The Business Confucius Institute at ESCP EUROPE was established on May 13, 2019 through a partnership between Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and ESCP Business School, one of Europe’s leading institutions of higher business education. It is the second business-focused Confucius Institute in France and the tenth worldwide. The Institute operates from ESCP’s Paris campus in the 17th arrondissement and serves students across ESCP’s five European campuses in Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin, and Turin.
With a mandate centered on the intersection of Chinese language learning and international business, the Institute offers language instruction, cultural programming, and professional development opportunities that equip students with the cross-cultural competencies required in today’s global marketplace. Since its founding, the Institute has registered over 1,500 participants.
Programs and Activities
Chinese Language Teaching
The Institute offers a full range of Chinese language courses to ESCP undergraduate, pre-master, and master students, including compulsory and elective modules in general Chinese, business Chinese, and Chinese culture. Courses are delivered in-person at the Paris and London campuses, and online for students in Madrid, Berlin, and Turin. Additional offerings include HSK preparation courses open to the public and bespoke one-to-one coaching for corporate executives. Free taster sessions are held periodically for ESCP staff and students throughout the academic year. In the 2025 academic year, 257 students were enrolled.
Faculty Development & Academic Research
The Institute is committed to continuous improvement in teaching quality. Faculty members participate in regular in-house pedagogical seminars, peer observation sessions, and external professional development workshops. The Institute encourages teachers to translate classroom experience into scholarly output, contributing to the broader field of Chinese language education research.
Cultural Programs
The Institute organizes 10 to 15 cultural events each year, reaching approximately 800 participants. In 2025, highlights included Lunar New Year celebrations at the Paris and London campuses, a traditional fireside tea experience, open-day events, and a Mid-Autumn Festival gathering. In May 2025, two ESCP students—Pierre Balhatre and Raphaëlle Wade—won second prize and an excellence award respectively at the 24th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for College Students, France regional round.
Signature Initiatives
The Institute’s most distinctive contribution lies in its business-focused experiential programs, developed in response to ESCP’s mission of training internationally minded business professionals.
China Immersion Summer Camp brings ESCP undergraduate and master students to China for an intensive program combining language learning with visits to leading companies. Past cohorts have visited Tencent, ICBC Credit Suisse Asset Management, Shougang Group’s Shoucheng Times Centre, Huanqiu Saile Technology, and SAIC Motor.
China Business Practice Week, co-organized with the BFSU International Business School, takes students to major Chinese corporations for on-site research and engagement. Recent programs have included visits to SF International inShenzhen, Yong Feng Yuan, OPPO, and Transsion HoldingsinShenzhen.
Corporate Chinese Coaching provides tailored one-to-one Chinese language instruction for business executives, designed around specific professional contexts and schedules.
Together, these programs form an integrated pathway that bridges language learning, cultural understanding, and real-world business practice.
Looking Ahead
The Institute will continue to develop its core language and cultural programs while deepening its focus on business-oriented initiatives. Priorities include expanding partnerships with the BFSU International Business School and major French and Chinese enterprises, growing the portfolio of student mobility and internship opportunities in China, and strengthening the Institute’s presence across all five ESCP campuses. The overarching aim is to prepare graduates who are not only proficient in Chinese, but genuinely equipped to operate across cultural and professional boundaries.
Contact
French Director: Marina Lecomte
Chinese Director: LI E
Email: contact@ebci.eu
Website: ebci.eu
Address: 8 Avenue de la Porte de Champerret, 75017 Paris, France
