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SKEMA and IHEDN Join Forces: Students Delve into Taiwan’s Future in 2040
Taiwan is one of today’s key geopolitical hotspots. Against this backdrop, students from SKEMA Business School’s MSc Business Consulting and Decision Intelligence (BCDI) programme projected themselves into the year 2040 to explore potential future scenarios for the region. This strategic foresight exercise took place at the École Militaire in Paris, as part of a brain game organised in collaboration with the Institut des Hautes Études de Défense Nationale (IHEDN).
The IHEDN welcomed SKEMA students to the École Militaire for this high-level strategic foresight initiative. Paul Le Bayon and Lucie Freon, both second-year MSc BCDI students, along with Sixtine Pionin, vice-president of the SDEC student association, took on this challenge alongside IHEDN experts.
Designed by Guillaume Lasconjarias, Head of the IHEDN Studies and Research Department, the scenario provided students with expert guidance throughout the Brain Game, sharpening their analytical skills and understanding of foresight methodologies.
Immersion in Strategic Foresight
Participants applied a structured methodology inspired by IHEDN’s analytical frameworks. The approach was built around key phases: identifying regional stakeholders, conducting a PESTEL analysis of influencing factors, and developing prospective scenarios.
“What I particularly appreciated was how easily we could grasp the case beforehand, thanks to the structured introduction by Guillaume Lasconjarias, which framed the exercise perfectly. I was also struck by how cognitive biases influence our reasoning,” said Marie Trüb, a Master’s student in BCDI.
Students explored multiple potential futures, including Taiwan’s deeper economic integration into the Asia-Pacific region, scenarios of heightened geopolitical tensions, and the emergence of new strategic alliances. Each scenario involved a detailed analysis of the potential responses of key players identified during the exercise.
Developing Strategic Expertise for the Future
This immersive experience enabled students to hone essential skills in geopolitical analysis, strategic thinking, and managing complex global challenges. The expertise provided by IHEDN specialists enhanced their ability to adopt a global strategic vision—an invaluable asset in the business world.
The analytical and foresight tools they acquired will help them anticipate and adapt to the evolving international economic landscape.
For further insights into opportunities within the military, reserves, or the defence sector, SKEMA’s Defence Representative, Olivier Lasmoles, is available to provide guidance and answer any questions.
