“Les Négociales®” Challenge: A Look Back at the Departmental Qualifying Round

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On January 27, 2026, Clermont School of Business once again hosted one of the qualifying rounds of the national “Les Négociales®” challenge, the must-attend event for sales negotiation enthusiasts.

A key highlight for the student community

Held throughout the day on the Trudaine XL campus, this qualifying round brought together 225 students, including around twenty participants from partner institutions, around a shared objective: putting their negotiation skills into practice through demanding, highly realistic professional scenarios.

A major event in the life of the School and its students, this stage also gave the Campus Connecté de Nevers cohort the opportunity to travel to Clermont to take part in the challenge, alongside students from the Business Development specialisation of the Bachelor in International Management.

Full immersion in the world of negotiation

Throughout the day, participants faced two practical sales negotiation cases developed in collaboration with EPSON France and LYRECO. In line with the competition rules, each student had 10 minutes per case to convince a professional jury during one-on-one sales negotiations, creating particularly realistic role-play situations.

These simulations enabled participants to demonstrate their rigour, argumentation skills, active listening abilities, and commercial creativity, in an atmosphere that was both stimulating and professional.

See you in April for the Grand Final

At the end of the competition day, including a mini-final based on a case proposed by PEPSICO, 26 students were selected for the next stage. Among them, 25 will represent Clermont School of Business at the National Grand Final of Les Négociales®, to be held in Nancy on April 1 and 2, 2026.

Congratulations to all participants for their enthusiasm and commitment throughout this intense day. A big thank you as well to the 95 professionals who once again took part as jury members. Their expertise and availability are essential to the success of this qualifying round.

The Corporate Relations & Careers Team Clermont SB

Did you know?

A long-standing partner of the Les Négociales® Challenge, Clermont School of Business has been hosting the departmental qualifying round on its campus for the past 11 years. Recognised in 2017 as Best Qualification Centre and later awarded the title of Best School in 2025, Clermont SB has now established itself as an essential regional reference in the competition, thanks to the consistent performance of its students.

Awards and standout performances (2021–2025)

2021–2022: Even during the years marked by health restrictions in 2021 and 2022, Clermont School of Business maintained the organisation of the departmental qualifying round on its campus, ensuring students a structured and sustainable qualification experience.

2023: During the departmental round of the Les Négociales® Challenge, Clermont School of Business stood out in particular: of the 30 students qualified for the next stage of the competition, 27 were from the School, and the top three positions were taken by female students from the work-study Bachelor programme.

2024: Clermont School of Business once again hosted the departmental qualifying round. This edition was marked by the production of an immersive video following two students throughout the day as they took part in the challenge, showcasing the experience, the intensity of the events, and the School’s commitment to supporting its students.

2025: The 2025 edition will remain a historic milestone for the School: 24 Clermont SB students qualified for the National Grand Final following an intense departmental round that brought together nearly 300 students and around 100 professionals on campus. At the national final, Marganne Paulet, a Clermont School of Business student, stood out by winning the title of overall winner of the 36th edition of the competition.