Since the creation of this experiential learning initiative, unique of its kind in France, more than 10 000 Humacité© projects have been carried out, 75% of them abroad. Excelia’s flagship initiative, incorporated into the curriculum of 100% of its programmes, enables students to combine their academic studies with international experience and a civic or humanitarian project that has a strong social impact.
A pioneering experiential initiative
In 2004, long before ‘student experiences’ became a priority in higher education,
Excelia launched Humacité©. An innovative approach to education, offering students experience-based learning that enables them to develop a greater awareness of the issues surrounding them and to foster the human qualities that are essential for their future professional lives. As a hallmark of ‘Excelian’ values namely Sharing, Humanity, Courage, Responsibility, Commitment, Humacité© offers every student the opportunity to get involved in a solidarity project lasting 6 - 8 weeks.
Documentary: Humacité©, an unforgettable student experience
In this video, you can follow three students carrying out their solidarity project in Mauritius, supporting children and their families whilst dealing with the day-to-day challenges of this humanitarian experience.
The majority of projects take place overseas
75% of Humacité© projects take place abroad. In 2023 and 2024, students headed to 44 countries, with Africa and Asia being the preferred destinations. The remaining 25% of students also discover the importance of a Humacité© project, this time in France, with partner associations such as Secours Populaire, Les Auxiliaires des Aveugles, AFP France Handicap, Banque Alimentaire, Les Restos du Cœur.
Dedicated support for students and a high level of satisfaction
In putting in place their Humacité© project, students benefit from extensive support from Excelia. Indeed, there is a department entirely dedicated to it, which has a vast database of host structures whose quality and compliance with a standards framework is rigorously controlled. The team provides assistance to students, before, during and after their project.
“We check and validate each Humacité© agreement individually, and when the host organisation is not known to the school, we carry out rigorous checks. The criteria for validating a project are demanding and include safety, the nature of the social action carried out by the host organisation and the quality of the supervision it provides. A Humacité© project is not about ‘tourism’; we thoroughly prepare our students for what awaits them in the field.”
“We check and validate each Humacité© agreement individually, and when the host organisation is not known to the school, we carry out rigorous checks. The criteria for validating a project are demanding and include safety, the nature of the social action carried out by the host organisation and the quality of the supervision it provides. A Humacité© project is not about ‘tourism’; we thoroughly prepare our students for what awaits them in the field.”Sophie Pauget, Head of Humacité© & Climacité© at Excelia
Humacité©, a powerful project creating inspiring and sometimes unique stories
In all the feedback received, the students agree that Humacité© was a unique part of their lives, as described by Olivier Couzin, MiM Class of 2009, Senior Internal Auditor, Pictet Group (Luxembourg):
“Undertaking a Humacité© project was a unique opportunity offered by the school, a real asset for my personal development and a distinctive feature on my CV that not only attracts interest at interview but also when talking to people in my everyday life. This enriching experience enables you to draw on your soft skills and open-mindedness. It’s great that a school can offer such an initiative that has real impact; it’s an unforgettable experience and excellent preparation for the business world.”
And occasionally, a Humacité© project reveals a quite remarkable story, like that of Ariane Carlier, who spent 2 months in Bogota, Colombia, with the Fundación para la Asistencia de la Niñez Abandonada, an orphanage in which she herself had lived as an infant:
“I was adopted by this foundation when I was 2 months old. During the application process for the major business schools, I naturally chose Excelia Business School as it offered the Humacité© project. I always knew that I would return to the orphanage as a volunteer.”
