1. What is an Executive MBA, how is it different from the classic MBA?
An Executive MBA is a part-time programme. Participants keep their job while studying.
2. What sets your MBA apart from other Executive MBA programmes?
Ranked 2nd in the world in 2014 by the Financial Times for the international focus of its classes and career progression (a 70% average salary increase), the Executive MBA is the flagship programme of the ESCP Europe continuous training department.
It offers a unique innovative, intercultural management and customisable training at five of ESCP Europe’s six campuses (Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid and Turin) and in five countries outside of Europe. Five study tracks are available: Paris, London-Berlin, Madrid, Turin, and the ’Itinerant’ track (which takes in all five campuses).
Our programme is highly customisable: it can be studied over 18 or 30 months according to the participant’s preferences. It comprises of nine core courses, nine elective modules (chosen from a portfolio of 45 options), five one-week international seminars, and an international consulting project (ICP). Executive MBA courses are mainly taught by permanent faculty who have their offices on-campus.
3. Why should prospective students choose to study in Europe, at your business school?
The customisable Executive MBA is unique in its structure, taught as it is across five European campuses. It has stood out on the international stage for over 20 years, something which is reflected in our rankings year after year.
It is notably ranked 16th worldwide by the Financial Times and 2nd for both its international orientation and career progression, with an average 70% increase in salary.
With its small classes (81 participants divided into several tracks for the Class of 2016) and diverse profiles, the programme promotes interaction with the faculty and between participants, basing its innovative teaching on a collaborative approach and deeply human values.
Finally, group works - such as the 12-month international consulting project (ICP) – give participants a real experience of multicultural management of strategic projects.
4. Who is the ideal candidate for your EMBA programme?
We are looking for experienced managers who wish to develop the international aspect of their leadership and expertise while keeping their job.
The participants recruited are high-potential managers with at least five years of experience in management positions and who are looking to boost their careers in a collaborative, open-minded part-time programme.
5. How is your business school programme different from that of a US-based business school?
Our programme offers a unique European identity.
6. How diverse and international are your EMBA cohorts?
The profiles of our cohorts are highly diverse: the Class of 2016 consists of 81 participants from 27 different countries (Europe, Americas, Asia, Middle East and Africa) and various professional sectors, of whom a third are French and 25% female.
7. How is studying an EMBA programme at your institution beneficial to the (global) careers of your graduates?
Thanks to the diversity of the participants as well as the various study locations for the courses, our participants gain extensive international exposure (reflected in our global #2 ranking for International Experience by the Financial Times).
Participants develop an international network within their class, and also with the ESCP Europe Alumni network (45,000 members all over the world). Our Executive MBA was also ranked 2nd in the world in 2014 by the Financial Times for the career progression (a 70% average salary increase).
8. What would you say to busy executives who struggle to find the time to do anything but work, let alone “going back to school”? How does your EMBA programme accommodate their busy schedules?
Our programme is very customisable: participants can choose the study track that suits best their schedules. To succeed in their Executive MBA, participants need to be very well organised and efficient so that they can delegate back at the office when needed. Participants also need the support of their family.
9. How does the curriculum adapt to the shifting world economy?
The curriculum is revised each year by the Programme Advisory Board; more specifically the portfolio of elective courses evolves with the business environment expectations. In recent years we have introduced electives such as ‘Women in Leadership’, ‘Entrepreneurial toolbox’ and ‘Business Ethics’ to reflect the ever-changing nature of today’s global business landscape. In 2015, we created a new partnership with Johnson Business School at Cornell, which has hosted our ‘Leading for Innovation’ seminar since April 2015.
10. Where does the faculty/teaching staff hail from?
Courses on the Executive MBA are taught mainly by permanent faculty. All permanent faculty members at ESCP Europe hold a PhD and regularly publish research papers in prestigious international journals. All the other teaching staff hold at least a Master degree in their field of specialisation and are experienced practitioners within their business sector.
