The world's first business school was born from Napoleonic soldiers

History · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before the modern corporate world existed, two former soldiers of Napoleon founded a school to teach commerce. Established in 1819, ESCP Business School became a pioneer of cross-border education, creating a unique model where students can study in multiple countries simultaneously to gain a multicultural perspective on global management.

Founded on December 1, 1819, in Paris, ESCP Business School is recognized as the world's oldest business school. Its origins are rooted in the leadership of Germain Legret and Amédée Brodart, two former Napoleonic soldiers. While Legret had attempted to establish business schools in 1815 and 1818, those ventures failed quickly. ESCP was modeled after the École Polytechnique, the first grande école, though it began with more modest resources as it lacked initial state support.

The institution's path to prestige was marked by a struggle for independence. In 1828, a project to place the school under the French Ministry of Commerce and Industry failed, allowing it to remain independent under Jérôme-Adolphe Blanqui. While the French state began funding scholarships for ESCP students in 1838, the school was eventually taken over by the Paris Chamber of Commerce in 1869 to train leaders in modern commerce. By 1892, it introduced selective admissions, a practice that evolved into the competitive exams used today.

ESCP is defined by its 'pan-European' identity. In 1973, it pioneered the multi-campus concept, establishing locations in the UK (London and Oxford), Germany (Düsseldorf and Berlin), and Spain (Madrid). This structure allows students to spend six months or a year at different campuses, fostering a multicultural education style. Today, it is a 'grande école'—an elite French institution where graduation is often viewed as a prerequisite for top government and corporate positions, similar to the Ivy League or Oxbridge.

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