Horizons University

What Horizons University does

Horizons University is a non-profit educational institution headquartered at 5 rue Conté, 75003 Paris, France, founded in 1998. The university operates three academic departments — Business, Education, and Communication — delivering undergraduate through doctoral programs including a BBA in Global Business, MBAs in international marketing, global innovation, international consulting, and strategic management; DBAs and PhDs across international business, leadership, entrepreneurship, financial management, and innovation; MAs in international education, French culture, TESOL, and cross-cultural communication; and seven professional certificates. Programs are delivered via an online learning platform (available in English and French) and on-campus in Paris (French only). The institution claims triple international accreditation spanning the EU, US, and UK, and states that 100% of faculty hold doctorate degrees.

The university's core technology is a self-paced online learning platform with a bilingual (English/French) interface, supporting project-based dynamic online classes rather than test-based assessment. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees across degree and certificate programs; tuition is not publicly disclosed and the institution is structured as a non-profit, reinvesting any surplus into academic programs and student services. Distribution operates through direct-to-consumer enrollment (online and on-campus) plus an emerging channel of Special Programs and Professional Development Partnerships. Auxiliary assets include Horizons University Press, Honor Societies, a Career Center, and a Diploma Verification Program.

Horizons University positions itself around accessibility for students facing geographic, financial, or political constraints, targeting motivated adult learners globally. Documented student outcomes include a 98% satisfaction rate, 96% degree completion (1998–2023), and 94% career advancement within six months of graduation. The customer base is a long-tail individual-student segment drawn from at least nine countries spanning Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, North America, Asia Pacific, and South America. The institution won the Prestige Award as Education Professional of the Year in France in 2022 and maintains a venue partnership with INALCO for graduation ceremonies. No funding rounds, M&A, leadership changes, or hiring data are disclosed.

Name

Horizons University

Legal name

Horizons University

Website

https://www.huparis.edu.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Horizons University is a non-profit educational institution in Paris offering BBA through doctoral programs in Business, Education, and Communication via online and on-campus formats to a global student base, supported by triple international accreditation (EU-US-UK).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHALAL

Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Distance & Online Universities

SECONDARYEDAHALAK

Online Nonprofit Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Distance & Online Universities

Keywords

• Higher education degrees
• Online learning programs
• Business administration degrees
• Professional certificate programs
• Distance education university

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 Fees: Horizons University generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for its degree programs (DBA, PhD, MBA, BBA, MA) and certificate programs. The institution operates as a non-profit educational establishment, meaning any surplus is reinvested into academic programs and student services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Horizons University is a non-profit educational establishment founded in 1998 in Paris, offering degree programs (BBA, MBA, DBA, PhD, MA) and professional certificates across Business, Education, and Communication departments. Programs are delivered online in English and French, with on-campus instruction available in French at the Paris headquarters.

Product overview

Horizons University is a non-profit educational establishment offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs and professional certificates. The university operates three main academic departments: Business (offering PhD, DBA, MBA, and BBA programs), Education (MA and PhD programs), and Communication (MA programs). The Business Department provides doctoral programs in International Business, International Business Communication, Innovation and Creativity, International Leadership, International Entrepreneurship, and Financial Management; MBA programs in International Marketing, Global Innovation and Change Management, International Consulting, and Strategic Management; and a BBA in Global Business. The Education Department offers MA programs in International Education, French Culture, and TESOL, plus a PhD in French Language. The Communication Department provides an MA in Cross-Cultural Communication. The university also offers seven professional certificate programs (International Management, Cross-Cultural Communication, International Education, TESOL, International Leadership, International Entrepreneurship, and French), along with supplementary services including Horizons University Press, a Career Center, and a Diploma Verification Program. Programs are delivered through online (English and French) and on-campus (French) modalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DBA in International Business

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% student satisfaction rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• INALCO (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINALCO serves as the venue for Horizons University graduation ceremonies, representing a collaborative relationship with one of the prestigious universities in Paris. This partnership provides ceremonial facilities and demonstrates institutional standing within the Parisian academic community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hult International Business School: Hult is a private, international business school with campuses in the US, UK, UAE, and China, offering online and on-campus BBA, MBA, and doctoral programs. It is comparable to Horizons as a similarly positioned international, business-focused private institution targeting globally mobile students with English-language programs.
• Schiller International University: Schiller is a private, international university with campuses across the US and Europe offering online and on-campus degree programs in business, international relations, and communication. Like Horizons, it targets international students with English-language programs and a focus on cross-cultural learning.
• Geneva Business School: Geneva Business School is a Swiss private university offering online and on-campus BBA, MBA, and DBA programs in English. Its online-first, international business focus, English-language delivery, and European base make it a direct competitor to Horizons' business degree portfolio.
• Swiss UMEF University: Swiss UMEF is a small, private, internationally focused Swiss university offering online and on-campus programs in business, IT, and education. Like Horizons, it is a niche European institution targeting international students with English-language online degrees.
• ESSCA School of Management: ESSCA is a French-based business school with AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, offering online and on-campus programs including a DBA. It is comparable to Horizons as a French-based institution with international online programs and doctoral-level business offerings.
• Rennes School of Business: Rennes School of Business is a French Grande École offering online and on-campus programs including a DBA, with triple accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA). It is comparable to Horizons as a French-based institution offering international online business doctoral programs.

Broad incumbents

• University of London International Programmes: The University of London offers a portfolio of online undergraduate and postgraduate degrees through international programmes, including business and management. It is a broader incumbent with established global recognition that competes in the same online international degree market as Horizons.
• Open University: The Open University is the UK's largest online and distance-learning university, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs across business, education, and humanities. As a major, established incumbent in online higher education, it competes with Horizons for online degree-seeking students globally.
• IE University: IE University is a prestigious Spanish private institution offering online and on-campus business, law, and humanities programs with strong international branding. It is a broader incumbent in the international business education market with which Horizons competes for globally mobile students.
• INSEAD: INSEAD is a top-tier global business school with campuses in France, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi, offering executive MBA, MBA, and doctoral programs. While positioned at a higher price tier, it competes with Horizons for the same international DBA/PhD-seeking professional audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/horizonsuniv
• Facebookfacebook.com/Horizons-University-117596478270542
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horizons-university

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Horizons University