The European University Center (CEU) has chosen to participate in the ORION program to introduce students from the Master’s programs in International Public Relations and Management and Strategies of Companies in Europe to research work at the ENSIC premises. Tourya Guaaybess, Professor of Information and Communication Sciences, and Vincent Fromentin, Professor of Management, supervised this collaboration between the two programs.

The ORION program allows students to discover and put into practice multidisciplinary research work. Its goal is to initiate the student community into research so that they can meet the challenges of tomorrow. To provide a common thread for students throughout the day, program coordinators chose a theme common to both courses: “Communication, Finance, and Sustainable Development: Ethical Challenges in a Changing World.” This topic was not chosen randomly; it reflects the concerns of the students themselves.

Can finance, communication and sustainability be interconnected?

That’s the question students had to confront in order to write a brief article. To proceed with the article, students, in groups of four, combined their reflections. They had to agree on a topic, a problem, hypotheses, and a brief literature review before choosing a case study. Meals from Crous and even water bottles were funded by the Orion program, allowing students to focus on the essential task of producing the article in record time!

The same subject with different perspectives and questions.

After the lunch break, paths became clearer, ideas flowed, and students saw the end of their efforts. Several groups agreed to unveil the behind-the-scenes of their research. One group focused on the eco-responsible dimension of finance, specifically that of Crédit Agricole Bank. They questioned the transparency of companies in their “eco-responsible” communication campaigns. Another group delved into how an investment fund can develop a communication strategy highlighting a genuine concern for sustainability, using the example of the Mirova fund.

Other groups explored the link between religion, finance, and ethics. They sought to understand the topic of Islamic banks and their financing about social and solidarity dimensions. This theme inspired many students, but from different perspectives. The exchanges between groups demonstrated the diversity of possible approaches to the same subject. Another fascinating topic was sustainable communication, which led to reflections on the contradiction between the increasing environmental awareness of individuals and the goals of finance “puppeteers” more inclined toward “greenwashing.” One could almost conclude that conventional profit-oriented banks should follow the example of religious banks (Islamic and Catholic), which are more attentive to individuals and emphasize an ethical dimension.

So many topics, so many questions… but who will be the winner? Indeed, this intense work was far from being taken lightly by the students. The articles judged the best by the supervisors will be published on various sites, including that of the European University Center. Moreover, to reward this research, prizes are at stake. One might question the competition among students in the context of this research-focused day, but the cheerful atmosphere prevailed over any other consideration.

Article by Dina Benazzi and Faustine Miraucourt