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In September 2023, IÉSEG launched a new elective course, “Be Mindful@IESEG,” dedicated to student well-being. Designed for Bachelor’s students in the Grande École Program, the course was developed by Julie BAYLE-CORDIER, a professor at IÉSEG and Doctor in Strategic Management. She is also certified in mindfulness meditation with the MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program at Brown University in the United States.

BAYLE-CORDIER collaborated with the Academic Director of the Grande École Program and the Academic Affairs Department to address a need expressed by Bachelor cycle students. “Studies speak for themselves… since the COVID crisis, anxiety and stress among young people have been on the rise worldwide. We wanted to develop a course to help our students better manage their stress and find a better work-life balance,” explains Julie.

A course inspired by best practices

Drawing on her experience and research, Julie BAYLE-CORDIER drew inspiration from the latest scientific research on happiness, stress reduction, and mindfulness meditation for young adults. This new course integrates multiple mindfulness meditation techniques, as well as the latest academic research (including that of Harvard professor Tal Ben-Shahar) to offer an integrative approach that combines mind and body, allowing students to better balance their lives in all dimensions.

“I wanted to provide students with a space where they can not only learn to meditate but also explore essential themes such as stress management, addictions, interpersonal relationships, and the search for meaning in their professional and personal lives.”

Julie BAYLE-CORDIER, Professor and Doctor in Strategic Management

This unique program aims to provide students with a comprehensive toolkit to navigate the challenges of student life while fostering lasting and profound happiness.

A unique and innovative structure

The 16-hour Be Mindful@IESEG course takes place weekly on both campuses, and is divided into six sessions of 2.5 hours each, spread over two months. Each session occurs in the Wellness Room on the Paris campus and in a specially designed room on the Lille campus, where students are encouraged to practice kindness. This course awards 2 ECTS credits, with a short essay required at the end of the semester.

Workshops cover a different theme during each session, ranging from reconnecting with the body to managing thoughts and emotions, to releasing our automatisms and addictions, and improving interpersonal relationships through compassionate communication. A mindful walk in nature is also on the program, highlighting the importance of reconnecting with nature to promote a happy life.

A positive impact on students

Students who have taken the course have reported a significant improvement in their stress management and have discovered a new way to interact with their peers. “This course has given me a deeply enriching and different perspective from anything I’ve experienced in a traditional academic setting. I realized that, despite our differences, we all have the same issues and questions,” says one student.

The goal is now to make this elective available to as many students as possible.

“We started with a small experimental group last year, but we hope that this course will develop significantly on both the Paris and Lille campuses, starting in autumn 2024, to give many students the opportunity to find a better work-life balance. This course not only teaches how to better manage stress but also how to better know oneself in order to better deploy one’s intellectual and human potential.”

Julie BAYLE-CORDIER

This mindfulness course is part of a broader initiative at IÉSEG, aimed at training leaders who are not only professionally competent but also personally fulfilled.