The 19th of September marked the official start of the construction of Excelia’s future campus in Tours. Bruno Neil, CEO of the higher education group, together with a number of institutional representatives and partners co-financing the project, laid the first element of the new building’s wooden and straw structure.
This building project reflects two important aspects of Excelia’s strategic objectives. Firstly, its sustainable design further highlights the group’s position as a leader in the ecological transition, and secondly, the high level of technological equipment incorporated reinforces Excelia’s approach to reinventing learning and promoting innovative teaching methods.
A flying start for the building works of Excelia’s future campus
The construction of Excelia’s new campus in Tours is the result of numerous synergies, as evidenced by those in attendance on 19th September to witness the first ‘stone’ being laid: Emmanuel Denis, Mayor of Tours and Director of SET (Société d'Equipement de la Touraine) and SEPALE, Frédéric Augis, Chairman of Tours Métropole Val de Loire, Bruno Neil, CEO of Excelia, Ludovic Malbet, architect from MU Architecture, as well as representatives from the funding partners, Crédit Agricole and Caisse d'Epargne.
Located in the heart of Tours’ 2 Lions district, a fast-growing area boasting excellent university facilities (restaurants and halls of residence) and soon to offer a range of local shops, construction of the future 5,300 m2 wooden and straw building is expected to take 24 months… ready to welcome Excelia students and employees!
Un nouvel écrin pour des effectifs d'étudiants en croissance constante
Since Excelia’s first intake of 340 students in Tours in 2020, the student body has grown rapidly. In just 3 years, the number of students has tripled, with some 1,100 enrolled at the start of the 2023 academic year.
The range of programmes offered on the Tours campus has also expanded significantly:
- Excelia Business School: Master in Management (equivalent to 5 years of post-High School education), Bachelor in Business (equivalent to 3 years of post-High School education), and 6 Master of Science programmes including Management Control & Business Intelligence, Wealth Management, Digital Marketing, Marketing & Sales Management, Purchasing & Supply Chain Management, and Human Resources Strategy & Development (equivalent to 5 years of post-High School education)
- Excelia Tourism School: Bachelor in Tourism & Hospitality Management (equivalent to 3 years of post-High School education), MSc in International Tourism & Destination Development (equivalent to 5 years of post-High School education)
- Excelia Communication School: Bachelor in Digital Communication & Strategy (equivalent to 3 years of post-High School education)
- Real Estate: Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Operations (equivalent to 3 years of post-High School education), MSc in Real Estate Development (equivalent to 5 years of post-High School education)
The new campus will have a total capacity of up to 2,000 students and Excelia aims to welcome some 1,500 by 2025.
An additional smart campus for Excelia
As with all of its campuses, the Excelia building in Tours will embody the group’s vision for the education of the future. It will provide students with innovative learning spaces, drawing in particular on immersive technologies. A total of €2 million is being invested to equip the campus with the latest audiovisual equipment, a solid IT infrastructure, and suitable furniture for the different learning and student life areas. This will enable the Tours facility to be fully connected to Excelia’s other campuses.
The group’s strategy involves providing an education offer that meets the rapidly evolving skills and demands of organisations. This future campus in Tours, for example, will provide innovative learning environments that will foster and encourage the exchange and sharing of ideas. Excelia’s latest building marks a new phase in the group’s strategy of implementing its new model for learning. The introduction of this smart campus follows Excelia’s acquisition of an ultra-connected campus on its Paris site, in addition to the implementation of the XL Factory on its La Rochelle and Orleans campuses.
Excelia’s future campus – Facts & Figures
- May 2023: site works begin
- 24 months: duration of building works
- May 2025: scheduled opening date
- 5 300m2 : floor space
- 2 000 : student capacity
- €18 million (excl. VAT): project budget
