Social and Solidarity-based Economy (ESS) Master’s Degree: Solidarity-based Finance and Business Management (FIGES) pathway

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The majority of our courses are taught in French. We invite you to also have a look at the list of courses offered in English at Rennes 2.

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texte

This Master’s course comprises two years of postgraduate studies or equivalent. It is co-accredited by the universities of Rennes 2 and Rennes 1, each with their own specific pathway in the second year. ESS has been institutionalized since the Law of 31 July 2014 as an economic sector in its own right and is based on social enterprises with the following status: associative including NGOs, mutual, cooperative, foundation, or endowment funds. These pursue a social or general local development goal, and most management surpluses are used to finance their sustainability and/or expansion. According to national statistics, the ESS represents more than 10% of France’s GDP and more than 10% of total employment.

Objectives

FIGES pathway: a work-study programme to prepare students for senior management and director positions in social enterprises or as project leaders and financers of entrepreneurial projects and social enterprises in the ESS field at the local, national, European and international levels. Students acquire skills in designing and implementing support mechanisms and funding systems (ethical, participative and/or solidarity-based) for ESS companies and local development in ways that are socially sustainable, economically viable and environmentally friendly.

Skills

  • Proficiency in the fundamentals of economic, social and legal environments and of the policies of French and international social enterprises.

  • Adapting the tools and management methods of social enterprises using a constructive and critical approach,

  • Developing and monitoring ESS projects at the economic, accounting, financial, legal and regulatory levels up to the point of programme and/or project assessment.

Course Content

Year 1 is common to both second-year pathways and is taught at Rennes 2. In addition to the classes in economics, law and management, sociology and political science as applied to the ESS field taught by lecturer-researchers, there is input from industry professionals from ESS institutions and small and medium social enterprises.

Year 2 includes two pathways: FIGES (Rennes 2) and Project Analysis and Sustainable Development (APDD) (Rennes 1). FIGES is a work-study pathway (one week per month at the university and three weeks per month in ESS organizations) and includes an introduction to research for students wishing to pursue doctoral studies (PhD employee in a ESS company with an industrial agreement on training through research (CIFRE) contract).