Gift establishes The Norman Bernard Endowed Scholarship
INSEAD, The Business School for the World, today announced a gift from alumna Claire Gouzouli MBA’85D and the Estate of Norman Bernard, valued at €1.2 million, to establish The Norman Bernard Endowed Scholarship. Beginning in 2027, this endowed scholarship will support talented women from developing countries who have been selected to pursue INSEAD’s top-ranked international MBA programme.
Norman Bernard and Claire Gouzouli MBA’85D
Established in memory of Claire’s late husband, Norman Bernard,
it builds on the couple’s commitment to girls’ and women’s education
spanning decades. “For more than 40 years, Norman and I supported
girls’ access to education because we believed deeply in the
opportunities that education can create,” said Claire Gouzouli MBA’85D.
“With this scholarship, we wanted to take that commitment further by
supporting women at MBA level, at a point in their lives when education,
confidence and a global network can multiply their impact.
INSEAD changed the course of my own life. I want other women to
have that same opportunity and to use it to create positive change
in business and society.”
The gift builds on INSEAD’s ongoing efforts to broaden access to its MBA and advance gender diversity across its degree programmes. The school remains committed to moving even closer to gender parity. “Claire’s gift is powerful not only because it opens the door to INSEAD for talented women, but because of the impact those women can go on to create,” said Mark Stabile, Dean of Degree Programmes and Dean of the Europe Campus at INSEAD. “Scholarships can make a real difference at a pivotal stage in women’s careers, while also enriching the MBA experience through the perspectives and experiences recipients bring to the classroom. Over time, that impact extends into our alumni network, businesses and communities around the world.”
Scholarships are essential to INSEAD’s ability to attract exceptional talent regardless of background and financial circumstances and to enable a more gender-balanced cohort. Women now represent nearly 40% of MBA participants, up from around 30% a decade ago. In parallel, the share of MBA students receiving scholarship support has risen from 23% in 2016 again to close to 40% in 2026, with 335 students receiving financial aid today. This progress has been made possible in large part through the generosity of alumni and donors. INSEAD is deeply grateful to Claire Gouzouli MBA’85D and to all donors whose support helps expand opportunity for talented students.
Claire’s commitment to INSEAD extends well beyond philanthropy. Since graduating, she has given her time, experience and leadership to the school — serving as President of the UK National Alumni Association, becoming the first woman President of the INSEAD Alumni Association, interviewing prospective students, and contributing through the INSEAD International Council.
