Moroccan Students Excel in Top French Schools
18 August 2006
Read by 2159 persons
Over 2,700 Moroccan students are enrolled in top French schools, forming the largest foreign student community among high-level executive trainees.
They are highly active in student organizations and junior enterprises.
Coming from diverse backgrounds, they aim to gain professional experience before returning to Morocco.
They are young, intelligent, and highly ambitious. These are just some of the hundreds of Moroccans who have come to France to pursue higher education in prestigious schools such as Polytechnique, Ponts et Chaussées, ESTP (School of Public Works), ESSEC (School of Economics and Business), ESCP-EAP (European School of Management), and HEC (School of Management), to name a few. In Paris and other French cities like Lyon, Toulouse, and Bordeaux, Moroccans are making a significant impact. Our aspiring engineers and managers represent by far the largest foreign student community in French Grandes Écoles.
They are very active in student associations
A study published in June 2005 by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (a French governmental organization) reported 2,712 Moroccan students in the Grandes Écoles during the 2003-2004 academic year. This is out of more than 25,000 total foreign students, representing over 10% of the total. Moroccans far outnumber the next largest group, Chinese students (1,619). Germans are in third place with 1,600 students. At ESCP-EAP, nearly 120 out of 1,900 students are Moroccan. At ESTP, there are about 100 out of 1,800. Even the prestigious Polytechnique reserves 10 to 15 places per class (around 300 students) for Moroccans annually. The same is true for Centrale Paris, which recruits about ten Moroccans each year.
A distinguishing feature of this young Moroccan diaspora in France is their vibrant extracurricular activities. Many participate in student associations, including the AMGE-Caravane (Association of Moroccans from Grandes Écoles). Founded in the early 1990s, this organization supports new arrivals in France by providing guidance, advice, and social events. It has nearly 2,200 active members. "Arriving in France can be challenging for many students," explains Imad Bouziane, the AMGE-Caravane president until September 2006. "We provide support with administrative and academic procedures, especially for students who have completed two years of preparatory classes and passed the written entrance exams, helping them with the oral exams."
A Moroccan heads the junior enterprise at ESCP-EAP
These students are also proud of another association, Maroc Entrepreneurs, which aims to connect students and graduates with Moroccan companies. Their activities are highly sought after by major banks, multinationals, and other organizations in Morocco seeking high-potential candidates. These students are also very interested in private entrepreneurship, regularly organizing seminars, debates, and conferences.
Highly active in student associations, Moroccan students also participate in their schools' internal activities. Mehdi Lebbar, for example, leads the junior enterprise at ESCP-EAP for a year. His team won the election for this student-run consulting firm, which generates several hundred thousand euros in annual revenue (350,000 euros in 2005). They spent over six months convincing other students of their capabilities. Meryem Lahlou, a first-year student at ESCP-EAP and head of the junior enterprise's quality department, explains that it operates like a real company and works with French companies on tenders. Another Moroccan student manages the communication department. This ISO 2000 certified organization has prestigious clients, including LVMH and Le Figaro.
The student body (BDE) at ESCP-EAP is another highly selective student organization with Moroccan representation. Two teams of about twenty students compete for six months in an election process with a budget of approximately 500,000 euros, funded by sponsors who hope to improve their recruitment and human resources management.
ESSEC-Maroc: Showcasing Morocco
At ESSEC, Moroccan students formed the "ESSEC-Maroc" association in 1995. With around sixty members, it's one of the most active of the school's twenty international student associations, according to Aïda Faivre Balafrej, a first-year student. The association organizes events such as couscous sales, oriental evenings, and Moroccan-themed days. Their most well-known activity is organizing a tour of Morocco for about forty ESSEC students each year. For 600 euros, students visit diverse locations, from imperial cities to the High Atlas Mountains. The goal, as stated by the president, is to showcase Morocco beyond common stereotypes. The association also has strong relationships with other organizations, including ESSEC-Lebanon, and its vice-treasurer is French.
While socially and culturally active, Moroccan students in French Grandes Écoles remain focused on their studies. Hani Guennioui, a first-year student at ESTP, emphasizes their commitment to success, highlighting the fact that many come from disadvantaged backgrounds and work hard to achieve their goals. Imad Bouziane points out the diverse economic backgrounds among Moroccan students, with some having substantial financial resources and others relying on limited scholarships.
Many plan to start businesses in Morocco
Those interviewed by La Vie éco in Paris unanimously intend to return to Morocco after their studies and some work experience. Mohamed Amine Khalil, for instance, states that he doesn't see himself living in France long-term. They cite several reasons, including a less favorable economic situation in France and a desire to return to their families, friends, and culture. The president of Maroc Entrepreneurs is motivated by Morocco's economic and political dynamism, planning to start his own business upon returning. This reflects a common aspiration among the many Moroccan students in top French schools who are poised to become future leaders in Morocco.
LaVieEco
They are highly active in student organizations and junior enterprises.
Coming from diverse backgrounds, they aim to gain professional experience before returning to Morocco.
They are young, intelligent, and highly ambitious. These are just some of the hundreds of Moroccans who have come to France to pursue higher education in prestigious schools such as Polytechnique, Ponts et Chaussées, ESTP (School of Public Works), ESSEC (School of Economics and Business), ESCP-EAP (European School of Management), and HEC (School of Management), to name a few. In Paris and other French cities like Lyon, Toulouse, and Bordeaux, Moroccans are making a significant impact. Our aspiring engineers and managers represent by far the largest foreign student community in French Grandes Écoles.
They are very active in student associations
A study published in June 2005 by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (a French governmental organization) reported 2,712 Moroccan students in the Grandes Écoles during the 2003-2004 academic year. This is out of more than 25,000 total foreign students, representing over 10% of the total. Moroccans far outnumber the next largest group, Chinese students (1,619). Germans are in third place with 1,600 students. At ESCP-EAP, nearly 120 out of 1,900 students are Moroccan. At ESTP, there are about 100 out of 1,800. Even the prestigious Polytechnique reserves 10 to 15 places per class (around 300 students) for Moroccans annually. The same is true for Centrale Paris, which recruits about ten Moroccans each year.
A distinguishing feature of this young Moroccan diaspora in France is their vibrant extracurricular activities. Many participate in student associations, including the AMGE-Caravane (Association of Moroccans from Grandes Écoles). Founded in the early 1990s, this organization supports new arrivals in France by providing guidance, advice, and social events. It has nearly 2,200 active members. "Arriving in France can be challenging for many students," explains Imad Bouziane, the AMGE-Caravane president until September 2006. "We provide support with administrative and academic procedures, especially for students who have completed two years of preparatory classes and passed the written entrance exams, helping them with the oral exams."
A Moroccan heads the junior enterprise at ESCP-EAP
These students are also proud of another association, Maroc Entrepreneurs, which aims to connect students and graduates with Moroccan companies. Their activities are highly sought after by major banks, multinationals, and other organizations in Morocco seeking high-potential candidates. These students are also very interested in private entrepreneurship, regularly organizing seminars, debates, and conferences.
Highly active in student associations, Moroccan students also participate in their schools' internal activities. Mehdi Lebbar, for example, leads the junior enterprise at ESCP-EAP for a year. His team won the election for this student-run consulting firm, which generates several hundred thousand euros in annual revenue (350,000 euros in 2005). They spent over six months convincing other students of their capabilities. Meryem Lahlou, a first-year student at ESCP-EAP and head of the junior enterprise's quality department, explains that it operates like a real company and works with French companies on tenders. Another Moroccan student manages the communication department. This ISO 2000 certified organization has prestigious clients, including LVMH and Le Figaro.
The student body (BDE) at ESCP-EAP is another highly selective student organization with Moroccan representation. Two teams of about twenty students compete for six months in an election process with a budget of approximately 500,000 euros, funded by sponsors who hope to improve their recruitment and human resources management.
ESSEC-Maroc: Showcasing Morocco
At ESSEC, Moroccan students formed the "ESSEC-Maroc" association in 1995. With around sixty members, it's one of the most active of the school's twenty international student associations, according to Aïda Faivre Balafrej, a first-year student. The association organizes events such as couscous sales, oriental evenings, and Moroccan-themed days. Their most well-known activity is organizing a tour of Morocco for about forty ESSEC students each year. For 600 euros, students visit diverse locations, from imperial cities to the High Atlas Mountains. The goal, as stated by the president, is to showcase Morocco beyond common stereotypes. The association also has strong relationships with other organizations, including ESSEC-Lebanon, and its vice-treasurer is French.
While socially and culturally active, Moroccan students in French Grandes Écoles remain focused on their studies. Hani Guennioui, a first-year student at ESTP, emphasizes their commitment to success, highlighting the fact that many come from disadvantaged backgrounds and work hard to achieve their goals. Imad Bouziane points out the diverse economic backgrounds among Moroccan students, with some having substantial financial resources and others relying on limited scholarships.
Many plan to start businesses in Morocco
Those interviewed by La Vie éco in Paris unanimously intend to return to Morocco after their studies and some work experience. Mohamed Amine Khalil, for instance, states that he doesn't see himself living in France long-term. They cite several reasons, including a less favorable economic situation in France and a desire to return to their families, friends, and culture. The president of Maroc Entrepreneurs is motivated by Morocco's economic and political dynamism, planning to start his own business upon returning. This reflects a common aspiration among the many Moroccan students in top French schools who are poised to become future leaders in Morocco.
LaVieEco
