Should you take an MBA or an Executive MBA? While both programs provide impressive rates of salary uplift and create career-changing opportunities, each is aimed at a slightly different candidate.
Typically, an EMBA is designed for working professions with more work experience. With this in mind, classes and schedules are designed to fit around working life—evening and weekend sessions are the norm as well as short, but intensive on-campus study stints.
This schedule creates a significant difference between a full-time MBA and an EMBA experience, where students are expected to network in a smaller cohort with less immersion into the university as a whole. Networking on an EMBA can be extremely beneficial—other members of the cohort will be seasoned professionals working in senior roles in varying industries.
If an EMBA sounds like the right type of program for you, then the next question is where to study. The location of your chosen program can define the region you work in after graduating, the quality of education you receive, and the diversity of your experience.
Here's five reasons why you should choose Paris for your MBA:
1. High-quality education
Paris has a rich and diverse history of education and boasts a vast choice of leading global EMBA programs.
TRIUM EMBA— HEC Paris hosts two of the six modules of this EMBA program, partnered with the London School of Economics and NYU Stern. Ranked fifth in the world for EMBA programs in the Financial Times Executive MBA Rankings 2017, this degree offers a truly global experience with trips to London and the US, but with the majority of the course in Paris.
ESSEC Business School EMBA—an 18 month program with residencies to the US and Asia. The school keeps the class size small and diverse, with 35 students and 15 nationalities in the 2017 cohort. ESSEC also focuses on an entrepreneurial project and a social class project, giving participants the skills to both develop a new business and contribute to the betterment of society.
NEOMA Global EMBA—the school has overhauled its Global Executive MBA program, which welcomes its first cohort in October 2018, to offer a 15-month, 10-month and seven-month version of the degree. Around 25% of the program will be delivered online, providing flexibility for students at a business school ranked among the top-50 in Europe by the Financial Times.
EDHEC EMBA—the school takes a three-pronged approach to enhance students’ skills, develop them professionally and personally, and give them insights into the challenges of globalization. The degree runs for 16 months and was ranked 86th in the Financial Times Global EMBA 2017 Rankings. With intensive leadership development, global business trips and individual consulting projects, the EDHEC EMBA mixes detailed academic study with hands-on experience of the real challenges of business life.
2. Career prospects
Paris is home to 29 of the companies listed in the Fortune Global 500—the 500 largest corporations in the world by revenue—demonstrating the high level of opportunity available for those with an EMBA in the city.
In addition to this, latest figures released by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), show that France has enjoyed its strongest growth since 2011. 50,000 private sector jobs were created in France in the last three months of 2017 as employment rates rose to levels not seen since before the financial crisis.
French job prospects are in the best shape they’ve been in recent history.
3. A new startup culture
Key to this economic growth has been the country's focus on startup culture. French President Emmanuel Macron’s call to create a 'startup nation' is being answered by pioneering entrepreneurs—INSEE has reported that the number of companies founded in January 2018 was up 20% on the previous year, increasing to 55,675.
Paris is also home to Station F, is the world’s largest startup campus. This is symptomatic of the drive towards entrepreneurship, which should appeal to EMBA graduates looking to leave their mark on the business world, get involved with emerging companies, or start something new.
4. Diversity
The business case for diversity has been well reported—companies that have employees from a good mix of ethnic backgrounds are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors according to research by McKinsey & Co.
Paris is considered one of the most diverse cities in Europe, with over 11 million people living within the city and its surrounding suburbs. According to INSEE, around 20% of the Parisian population is made up of first-generation immigrants. There are few locations in the world that boast a better melting pot of diversity.
5. Location
Paris is ideally located between the United Kingdom and Germany. With Brexit causing many corporations and banks to reconsider where they’re based, Paris is an obvious destination. This city has already been picked to succeed London as host city of the EU Banking Authority once Brexit is completed.
The city also boasts Europe’s largest purpose-built business district—La Défense—and some of Europe’s gastronomic and cultural highlights. With a ripe mix of life, culture and business, it's a leading hub of global talent.
Studying in Paris gives potential EMBA students the unique advantage of receiving a world-leading education, while being part of a boom in innovation and entrepreneurship, all at a time when the city, and the country, is on the up.
RECAPTHA :
e3
d9
99
13
