Bringing project management to life for the world’s future business leaders

With project management at the heart of many business degree programmes, we talk to Marie Courtois ESSCA School of Management about why Splash Projects offer ‘unique’ experiential learning?

Business students who take part in a Splash Project understand project management better than those who haven’t.?

This isn’t just us saying this. After introducing Splash Projects to the start of their five-year business degree courses three years ago, senior leaders at ESSCA collated data which revealed that students who completed a Splash Project achieved better academic performance and understanding of the project management element of the course, than those who hadn’t.?

Feedback from students included ‘feeling more confident’ and ‘efficient’ at this core part of their degree, which includes team management, management outside a team environment, project planning and execution and performance evaluation.?

Marie Courtois, Director of Student Experience, explained:

“We chose to embed a Splash Project at the start of the course curriculum because they are original, innovative, meaningful, impactful and empowering.??

We’ve worked with 1,200+ students each year for the last three years based at six campuses across France. Their three-day projects involve a different cohort of students, all aged 17 and 18, daily, and take place at charity sites?in Paris, Angers, Bordeaux, Aix en Provence, Strasbourg and Lyon.?

Project management features throughout their course from the very first semester and Splash Projects deliberately form part of the students’ lives with the school from day one.?

“On the Monday, the students first day with us, they have a welcome speech from the Dean,” continued Marie. “And then in the afternoon, they have a project planning session with Splash Projects. ?

Marie lauds the impact of Splash Projects further, because they allow students to experience the values of ESSCA: competence, humanism, solidarity, responsibility, ambition, honesty, autonomy and imagination.?

So far ESSCA students have built a wide range of infrastructure for those in need, including shaded seating areas and planters for elderly residents with Alzheimer’s disease; an outdoor bicycle storage and maintenance base for young people with intellectual disabilities to live autonomously; various outside facilities to support people with intellectual disabilities access the work environment; created infrastructure for people with motor disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy; and created garden features for young people with intellectual disabilities.?

Needless to say, every single student has contributed to enhancing the lives of countless disadvantaged people, leaving a profound legacy in their university communities.?

“What Splash Projects bring is unique,” Marie continued. “With most leadership development programmes, the focus is on yourself. But these projects require you go outside of yourself. They’re not only about ‘me, myself and I’, but the part you play in your team and the direct, and positive impact you have on others including the elderly, children, teenagers and young adults with special needs.?