What is EMpowerment?
EMpowerment is the educational philosophy that runs throughout EM Strasbourg’s Grande École Program (PGE). It is designed to help students become active drivers of their learning and their professional future. Progressive and transformative, this pathway adapts to each student, whatever their entry level, and supports them academically, professionally, and personally.
Inspired by the major stages of the entrepreneurial process — exploration, incubation, and acceleration — it develops key skills: initiative, experimentation, cooperation, and adaptability.
The ambition is clear: to train students who can become the entrepreneurs of their own lives, far beyond their time at the School.
The three stages of EMpowerment
1 • Exploration: getting to know yourself better to find your path
The first two years of the Grande École Program are devoted to exploration: an essential phase for learning more about yourself and exploring different possibilities.
From the first year onwards, you explore different fields to identify what is meaningful for you. You broaden your horizons by choosing elective courses (Advertising Culture, Decision Psychology, Game Theory, etc.). You take the AssessFirst test to better understand how you operate professionally and what makes you unique.
You work on projects with a social or environmental impact and benefit from mentoring by alumni, students and faculty, as well as support from the Cap Career service. Group work strengthens your ability to cooperate and make collective decisions.
Each year, you complete an internship in a company to gradually discover the professional world.
This is also the time to build a solid foundation in management and develop your European mindset: understanding European values and diversity.
2 • Incubation: experimenting to build confidence
Incubation is a pivotal stage in your journey: it is the time to experiment, test and refine your career plan. This period is rich in opportunities and allows you to tailor your pathway extensively:
- Study abroad in Europe or elsewhere at one of our partner universities
- Take a gap year to gain maturity
- Choose between a co-op track and full-time study
- Select a major within the Grande École Program
In Year 3, you carry out exploratory studies with an international dimension and complete a three-month internship with an international focus. In Year 4, you may begin an apprenticeship in a company.
This is also the time to broaden your technical skills: Excel, Power BI, video creation, and more. And why not launch an entrepreneurial project or get involved in student associations?
3 • Acceleration: developing your expertise to increase your impact
The acceleration phase corresponds to the final year of the Grande École Program, when you finalize your plans and position yourself clearly on the job market.
You turn your professional expertise into reality through specialized courses and a dissertation based on a real company issue.
Three options are available to you:
- Choose a specialization within the Grande École Program (co-op track, full-time study or double degree)
- Study abroad in Europe or elsewhere at one of our partner universities
The final goal
EMpowerment does not simply train competent graduates. It shapes individuals who are able to find their place in a changing world and become the entrepreneurs of their own lives, far beyond their time at the School.
“It encourages students to explore their values and motivations, understand social, economic and environmental challenges, and above all think innovatively in order to make a positive impact on society.” Charlotte Massa, Program Director
👉 Ready to become an active driver of your own journey? Discover our Grande École Program in detail