In 2026, the BRIO program will celebrate 20 years of commitment to equal opportunity. Launched in Nantes in collaboration with several prestigious universities and 15 partner high schools, this flagship program designed to support students’ transition to higher education is now entering a new phase of its development with its expansion into the Île-de-France region.
Certified as a “Cordée de la Réussite” since 2009, the program will continue to pursue the same goal in Paris: to make access to all higher education pathways more inclusive and to enable every young person to build their future based on their potential, ambition, and aspirations.
Supported by the Audencia Foundation, BRIO Paris will begin recruiting in the 2027 school year, targeting volunteer high school juniors from priority neighborhoods, priority education networks, or programs promoting social inclusion, within general, technical, and vocational high schools.
Rolled out primarily in Saint-Ouen and Saint-Denis, the initiative aims to bring together, starting with its first cohort, at least three partner high schools and a group of 25 high school students who will receive support over a 12-month period.
True to BRIO’s long-standing model, the program will be built on several core pillars:
* group mentoring provided by college students, particularly those from the Grande École Program,
* cultural and civic engagement,
* exploration of higher education and career paths,
* as well as guidance on academic choices and career planning.
This initiative in the Paris region is fully aligned with the City of Saint-Ouen’s commitment to social inclusion and the educational priorities of Seine-Saint-Denis. It also helps strengthen the local roots of Audencia’s Paris campus and is part of the STOA 2030 strategic plan, which lists among its priorities the goal of “giving everyone the means to succeed.”
The launch of BRIO Paris is part of a broader effort by Audencia to strengthen its initiatives promoting inclusion and social access.
In particular, the school is continuing its policy of providing financial support to students receiving scholarships. Effective immediately, students in scholarship tier 7 will have their tuition fully covered for the Grande École Program. Students in tiers 5 and 6 will have their tuition fully covered during their first year. These measures complement existing initiatives: reduced tuition fees, internal scholarships, and emergency aid from the Audencia Foundation.
Audencia is also launching a new “equal opportunity” scholarship, supported by partner companies through the Audencia Foundation. This initiative aims to support several priority groups facing greater barriers to accessing higher education and employment: students with disabilities, young people from priority neighborhoods or low-income families, international students, and students who are caregivers. This scholarship will combine financial support, mentoring, corporate internships, and enhanced guidance toward professional integration.
Finally, the school is strengthening its support for apprenticeships through the Career Booster program. This program will provide candidates with personalized guidance from Audencia’s career consultants, interview preparation tools, AI-assisted simulations, and support designed to build self-confidence. Eventually, a mentoring program involving Audencia’s alumni community in the Île-de-France region will round out this initiative.
Through all of these initiatives, Audencia and its Foundation reaffirm a strong conviction: access to a prestigious business school and higher education should never depend on students’ economic or social circumstances, but rather on their potential and ambition.
