The European School of Economics (ESE) is a unique institution. With five campuses spread across Europe, students at this private university can choose to study in London, Rome, Milan, Florence or Madrid – or switch between campuses during their studies. This international approach – combined with a philosophy of encouraging innovative, independent thought – means graduates of ESE are ready to begin global careers in their chosen subject. But what is it actually like to study at the European School of Economics?
How international is the university, and what support is there for students?
We spoke to a current student and a graduate of ESE Florence to find out the top five reasons you should study at the European School of Economics.
Gjulia Lucaj is a Bachelor’s graduate of ESE Florence, where she studied Finance. Meanwhile, Anabella Bayona is an ESE Florence student from the USA.
From their answers, and verified student reviews on the EDUopinions website, from we picked out five reasons why you should consider studying at the European School of Economics for your undergraduate or postgraduate business management degree.
5 Reasons to Study at the European School of Economics
1. Immerse yourself in the local culture
Thanks to the English-language degrees and international focus, ESE naturally attracts many international students to its programmes.
As a result, ESE endeavours to give all students the opportunity to explore their local surroundings, immersing themselves in the culture of their new home. Coming from the USA, this is one of the aspects of studying at ESE that Anabella particularly enjoyed.
“The activities the school organises such as our day excursions and cultural trips show what the school is all about,” she says. “From wineries and olive oil tastings to taking trips to the coast there is always something happening. It is always an educational but fun experience that I think we all appreciate at the school.”
Review of Studying at the European School of Economics
The school has an amazing atmosphere inside it (the campus in Florence). The professors are very professional and always inspire the students to be more like them in the business field. Also you always feel like home in the university, all of the school administration communicate with the students like with their own friends and one can always go and seek for an advice from them. In addition the school organizes multiple activities outside of the classes. We have various trips, company visits and even sport tournaments. Further school assists us with finding internships and they newer fail to find really cool companies. All in all I am very happy that I chose this cool. Before I have studied in 3 different universities in different countries and non of them were as impressive and welcoming as ESE 🙂
2. Learn important skills for future work
Becoming a successful entrepreneur or business professional isn’t just about committing business processes or accounting terms to memory. Working in business today also requires an innovative mindset and the ability to work past challenges.
The European School of Economics focuses particularly on developing every students’ capacity to think independently. Alongside developing business competencies, students explore critical thinking, innovative thinking, and cultural awareness that will develop them as leaders.
Additionally, Gjulia notes that the hands-on approach to learning, where students conduct research and analyse data, helped her a lot.
“Something that definitely helped later on was the capability of researching documents, data and shortcuts online. During this period I have learned so many tricks and tips that I have later on applied at work and passed on to colleagues,” she says.
However, the personal development she went through as a student at ESE was equally meaningful.
“In a normal university, they teach you to be a good worker, to never ask questions. At ESE, they teach you to believe in yourself, to ask questions and to think outside the box,” Gjulia adds.Â
Review of Studying at the European School of Economics
First of all since my campus was in the heart of Rome, the place and inside of the university was like a whole museum. I love how friendly and helpful the staff was, the professors were one in a million. I love how they did all their best to tell us about the subjects in detail and in a fun way with examples for us to get into it more. I liked how they make time and engage in it and actually help us to teach us, so it was all in one reading writing with our own brain and infos searching for the sources by ourselves listening but also being able to express our own way of knowledge on the topics!
3. Experience new technology
At ESE, programmes are looking towards the future of business. Each Master’s course contains the mandatory programme ’21st Century Advanced Business Structures’, while some contain degree-specific modules on innovation and the future of organisations.
Elsewhere, the university is also confronting innovations like AI, as Anabella points out.
“I also noticed how this year the school has really taken a new approach in incorporating how to use programmes like ChatGPT and AI in an ethical and innovative manner when conducting research,” she says.
Last year, Anabella participated in an optional ‘Introduction to AI’ course on her degree, where she explored the impact of AI on future work.
“Before this course, I really had no previous knowledge about AI technology but now I have a much better understanding and I am much more interested in learning how this affects my future as a professional.”
4. Learn from a diverse community
When you study at the European School of Economics, you’re part of a close-knit community. ESE Florence itself is located in the 16th-century Renaissance Palazzo Roselli Del Turco, and although it stands in the centre of the city, it represents an intimate community of learners.
The school provides additional opportunities for students to learn from each other through the Ex-Duco programme. In this project, students are encouraged to become teachers by leading exclusive classes on their hobbies or interests.
For example, students have taught classes on yoga, dancing, music theory, and museum management.
Gjulia explains that thanks to ESE’s internationality, there’s a huge diversity of thought, opinions, and ideas at the school.
“Hearing so many stories from different backgrounds, experiences and lives made me put myself in other people’s shoes,” Gjulia says. “You may not understand what they have been through, you may not agree but you may at least be sympathetic. And, personally, I think that is how you destroy barriers.”
Review of Studying at the European School of Economics
The experience at the European School of Economics of Rome has been wonderful.
First of all, it helped me in the development of personal skills, such as communication, confidence, and creativity.
Secondly, considering a more professional viewpoint, the ESE system has been able to open my mind and to make me think outside the box.
Now I can look at a situation or problem and I will analyze it from different perspectives: logical, analytical, strategic, etc.
ESE Rome staff and students have been not a University but a big family that has helped me grow and better know myself.
5. Gain vital language skills
All of ESE’s undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are taught in English, a decision that conveys the importance of the language for global business in the 21st century.
For Gjulia, who is originally from Albania, the idea of studying in English was exciting. Gaining a degree in English meant she could improve her employability and communication skills. “I always wanted to put to work my language skills,” she says.
However, ESE also offers extracurricular foreign language classes so that students can improve in more than one language. These classes are compulsory for undergraduate students, and all students are provided with credit for taking them. Gjulia chose to study Spanish, which ended up being a big help in her eventual career.
Conclusion
If you want to study at a business school with a unique philosophy and approach to learning, which still gaining skills that will be critical for a future career, then the European School of Economics is an attractive choice.
As we’ve seen, both students and graduates alike have enjoyed their time at ESE. Plus, if you want to explore both the local culture alongside global perspectives, there’s no better way than in a small, intimate student community!
While you’re still making your decision on where to study, why not read our blog on the 5 Differences Between Public and Private Universities in Europe?
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