Two new joint degree programmes fuse business and engineering

Toulouse Business School and the School of Mines in Albi, both French institutions in the Midi-Pyrénées region, are strengthening their partnership with the development of two joint degree programs. From September 2015 the two institutions will offer an international MSc known as SCALE (Supply Chain And LEan Management), dedicated to supply chain and lean management.

Also, as of the 2016 school year, an “Engineer-Manager” double-degree will allow students to obtain, in four years, two Grade II Master diplomas issued respectively by Toulouse Business School’s Master in Management programme and Mines Albi School of Mines.

MSc Scale, a unique, high-value degree

From September 2015, Toulouse Business School (TBS) and the School of Mines in Albi will offer a joint Master of Science, the MSc SCALE (Supply Chain And Lean Management).

The purpose of this joint degree is to apply training methods in flow management and lean management to an international context. The added value and unique selling point of this joint degree programme is that it integrates the preparation of 4 international business certifications*: BASICS of SCM from APICS, CAPM from the PMI, Lean-6 Sigma Green Belt from IIBLC and CDDP from the DDI.

Aiming to attract a broad range of profiles and taught entirely in English, the programme will be made up of 90% international students.

“For the supply chain and production management business, recruiters traditionally have the choice between engineers with highly specialized technical skills but who do not always have the necessary soft skills, or managers from business schools who lack prerequisite technical abilities. This is why our two schools decided to set up a new programme combining the two approaches,” said Uche Okongwu, Director of Outlook and Pedagogical Innovation at TBS.

On the practical side, the SCALE MSc courses will be taught principally on TBS’ campus in Toulouse, for a period of 18 months (two semesters with one semester in an internship or a laboratory research thesis).

A second double degree for high-level “Engineer-Managers”

In September 2016, TBS and the School of Mines in Albi will propose a second new double degree at the end of which, in 4 years, students will obtain two Grade II Master degrees, awarded by each institution. This new programme will allow participants to acquire the skills essential to the practice of management in the technology-oriented sector. This double degree meets a need clearly expressed by companies.

Depending on their school of origin, students opt for one of the following possibilities:

• After 2 years at TBS (L3 + M1) > 2 years at the School of Mines in Albi (M1 + M2)
• After 2 years at the School of Mines in Albi (L3 + M1) > 2 years at TBS (M1 + M2).

The projects and internships will be co-tutored by teachers from the two schools.

This programme will be offered to students in the second year of the Grande Ecole programme in the Spring of 2016, with courses beginning in the next academic year. Students will be selected on academic criteria, motivation and professional projects.

“Dual expertise for engineer-managers is highly sought by our industrial partners. While TBS frequently trains engineers on its Specialized Master’s programmes, the opposite – managers who study a technical component – is rare. This dual degree is about restoring the balance,” said Isabelle Assassi, Director of Initial Training Programmes at TBS.

Press contact: Neil Atherton at Noir sur Blanc
Tel. +33 (0)1 41 43 72 83 / E-mail:

About Toulouse Business School

Founded in 1903 by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Toulouse, Toulouse Business School now has three campuses (Toulouse, Barcelona and Casablanca) and an antenna in Paris. TBS offers six study programs (Master in Management, Bachelor program, Specialized Masters, MBA programs, Executive Education programs and a CPA for continuous learning). Its mission: To train high-level decision makers from all walks of life and regardless of where they will ultimately exercise their responsibilities; to contribute to advancing knowledge in the major management disciplines through the TBS Research Center.
Its programs are primarily focused on HR, marketing, finance, chartered accounting, consulting and auditing, but without neglecting cultural, humanitarian, and entrepreneurial aspects. As a key player in the Midi-Pyrénées region, Toulouse Business School also offers training in the aeronautical sector (with an Aerospace MBA, an MS in Logistics, Procurement and International Trade, an MS in Air Transport Management, etc.) jointly with partner businesses and schools.
Toulouse Business School is one of the few schools with the triple international accreditation EQUIS/AMBA/AACSB.

The school has a truly international profile, and has signed more than 150 exchange agreements with universities on every continent. There are nearly 80 different nationalities represented on the various campuses.

About Albi School of Mines

Innovating and enterprising for a sustainable future, training rigorous engineers, and boosting businesses. Inventing new products and processes through advanced research. The development of industry partners, contributing to the economic expansion of our territory … Such are the objectives of the Albi School of Mines.

The newest of France’s seven renowned « Mines » engineering schools, the Albi School of Mines is true to the model of those schools, combining for more than a century, scientific research and technological innovations into a single high-level institution.

In harmony with its environment, Albi Mines chose to specialize in niches of expertise: materials and processes for aeronautics and aerospace, energy recovery from biomass and waste, new technology and drug design, organization of business and professional networking.

In these areas, the school has attracted leading teachers and researchers, whose work is recognized internationally. Companies benefit from their support and unique scientific tools across the region, testing the feasibility of new products and processes.

The programmes at Albi Mines, which is increasingly diversified, offers courses and apprenticeship programmes in English for international students and executives, as well as training for students after their preparatory classes, also based on the same expertise.