Jean-Pierre Ferret: ‘Teaching goes beyond academic progress’
Founder (1997) and Director of the Périgueux Business School – Alliance Européenne, Jean-Pierre Ferret combines rigour, innovation and ambition. He tells us about his passion for education and his determination to meet students’ needs.
Can you tell us about your career so far?
Following a master’s in law and a degree from Sciences Po Paris, I taught courses in various BTS [vocational] programmes in the Paris region. My students were wonderful and very motivated, but I had the feeling that their needs were not really being met.
Is that why you set up your own institution?
Yes. I think teaching should first and foremost help students to broaden their horizons. For that reason, our students are encouraged to go to the opera here in Bordeaux, to attend economics conferences and to participate in the FEDE’s own academic conferences! Our institution places an emphasis on contemporary issues relating to culture, economics, humanities, management and human resources.
What would you say is special about your institution?
I’ll start with a statistic: 80% of our first-year students (we have between 70 and 90) stay on until master’s level. In other words, our institution is a place where they wish to stay and keep learning. I think that’s probably because they can sense that we prioritise stability and professionalism at every level. And in fact, we’ve had the same teachers for over 20 years. Additionally, our students are encouraged, right through from bachelor’s to master’s level, to take an interest in the world beyond our walls.
