A new chapter is opening, in a place designed to support Excelia's development and embody its ambitions. At the beginning of May 2025, the Tours campus welcomed all our teams.
This achievement serves two of Excelia’s strategic goals. Firstly, its sustainable design reinforces the institution’s leadership in ecological transition. Secondly, its advanced technological facilities contribute to Excelia’s commitment to reinventing education through innovative teaching methods.
The Tours campus has opened its doors
The creation of Excelia’s new campus in Tours is the result of numerous collaborations: Emmanuel Denis, Mayor of Tours and President of SET (Touraine Development Corporation) and SEPALE; Frédéric Augis, President of Tours Métropole Val de Loire; Bruno Neil, CEO of Excelia; Ludovic Malbet, architect at Mu Architecture; as well as representatives from Crédit Agricole and Caisse d’Épargne, the financial partners.
Located in the heart of the 2 Lions district, a rapidly developing area offering all university amenities (restaurants and student housing) and future local shops, the 5,500 m2 building required 24 months of construction before welcoming Excelia students and staff into this new space.
A new setting for a growing student population
Since Excelia first opened in Tours in 2020 with 340 students, enrolment has continuously increased. In 2023, there were 1,100 students, and over 1,200 are expected in 2025.
The range of programmes has also significantly expanded:
- Excelia Business School: Master Grande Ecole (Bac +5), Bachelor Business (Bac +3), and 6 MScs: Management Control & Business Intelligence; Wealth Management; Digital Marketing; Sales and Marketing Management; Procurement & Supply Chain Management; Human Resources (Bac +5)
- Excelia Hotel & Tourism School: Bachelor Tourism Management, Bachelor Hotel Management (Bac +3), MSc Strategies for Transformation and Innovation in Tourism (Bac +5)
- Excelia Communication School: Bachelor in Communication and Digital Strategies (Bac +3)
- Real Estate Department: MSc in Real Estate Services Management (Bac +5)
This new campus can accommodate up to 2,000 students.
An additional smart campus for Excelia
Like all of its campuses, Excelia’s building in Tours reflects the group’s vision of tomorrow’s education. Providing students with innovative learning spaces, particularly through immersive technologies, was central to the project. €2 million were allocated to equip the campus with audio/video systems, IT infrastructure, and furniture designed for both learning and student life. These facilities also ensure the Tours site is fully connected with Excelia’s other campuses.
The group’s strategy prioritises an educational offer that responds to the rapid evolution of skills and organisational needs. As exemplified by the Tours campus, this offer thrives in innovative learning spaces that encourage interaction and idea-sharing. The opening of this new campus marks another milestone in the implementation of Excelia’s learning organisation model. The deployment of this “smart campus” follows the acquisition of a hyper-connected site in Paris and the launch of the XL Factories in La Rochelle and Orléans.
An eco-responsible campus built with wood and straw insulation
The building’s architecture is innovative, combining a wooden frame with straw insulation. Contrary to misconceptions inspired by the tale of the Three Little Pigs, this choice of materials ensures not only high fire resistance—due to the straw’s density, which prevents oxygen circulation—but also provides excellent thermal insulation, keeping spaces cool in summer and warm in winter. The project aligns with an ecological approach, offering a healthy, fully biodegradable living environment. It is the first public-use building in Tours to adopt this sustainable construction method, joining over 5,000 other buildings across France already insulated with straw.
The Excelia Tours campus at a glance
- May 2025: opening date
- 5,500 m2: total area
- 2,000: student capacity
