The Institut Supérieur du Commerce (ISC Paris Business School), a business school located in Paris, is a French university-level institution (grande école). Its programs consist of a core degree, a bachelor's program offering six different specializations, a Master's degree in management according to the Bologna European higher education standards, and a MBA program offering sixteen different specializations. These courses are available both on a part-time and full-time basis.
ISC Paris's degrees are accredited by the French Ministry of Education and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a standard reached by only 5% of business schools worldwide reflecting its established international reputation for high quality graduates.
The Master in management and the MBA taught in 4 languages and 5 locations are accredited by the Association of MBAs. Only the top 2% of business schools in over 70 countries received this accreditation.
The Master in Management is designated EFMD accredited Programme by the European Foundation for Management Development.
Subsequently, the Master in Management degree is triply accredited by the different international education alliances.
The Bachelor and Master degrees are accredited by the Business Graduates Association in January 2021.
For its Doctorate of Business Administration, ISC Paris Group becomes member of the Executive DBA Council in December 2021.
History
The ISC Paris business school was inaugurated in the autumn of 1963 at 6 avenue Léon Heuzey, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. Founded by Paul Icard, director of the Institute of Industrial Sale Psychology, with the goal of training "business executives adapted to the methods of modern business." The ISC Paris was a non-profit association (law 1901) with a Board of Directors. Students were eligible for admission immediately after the earning their baccalaureate; initially the duration of study was two years. The first promotion (promo 64) was composed of thirty-eight male students. Founded in early 1963, the Board of Students of the ISC Paris directed student life and activities at the school. Extracurricular activities were a core part of the professional degrees. In 1969, the Board of Students separated from the school administration and incorporated as a separate, non-profit association. In 1970 the "Junior Enterprise" of the ISC Paris was founded.
On 19 May 1969 ISC Paris was recognized by the State in a ministerial decree. Simultaneously, it moved to new premises at 13 rue Jacques Bingen in the 17th arrondissement. The school had a student body of approximately one hundred students at the time. In 1971 the length of the course of study was increased by a year to three years. Also in 1971, admission to the school was closed to those who had only earned their baccalaureate, requiring an additional year of preparation. The same year admission to the Institut supérieur du commerce de Paris was opened to women.
In 1975, ISC Paris moved to its current location at 22 Boulevard du Fort de Vaux, occupying an area of 2200 m2 offering amenities such as a language laboratory, group study rooms, conference rooms, and a computer lab. The entry examination was thereafter opened to parallel admissions to students with 2 to 4-year post-baccalaureate university degrees. In 1976 there were nearly one thousand applicants to the business school. ISC Paris subsequently chose to open examination centers in regional provinces with the support of local chambers of commerce and high schools.
On 21 May 1980 a decree of the Ministry of Education announced that the ISC Paris's degree was guaranteed by the State. In 1981 a Department for Continuing Professional Education was established, offering training solutions to businesses. This was followed by the creation of ISC Master Program for graduate students. The Institut Superieur du Commerce was rebranded as the ISC Group. In 1983, the entry examination in the first year was opened to applicants with a 2 years degree, in order to increase the pool of applicants. In October 1983, ISC Paris inaugurated new premises close to the Boulevard du Fort de Vaux. The school grounds expanded, eventually covering over 3000 m2.