education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Degree Programs: Annual tuition fees charged to students for Bachelor, Grande Ecole, MSc, Mastère Spécialisé, and other degree programs. Additional service fees apply. Scholarships and financial aid available including CROUS social scholarships, merit-based admission scholarships, and mobility grants.
2. Executive Education: Continuing education programs for professionals, cadres and executives including Executive Certificates, Executive Programs, MBA, and DBA. Revenue from professional development and corporate training services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Audencia is a French business school offering management and communication education across degree levels (Bachelor, Programme Grande Ecole, MSc, Mastère Spécialisé) plus executive education (MBA, DBA, Executive Certificates & Programs). It operates through 11 campuses in France, China, Brazil, Spain, and Australia, with specialized sub-schools SciencesCom (communication) and GAIA (ecological transitions). Revenue is generated through student tuition fees and corporate executive education services.

Product overview

Audencia is a business school offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs from undergraduate to doctoral level. The portfolio includes the Programme Grande Ecole (Master in Management), multiple Bachelor programs (Bachelor in Management, Global BBA, Bachelor in Design and Communication Management, Double degree in Public Policy), specialized Masters (Mastères Spécialisés® and MSc programs), executive education (MBA, DBA, Executive Certificates and Programs), and specialized communication programs through SciencesCom. GAIA serves as a dedicated school for ecological and social transitions. The school operates across 11 campuses in France, China, Brazil, Spain, and Australia, with triple accreditation (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SciencesCom: School of Communication and Media offering bachelor and master programs in communication
• GAIA

Products and services

• Programme Grande Ecole Flagship Master in Management program offering general management education, accessible after preparatory classes or bac+3, leading to a Master grade.
• Bachelor in Management A 3-year post-baccalaureate bachelor program in management, visaed by the Ministry with licence grade, offering specializations in international development, commercial development, marketing, finance, communication, and entrepreneurship. Annual tuition: €10,250 plus €1,500 service fees.
• Global BBA A Bachelor of Business Administration program providing generalist management education with international focus.
• Bachelor Management de projet en Design et Communication A bachelor program combining project management, design, and communication skills.
• Double diplôme Politiques publiques et Management des organisations A 5-year double degree program combining public policy and organizational management, offered in partnership.
• Mastères Spécialisés® Specialized Master programs at bac+5 to bac+6 level offering intensive specialization in current business topics.
• Masters of Science (MSc) Post-bac+3 Master of Science programs with international focus and specialized curricula across various business domains.
• MBA - Master of Business Administration Executive MBA program for experienced professionals seeking advanced management education.
• DBA - Doctorate in Business Administration Doctoral program in business administration for advanced scholarly research.
• Executive Certificates & Courses Short-term professional development programs for executives and managers seeking targeted skill development.
• Executive Programs Diploma-granting executive education programs for cadres, employees, and executives.
• SciencesCom - Bachelor en Communication Communication bachelor program at the SciencesCom school, part of Audencia, preparing students for media and communication careers.
• SciencesCom - Grade de Master Communication et Médias Master-level communication and media program at SciencesCom, recently awarded the 'grade de master' recognition.
• GAIA - L'école des transitions écologiques et sociales A dedicated school within Audencia focusing on ecological and social transition education and research, integrated across programs.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centrale NantescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance between Audencia, Centrale Nantes, and ENSA for collaborative academic programs and research initiatives
• ENSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance between Audencia, Centrale Nantes, and ENSA for collaborative academic programs and research initiatives
• Linköping UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner for double degree programs - Sweden
• Nagoya University of Commerce and BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner for double degree programs - Japan
• University of LimerickminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner for double degree programs - Ireland
• Université internationale de RabatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner for double degree programs - Morocco
• CUNEF UniversidadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner for double degree programs - Spain
• Groupe Supdeco DakarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner for double degree programs - Senegal
• BRIO ProgramminorOthersEducational equality program partnership with BRIO-Nantes network supporting diverse student access

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ESSEC Business School: French Grande Ecole founded 1907 with Triple Crown accreditation, offering Grande Ecole Programme, BBA, MSc, MBA, and executive education across campuses in France (Cergy, La Défense, Singapore, Morocco, Switzerland). Directly comparable in program mix, accreditation stack, and ranking tier to Audencia.
• EDHEC Business School: French Grande Ecole with Triple Crown accreditation, headquartered in Lille with campuses in Nice, Paris, London, and Singapore. Comparable to Audencia in program portfolio (Grande Ecole, BBA, MSc, MBA), accreditation, and mid-tier French rankings (5th-7th in domestic rankings).
• EM Lyon Business School: French Grande Ecole with Triple Crown accreditation, operating across Lyon, Paris, Saint-Étienne, and Shanghai. Direct competitor to Audencia with similar Grande Ecole, BBA, MSc, and Executive Education offerings and equivalent rankings tier (consistently top 5-7 in France).
• NEOMA Business School: French Grande Ecole formed from the merger of Reims Management School and Rouen Business School, with Triple Crown accreditation and campuses in Reims, Rouen, and Paris. Comparable program portfolio and rankings tier to Audencia, with similar apprenticeship and international mobility offerings.
• KEDGE Business School: French Grande Ecole with Triple Crown accreditation, headquartered in Bordeaux/Marseille with international campuses. Comparable to Audencia in Grande Ecole, BBA, MSc, and Executive Education programs and serves a similar mid-tier French rankings segment.
• TBS Education: Formerly Toulouse Business School, French Grande Ecole with Triple Crown accreditation, campuses in Toulouse, Paris, Barcelona, Casablanca, and London. Closely comparable to Audencia across program portfolio, ranking tier, and target student segments.
• IESEG School of Management: French Grande Ecole with Triple Crown accreditation, operating from Lille and Paris (La Défense). Direct competitor to Audencia in Grande Ecole Programme, Bachelor, MSc, and Executive Education with comparable mid-tier French rankings.
• Grenoble Ecole de Management: French Grande Ecole with Triple Crown accreditation, headquartered in Grenoble with campuses in Paris and international locations. Comparable to Audencia in Grande Ecole, BBA, MSc, and Executive Education, with similar technology and innovation positioning.

Broad incumbents

• HEC Paris: Top-tier French Grande Ecole, consistently ranked #1 in France and top 5 globally for MiM/MBA. Operates a broader portfolio at significantly higher scale than Audencia, but shares the same regulatory and competitive context. Provides the aspirational benchmark for mid-tier peers like Audencia.
• INSEAD: Global business school with campuses in France (Fontainebleau), Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. Operates at materially larger scale than Audencia with globally dominant MBA and Executive Education brands; competes with Audencia primarily in the executive and corporate training segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/audencia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/audenciatv
• Facebookfacebook.com/Audencia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/audencia
• Instagraminstagram.com/audencia
• TikToktiktok.com/@audenciaofficiel

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Audencia