Integrating TASK™ into ESCP's innovative learning approach

Founded in 1819, ESCP Business School holds the distinction of being the world's first business school.

With a rich history spanning over two centuries, ESCP has established itself as a leading light in the realm of international business education.  

Renowned for its academically rigorous programs, ESCP operates across six urban campuses in Europe, each embodying a unique blend of local charm and global perspective. With its diverse body of over 10,000 students from 135 nationalities, at the heart of ESCP's mission lies a commitment to developing transnational business leaders ready to embrace the multifaceted challenges of a globalized market.

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Sustainability Education at ESCP

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At ESCP Business School, TASK™ finds its place in a uniquely structured 30-hour sustainability course.  

This course is an integral part of ESCP's commitment to ethics, responsibility, and sustainability.

Following a model of impact evaluation, ESCP utilizes TASK™ at the onset of this course. This initial assessment allows the 1200 students in their various MSc programs to gauge their starting knowledge level.  

Additionally, at the course's conclusion, TASK™ is offered voluntarily, enabling students to measure their learning curve, especially in areas directly covered by the program.

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Why did ESCP choose TASK ™?

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According to Valentina Carbone, Professor of Sustainability and Director of the ESCP Doctoral Program:  

"Our sustainability course is aimed at our 1,200 MSc students, who are studying very different subjects (from finance to marketing, to auditing to data analytics...).
As a result, we were faced with a wide diversity of student knowledge and interest."

We administered the test to all students at the start of the course, so that they could better assess their initial knowledge. We then offered it at the end of the course, optionally, to those who wished to assess their progress after the course, not in all the components of TASK™, but at least in those covered by the course. "

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Evaluating Impact  

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In line with ESCP's ethos of fostering innovative and responsible leaders, the school leverages TASK™ outcomes to offer personalized learning experiences. High-performing students are given the opportunity to delve deeper into specialized topics, going beyond the conventional curriculum. This approach culminates in student-led roundtable discussions, fostering a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

“After this initial test, we offer the best MSc students the opportunity to follow a personalized, more specialized and more engaging path: we ask them to organize and lead a specialized round table for their peers, and to produce a critical synthesis.
This self-directed activity will replace other, more traditional, school-based activities. “ Valentina added

She shared that they already had 5 of the best students from each of the 12 MSc programs, who have opted to take the exit test.

With 60 students expressing such prompt interest, Valentina and her colleague, Anne-France Mariacher, Affiliate Professor of Sustainability, at ESCP Paris, shared their positive amazement at the speed at which TASK™ was adopted by the students.  

“We weren't expecting such a response. It confirms that our intuition about using the TASK ™ in this way was right.” she further stated

As ESCP continually strives for educational excellence and societal impact, the integration of TASK™ serves as a key tool in shaping responsible managers and leaders.  

To progressively improve and align its pedagogical strategy with its mission to drive positive change through education, the faculty plans to continually review its approach.

Stay tuned for more information on how TASK™’ enables sustainability literacy at ESCP!