IESE Business School

Barcelona is a highly international, European city, well known for its great quality of life and beautiful sun, sea and mountains. It is among the world’s leading tourist, economic, trade fair, exhibitions and cultural sports centers. Its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world’s major global cities. Barcelona is also considered as a hub for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship is one of IESE’s strengths, having started the first such course in Europe. First year MBA students take a basic course in entrepreneurship regardless of where they choose to work later on, for we believe these are fundamental skills for any line of management.

European Business Schools will always have a unique selling point as they will always be more diverse than schools in the US and Asia in terms of participants and faculty, and they have curricula that focus on international business in a globalising world. At IESE for example, 80% of our MBA students come from outside Spain, and they represent over 50 nationalities from all continents. Students have the option to study part of the MBA in cities across four continents – São Paulo, New York, Nairobi, Shanghai, and of course Barcelona. This international component is especially important in case of discussions for a business school such as IESE which emphasizes the training of future managers to become global leaders. Diversity is more achievable in Europe because it is a small continent with virtually no borders and where different cultures co-exist.

Because of the geographical distance it would be hard to consider a school in Asia as a direct competitor. One’s choice of studying in a particular continent usually precedes one’s choice of a school. There is no school in the world that is strong at everything; each has its strengths and weaknesses even at the top level. We welcome the emergence of new schools in Asia because it means there can be greater cross-fertilization of ideas and opportunities for joint venture programs and multi-cultural learning. The strengths of the European schools are in their ability to foster the timeless qualifications of the international mindset, communication skills, the ability to work in teams, etc.

The admission process requires a GMAT along with an English test for non-native speakers, an official transcript of grades and two letters of recommendation. We require an average score of 670 to enter the program. Although this is not the key factor, it is an important indication of one’s ability to tackle the program. Aspiring MBA candidates should try to meet as many alumni as possible and visit the campus to get a clearer sense of the kind of school they are choosing. Looking at the faculty roster also gives an indication of the quality of education of the school. After all, a school is only as good as the strength of its faculty and alumni.