The program will see doctoral candidates from IÉSEG and the Faculty of Economics and Business at KU Leuven share their time between France and Belgium.

Candidates will be selected from this academic year by a joint committee.

“With this partnership we are looking to reinforce our efforts to become a leading international research hub”

They will attend jointly-taught courses and carry out research activities under the supervision of researchers in both institutions.

Both stakeholders highlighted the international dimension of the research activities undertaken at the respective institutions which they hoped the new program will contribute to reinforcing.

“With this partnership we are looking to reinforce our efforts to become a leading international research hub in domains linked to business, economics and management,” IÉSEG director Jean-Philippe Ammeux said in a statement.

“Research and international collaboration has been part of IÉSEG’s DNA since the school was created in 1964. We attract prominent researchers from around the world: more than 80% of our permanent professors come from outside of France and publish in top-tier scientific journals worldwide.”

“We have a long tradition in international research collaborations, long and short faculty visits abroad, internationally focused research centres and research groups, international guest lecturers, and more,” Wilfried Lemahieu, dean of KU Leuven’s Faculty of Economics and Business, added.

“This results in a worldwide network with common academic pursuits, demonstrated by the many top-publications with foreign co-authors.

“Together with IÉSEG School of Management we can further strengthen our international research in business economics.”