A Week of Real-World Learning in Barcelona: Voyage-Langue Groups at ESEI
From 20 to 25 April 2026, three groups of French students arrived at ESEI International Business School in Barcelona as part of the France Compétences educational programme, organised through the Voyage-Langue agency. In total, more than 77 students from seven different programmes spent the week engaging with industry professionals, exploring the city and earning 12 hours of academic content delivered entirely in English.
The three groups brought together students from a wide range of postgraduate programmes, including communications management, sports business management, sales and profit centre management, real estate, tourism, digital project management and software development. Despite their different academic backgrounds, all three groups shared a common experience: a week in one of Europe’s most international cities, learning from practitioners working at the frontier of their fields.
The Groups
Group 1 brought together 29 students from the School of Sport Business and IFAG, studying Master’s programmes in Managing Marketing and Communication Strategies and Sales and Profit Center Management. Their week focused on the theme of management.
Group 2 comprised 28 students from SUP DE COM, studying a Master’s in Communications Management. Their programme was built around the theme of communication strategy.
Group 3 brought together 20 students from SUP IMMO, HTBS, LA DIGITAL SCHOOL and LEARN IT, with backgrounds spanning real estate, tourism and hospitality, digital strategy and software development. Their programme was themed around digital innovation and sustainable hospitality.
An Introduction to ESEI
Each group began their time at ESEI with an overview presentation, giving students a grounding in the school’s international business education approach and an introduction to Barcelona’s position as one of Europe’s leading cities for business, technology and innovation. For many students, studying in an English-language environment alongside peers from a different country was itself a meaningful part of the experience.
The Workshops
Each group followed a tailored three-workshop programme designed to connect directly with their academic and professional profiles.
Group 1: Management
Students from the School of Sport Business and IFAG completed three workshops focused on the practical dimensions of modern management.
Data-Driven Decision Making and Business Intelligence with Adam Goldhorp gave students a hands-on introduction to how data and business intelligence tools inform strategic and commercial decisions in organisations today.
Intrapreneurship: Launching a Venture Within with Antoine Delmas introduced students to the mindset and skills required to drive innovation from inside an existing organisation, a quality increasingly valued by employers across every sector.
Agile Leadership and Cross-Functional Team Synergy with Daria Vaguina brought the week together with a focus on leadership, exploring how to build high-performing teams and lead effectively in environments where adaptability and collaboration are essential.
Group 2: Communication
Students from SUP DE COM completed three workshops focused on the evolving landscape of brand communication and digital strategy.
GEO and the Search Everywhere Strategy with Kate Busby, Fractional CMO and AI Marketing Professor at ESEI, introduced students to how AI-powered search is reshaping content strategy and what it means to reach audiences across every platform where they are now searching.
Building Communities Around Brands: The Power of Engagement with Arie Elbelman R., founder of LEON Marketing and ESEI professor, explored how brands build lasting loyalty through genuine community and engagement rather than broadcast communication.
Omni-Channel Narrative Mapping with Cem Gorer gave students a framework for designing consistent, connected brand stories across every touchpoint a customer encounters, from social media and email to live events and in-store experiences.
Group 3: Digital Innovation in Tourism & Real Estate Management
Students from SUP IMMO, HTBS, LA DIGITAL SCHOOL and LEARN IT completed three workshops at the intersection of digital innovation and sustainable business practice.
Immersive Storytelling and Spatial Marketing with Carlos Montanya Atoche introduced students to how brands and spaces use storytelling and experiential design to create deeper connections with audiences.
From Eco-Friendly to Regenerative Luxury Branding with Josep Maria Capella explored how hospitality and property brands are moving beyond sustainability as a marketing label towards a genuinely regenerative approach to business and brand identity.
The Circular Smart Hotel: Green Tech and ESG with Ariel Castillo brought the theme home with a deep dive into how smart hotel technology, circular economy principles and ESG frameworks are reshaping the hospitality and real estate sectors.
Industry Visits
In addition to their workshops, all groups visited the Estrella Damm factory in Barcelona, one of Spain’s most iconic beer brands and a compelling case study in how a local company builds an international identity through storytelling, cultural relevance and consistent values.
Discovering Barcelona: The Like a Local Cultural Tour
All three groups took part in ESEI’s Cultural Tour, “Like a Local: Live the True Barcelona,” led by ESEI alumni Anton Goldshmidt. You can read more about Anton and his story in his feature on the ESEI website. Delivered in subgroups across different days, the tour gave students the chance to experience Barcelona beyond the standard tourist circuit, exploring the neighbourhoods, culture and everyday life of a city with a genuinely distinct identity.
For students studying communications, marketing, hospitality or digital business, understanding a city and its culture is not simply a leisure activity. It is professional preparation.
Certificate of Completion
Each group concluded their programme with a Certificate of Completion ceremony, formally recognising the 12 hours of academic content completed during the week and marking the end of their educational tour at ESEI.
Explore ESEI’s Programmes
👉 If you’re considering starting your own journey in Barcelona, explore ESEI’s Short Courses, Bachelor’s and Master’s and MBA programmes and see how we can support you on your study abroad journey.
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