Top American business schools are not the only ones expanding worldwide in an effort to widen their global footprint; European b-schools are also setting up new foreign outposts…in the United States, reports a recent BusinessWeek article.
Reaching out to American students is not a new concept for European business schools which have been recruiting American students for the last ten years or so to attend their Europe-based programs. Now, top European business schools are taking this initiative one step further—by opening up satellite campuses on American turf. What better way to attract American students to European MBA programs than to open European business schools in America?
One European business school, Spain's IESE, opened its New York campus last month. The six-story building, located on West 57th Street, won't be offering an MBA program, but will host executive training programs, a research center, and will serve as an activity base for corporate sponsors and alumni. IESE's goal is to use the New York campus to attract more American students to their Barcelona- and Madrid-based MBA programs. IESE's incoming MBA class is about 12-15% American. (You can view a BusinessWeek video interview with the dean of IESE, Jordi Canals, here.)
Manchester Business School is another popular European b-school that has recently entered the U.S. market. Its plan includes setting up a campus in Miami that will house the school's global part-time MBA program. The school chose Miami as its new home away from home since there are currently no other top business schools in that area, and since the city is so close to so many Fortune 500 company headquarters. "We felt we could be the highest ranked B-school in the region and also have access to the Caribbean, South America, and other markets," explained Michael Luger, Manchester Business School dean.
A third European b-school planning on setting up shop in the U.S. this year is France's largest business school, SKEMA. SKEMA's ambitious global expansion plans include partnering with North Carolina State University's full-time MBA program, setting up collaborative, dual degree programs with the school, and opening up a nearby 30,000 square-foot campus in Raleigh, North Carolina.
But will American students embrace these new European programs on American soil, asks the BusinessWeek article? After all, when U.S. students choose to get their MBAs abroad, isn't the reason, at least in part, because the European programs are shorter, less expensive, and more diverse? How will the European programs in America compare on those three concerns? Also, will these new programs have strong enough recruiting relationships with American companies? Will these European schools in American prepare students adequately for a career in Europe? What about in America?
These questions remain unanswered, for now. We'll see how these new programs fare over the course of the next year and get back to you.
In the meantime, if you're considering applying to business school—either in the United States or abroad—and could use our assistance, then you should get an early start by checking out our early bird special and saving 10%! Enter coupon code EB10 at checkout.
Related Accepted.com Resources:
- International Student Applications Up at American Graduate Schools
- B-Schools Search Globally for International Students
- International Students Opt out of American MBA Programs
- Latin American Universities Embrace Globalized Education
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