École 3A - L'école internationale du management responsable

What École 3A - L'école internationale du management responsable does

École 3A is a private French higher education institution founded in 1984 and headquartered in Lyon, operating under the nonprofit association APTIM 3A (loi 1901) alongside a related training entity, Competences Commerce et International. It specializes in responsible management, social innovation, sustainable development, and humanitarian/international cooperation, and serves prospective undergraduate and graduate students (post-bac to Bac+5) seeking careers in the social and solidarity economy, alongside the NGOs and mission-driven enterprises that recruit them.

The school delivers six core programs — two Bac+3 Bachelor degrees (Bachelor in social/environmental project management, and Bac+3 Coordination of international and societal development projects), three Bac+5 MBAs (Social Innovation & Responsible Finance, fully-English International Sustainable Development, and Cooperation internationale et Action humanitaire), and a Fast Track accelerated-semester entry program — across five French campuses in Bordeaux, Lyon, Paris/Courbevoie, Rennes, and Toulouse. Its pedagogy combines taught instruction with experiential projects (business games with NGOs, simulated humanitarian missions, real assignments for mission-driven companies), 21 languages, 100+ professional instructors, and 3 years of mandatory professional experience built into the curriculum. International mobility is delivered via Erasmus+ charter signatory status (renewed 2021) across 28+ European countries.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition fees (fixed per academic year, capped at a 3% annual increase within a program cycle, payable upfront or in installments) and secondarily through the French training tax (taxe d'apprentissage) channeled via the SOLTÉA plateforme. International and overseas students are recruited through FIGES Education, a dedicated 12-office admissions subsidiary operating across Africa, Asia, and French overseas territories. The school monetizes a B2C student base rather than enterprise contracts, and reports 750+ enrolled students and 3,000-4,000+ alumni active in 60+ countries; specific revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

École 3A - L'école internationale du management responsable

Legal name

APTIM 3A

Website

https://ecole3a.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

École 3A is a private French higher education institution (founded 1984, Lyon) offering Bac+3 and Bac+5 programs in responsible management, social innovation, and humanitarian action across five French campuses, with international recruitment via FIGES Education's 12-country office network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Responsible Management Degrees

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Study Abroad Program Management & Administration (for Institutions) (EDAIAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Third-Party Short-Term Academic Program Providers (Multi-Discipline) (EDAIAIAB), Direct Enrollment & Third-Party University Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAB)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Responsible management degrees
• Sustainable development education
• Social innovation training
• Humanitarian action studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition fees: Tuition fees from students enrolled in Bachelor (Bac+3) and MBA (Bac+5) programs. Fees vary by chosen payment schedule. Foreign students via FIGES EDUCATION procedure pay full tuition upfront or in 3 installments.
2. Taxe d'apprentissage (Training tax): French companies subject to the training tax (0.68% of payroll) can allocate a portion (0.09%) to the school through the SOLTÉA platform, supporting pedagogical innovation, equal opportunities, infrastructure modernization, and student support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

École 3A delivers private higher-education programs in responsible management, offering 2 Bachelor (Bac+3) programs in social/environmental project management and international development coordination, plus 3 MBA (Bac+5) programs in Social Innovation & Responsible Finance, International Sustainable Development (English-taught), and International Cooperation & Humanitarian Action, alongside an accelerated Fast Track entry semester. Programs are taught across 5 French campuses and integrate 3 years of professional experience, real-world NGO projects, simulated humanitarian missions, and Erasmus+ European mobility.

Product overview

École 3A is an international school of responsible management offering a portfolio of 6 distinct educational programs: 2 Bac+3 Bachelor programs (in social/environmental project management and international development coordination) and 3 Bac+5 MBA programs (in Social Innovation & Responsible Finance, International Sustainable Development, and International Cooperation & Humanitarian Action), plus a Fast Track accelerated entry program. Programs are delivered across 5 campuses (Bordeaux, Lyon, Paris Courbevoie, Rennes, Toulouse) with support services including career services (Relations Entreprises), international exchange via Erasmus+, and international student admission through FIGs Education. The institution positions itself as specializing in solidarity, responsible management, alternative development, humanitarian cooperation, and social economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FIGs Education: International admission service dedicated to international students and overseas students, with offices in 12 countries worldwide including Algeria, Cameroon, China, Congo, South Korea, Ivory Coast, India, Nepal, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia.

Products and services

• Bachelor en gestion de projets à impact social et environnemental (Bac+3) Bac+3 Bachelor degree program training students in managing social and environmental impact projects, delivered across 3 campuses. Designed for post-bac students preparing to coordinate alternative and solidarity-based projects.
• Bac+3 Coordination de projets de développement international et sociétal Bac+3 Bachelor degree program focused on coordinating international and societal development projects, providing foundational skills for understanding global development contexts. Delivered on 1 campus.
• Fast Track - Rentrée Décalée Bac+4 Accelerated semester-long distance-learning program providing fundamentals that enable direct entry into the 2nd year of a Bac+3 or Bac+5 diploma. Available on 5 campuses for recent baccalaureate holders or graduates.
• Bac+5 Innovation sociale et Finance Responsable (MBA) Bac+5 MBA program preparing students to become managers capable of designing, steering, and evaluating social, solidarity, and humanitarian impact projects, with a focus on social innovation and responsible finance. Available on 5 campuses.
• Bac+5 International Sustainable Development (MBA) Bac+5 MBA program taught entirely in English, focused on international sustainable business development, preparing students for global sustainability leadership roles. Available on 2 campuses.
• Bac+5 Coopération internationale et actions humanitaires (MBA) Bac+5 MBA program focused on international cooperation and humanitarian action, training professionals for crisis management and humanitarian project leadership. Available on 3 campuses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ years of expertise in responsible management education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 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

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• United Nations (UN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnerships mentioned for the humanitarian programs. Students benefit from partnerships with major international organizations including UN, EU, and major NGOs for internships and career opportunities.
• European Union (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for student mobility and exchange programs. Erasmus+ charter signatory enabling student exchanges across 28 European countries.
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal Erasmus+ charter signatory allowing 3A students to spend first semester of 3rd Bachelor year at partner universities in participating European countries (28 countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, Macedonia).
• Major International NGOscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with major NGOs for internships, projects, and employment of graduates. Organizations include Action Contre La Faim, Croix-Rouge, Médecins Sans Frontières, Handicap International, WWF, Emmaüs, and others.
• FIGES EducationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational admission service dedicated to international and overseas students. 30+ collaborators in 12 offices worldwide (Algeria, Cameroon, China, Congo, South Korea, Ivory Coast, India, Nepal, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia). Handles student selection, project accompaniment, visa assistance, and organizes training programs at partner institutions abroad.
• Office Professionnel de Qualification des Organismes de Formation (OPQF)moderateOthers3A is qualified by OPQF, an organization that delivers professional qualification certificates to training organizations, recognizing their professionalism.
• Partner Universities WorldwidemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange and study abroad partnerships with universities globally, enabling student mobility as part of the programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Paris School of Business (PSB): Paris-based private business school offering Bachelor, Master, and MBA programs with strong international student focus and English-language tracks. Comparable through French private higher education status, similar student demographics including international students, and program portfolio in management with applied/practical focus.
• Audencia Business School: French grande école based in Nantes offering Bachelor and Master programs in management with a strong focus on CSR, sustainability, and responsible management. Directly comparable to École 3A as a French business school with social impact specialization and similar international student recruitment.
• IESEG School of Management: French business school with campuses in Lille and Paris offering Bachelor, Master, and MBA programs with strong emphasis on CSR and international management. Comparable to École 3A in program structure, French private higher education positioning, and target student demographic.
• KEDGE Business School: Major French business school with campuses in Bordeaux, Marseille, Paris, and multiple international locations. Comparable to École 3A through its CSR/sustainability specialization, multi-campus model, and similar focus on responsible management education at undergraduate and graduate levels.
• ESSCA School of Management: French private business school with multi-campus structure (Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Angers, Aix-en-Provence) offering Bachelor through Master programs in management. Comparable through similar geographic footprint (overlapping cities), French private association status, and broad management curriculum with international dimension.

Broad incumbents

• INSEEC Group (Omnes Education): Large private higher education group operating multiple French business schools including ESCE, ECE, and Sup de Pub with international campuses. Comparable through private higher education multi-campus model in France, broad program portfolio, and large-scale international student recruitment.
• EDHEC Business School: Larger French grande école with strong sustainability and climate finance focus, operating multiple campuses in France and internationally. Comparable as a broader incumbent that increasingly competes for sustainability-focused students but with significantly larger scale and broader program portfolio.
• Université Paris Dauphine-PSL: Prestigious French public university specializing in management and economics with programs in sustainable development and CSR. Comparable as a Paris-based institution offering management education with social impact dimension, though operating as a public university with much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Hult International Business School: International business school with campuses in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, and Shanghai offering MBAs with a focus on social impact and sustainable business. Comparable through English-language sustainability-focused MBA programs targeting international students seeking impact careers.
• IRMA - Institut des Relations Internationales et de la Coopération: Specialized French institute in Lyon offering professional training in international solidarity, humanitarian action, and development cooperation. Comparable niche specialization in humanitarian/solidarity training that overlaps with École 3A's Bac+5 Cooperation internationale program, though more focused on shorter professional training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3a-ecole-du-management-responsable-et-solidaire
• Xx.com/ESCD3A
• Facebookfacebook.com/EcoletroisA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about École 3A - L'école internationale du management responsable