President

When I think of the fact that HEM is currently ranked among the leading business schools in North of Africa, I cannot help being filled with an emotion that combines pride and some surprise; source of pride for the academician economist that I am for having achieved one of the dreams of my life; surprise when I look back at the history of HEM since its inception in 1988 when at the time I entered this adventure with limited means, a lot of stress and a few students, and what it has become today, that is to say, the first business school in Morocco with more than two thousand students.

All said modestly, I think this success story is due both to our educational model as well as to personal development we try to instill in our students.

First, regarding our educational model, it is based on four fundamental principles: synthesis between the cultural and professionalized dimensions of the training; interaction between theory and practice; right mix of didactic lessons and dialogued courses; quality supervision.

As for personal development, it draws on the values that we try to instill in our students: effort, humility, responsibility, self-regulated autonomy, creativity, entrepreneurship and sense of ethics.

Obviously, this model is not easy to implement. We have taken very important steps but much remains to be done because our ambition, which is beginning to witness its first premises on the horizon, is to be well positioned in the best rankings of business schools worldwide. We are working modestly but steadily in an atmosphere where the field of Higher Education in Morocco is being completely remodeled, with a public higher education still struggling and private education looking for an identity. Indeed, the whole sector is still marred by shortcomings, unfair competition and non-respect of citizens' and consumers' rights. It should, however, be noted that the trend is towards system improvement and real competitiveness. At any rate, we – at HEM – believe that Morocco’s needs in terms of managerial elites are still enormous, and we are confident that from what currently looks like a confusion an efficient higher education system on the horizon will emanate where HEM is sure to continue to occupy a very honorable position.

Let us say, finally, that after the World Bank’s entry into HEM’s capital through its subsidiary IFC (International Finance Corporation), HEM is bound to develop its position internationally as well as its internal ambitions of institutional and educational development as a Grande Ecole. Moreover, HEM is bound to diversify its activities by the implementation, in an independent and parallel manner, of an affiliate university geared towards more professional training and an affordable cost for the middle class and even for low-income social categories.

These are the current and future ambitions the HEM Business School and the HEM Group in general.