NC State University’s Latest International Expansion Brings French Business School to North Carolina

North Carolina State University has expanded its international connections after signing an agreement with French business school SKEMA, which selected NC State over several other locations for its U.S. campus.

The French school will offer several undergraduate and graduate programs, ranging from one to two semesters, with the first group of about 250 students arriving for spring semester in January 2011. Classes will be taught in English.

“This type of partnership is extremely important in an increasingly global business environment,” said Ira Weiss, dean of NC State’s College of Management. “SKEMA is a highly ranked, highly regarded business school. By bringing SKEMA to NC State, we expand our international portfolio and create new international opportunities for students and faculty – for study, research and employment. International connections like this one also reinforce North Carolina’s existing trade opportunities and help open the door for new economic development.”

“Our new partnership with NC State will allow SKEMA to provide a complete range of service and academic excellence to students,” said Alice Guilhon, dean of the SKEMA business school. “Beyond the fact that SKEMA is one of the few European business schools with a physical campus in the U.S., opening this NC State campus represents a unique opportunity for students, faculty members and our respective regions. We look forward to being actively engaged and supportive of the academic and business communities in North Carolina, as we are in France.”

SKEMA will lease about 18,000 square feet on NC State’s Centennial Campus and have a resident academic director as well as its own faculty and administrative staff. The school was created in June 2009 with the merger of two top French business schools, Ceram Business School and the ESC Lille School of Management. SKEMA’s academic strategy is to open its own campus in countries it believes will have a major influence on global business. It currently has campuses in China and Morocco, in addition to three campuses in France.

SKEMA and NC State are exploring the possibility of joint academic programming as well as study-abroad opportunities for NC State students at SKEMA’s campuses.

The partnership continues the expansion of NC State’s international portfolio. NC State has added more than 70 international agreements in the last three years and now has more than 200 global partnerships.

SKEMA students will pay the same fees charged by NC State to its full-time undergraduate/graduate students for use of the library facilities and services; campus recreation and gym facilities and services; and university bus transportation.

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