The Barcelona-Sant Cugat d’Esade campus, where the school will base its new Bachelor in Business and Artificial Intelligence, welcoming its first cohort of students in fall 2026.
By the time today’s high school students graduate from college, artificial intelligence likely won’t be a skill that companies will be looking for on applicants’ resumes. This will be the infrastructure on which they operate.
Esade Business School in Spain has launched a new Bachelor of Commerce and Artificial Intelligence (BBAI) keeping this specific scenario in mind. The four-year program, taught entirely in English, is designed to graduate professionals capable of both understanding how AI systems work and deciding how they should be deployed within organizations.
The move reflects a broader shift in business education, recognizing that future leaders must master not only strategy and finance, but also machine learning, data systems and AI governance.
“THINK LIKE ENGINEERS, DECIDE LIKE MANAGERS”
The goal is not to turn students into software engineers, but to train what Esade calls “business technologists” — graduates who can understand AI systems well enough to shape the way organizations use them while translating the data into decisions, products and business models.
Jeanne Rodon
“AI is revolutionizing leadership, giving it a more strategic function designed to manage organizations where people and AI systems can coexist and complement each other,” Joan Rodon, deputy chief executive of Esade, said in a statement. “The program we designed prepares students to think like engineers but decide like managers from day one. »
The program will be highly experiential, built around real-world projects, collaborative work and applied problem solving. Students participate in hackathons, datathons, boot camps, and business simulations that require them to design and implement AI-driven business strategies.
The degree requires an international exchange semester in the fourth year, drawing on the Esade network of more than 80 partner universities around the world. Students can study at institutions in Europe, Asia or the United States. It also includes a compulsory internship, carried out in Spain or abroad, and students can opt for the Esade program. Solidarity Internships (SUD) in developing countries, applying their technical and business skills to social impact projects.
The degree is aimed at undergraduate students who are attracted to technology and innovation and want to understand how data and AI actually shape business outcomes. Applications are now open and the first cohort will begin in September 2026.
AN OPTION FOR American Students?
For decades, the United States has been the top destination for international business students. Along the same lines, fewer U.S. students enrolled abroad as international students due to the large number of international students. world-class business programs to choose from right in their own backyard. This was (and still is) especially true in undergrad.
But this dynamic may be changing. As America’s debates over academic freedom, immigration policy, and DEI intensify, more students are wondering not only where they can study, but also where they want to build their lives and careers.
Recent data from Study portalsa leading indicator of global enrollment trends, shows international student interest in studying in the United States has fallen to its lowest level since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, U.S. student interest in domestic degrees fell sharply in the first quarter of 2025, falling more than 20% year-over-year. At the same time, interest in European destinations has increased.
“Southern Europe, in particular, is seeing a surge in popularity. Portugal saw US interest increase by 23 percent in the first half of 2025, followed by Ireland (16.3 percent) and Spain (13.1 percent),” notes Benjamin Stevenin, former director of business school solutions and partnerships at Times Higher Education. in this article For Poets&Quants on Studyportals data.
“This regional expansion is not just about cost or weather. Many of these programs offer English-language instruction, more diverse international classes, and postgraduate visa policies that attract students who seek both global mobility and a foothold in the European job market.”
THE surge in prices of American institutions also forces families to rethink value, debt, and what a globally competitive degree should provide. In comparison, tuition fees for Esade’s BBAI are set at €20,500 (~$23,876), with scholarships available covering up to 100% of tuition fees.
With campuses in Barcelona and Madrid, Esade welcomes 12,000 students from more than 100 countries each year in its three academic units: the Business School, the Law School and Executive Education.
A MORE SPECIALIZED PATH TO AN AI-DRIVEN BUSINESS
While Esade proposed a double degree combining business administration and artificial intelligence since 2021, the new BBAI is a standalone and more specialized option. This strengthens the school’s presence in technology-focused education and signals a bet on where undergraduate demand is headed.
The program integrates technology into the traditional business curriculum. Over four years, students study machine learning, deep learning, data science, generative AI, natural language processing, computer vision, enterprise software development, and cloud systems. These technical courses run in parallel with finance, marketing, operations and strategy.
At the same time, Esade has made ethics and responsibility an essential element of all its degrees. Courses on legal frameworks, sustainability, and human-centered AI are integrated throughout the program, in line with the school’s broader mission around responsible leadership and social impact.
The program is based at the Esade campus in Barcelona – Sant Cugat and consists of 240 ECTS credits. The school will host a series of online Diploma information events over the coming weeks. You can register one here.
DON’T DO IT MISS: BEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS TEACHERS 2025: MÒNICA CASABAYÓ BONÀS, ESADE BUSINESS SCHOOL AND MEET CRIMSON, INDIAN KELLEY’S AI CO-TEACHER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION’S LARGEST GENAI COURSE
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