Vive la différence - doing your MBA in France

Choosing to study your MBA in France is a conscious decision to place both career development and your business mindset at the heart of Europe, the world's largest market.

As the world's fifth largest economy and a key driver of the European Union, France has long been one of the world's top investment destinations. Deservedly recognised for innovation in engineering, design, advertising, and financial resources, France is host to ten of the world's top 100 businesses, whilst also providing career opportunities in a wealth of smaller firms on the cutting edge of science, technology, media and finance. The French management model has gained an international reputation, from the Renault team that transformed the fortunes of Nissan, to the the force behind Airbus - rise to market leadership. Luxury goods groups such as LVMH continue to define industry standards, whilst financial institutions and top consultancy firms expand their services across five continents. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that France is home to many of Europe's top business schools. In the second largest market for management education in Europe, young professionals can find a programme to match their career development, from the international powerhouses of INSEAD and HEC, to schools that have earned international reputations through commitment to core competences such as EM Lyon in Entrepreneurship, or Grenoble GSB in Technology Management. French business schools are among the most innovative in developing specialised courses, including the Aerospace MBA at Toulouse and Luxury Brand Management at Essec.

An attractive study option

Rachel Maguer, Marketing Manager at ESCPEAP is clear about the benefits of studying for an MBA in France. It is an attractive option for foreign MBA candidates because France has an excellent international reputation for the quality of its courses and the high standards that students reach during their studies. For those candidates already working in or wishing to work in a French company, an MBA from a highly rated French school will also be a great advantage for moving up to top management positions within the company. The international emphasis of the faculty, and availability of many international exchange programmes also characterises the French MBA. MBA Program Director Hugues Levecq at the Reims School of Management explains, "We are offering management training in English but in an international context. The conferences, guest lectures, networking opportunities and intercultural seminars offer a varied and pedagogical programme to help our students in self-discovery and leadership potential, all taking place at the heart of Europe." Recruiters at Reims, such as the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), recognize the value of this training for career development. Laurent Jaffart , Project Manager at EADS believe that "the advantage of a multicultural background, that students get from their experience on an MBA programme that is taught almost entirely in English, serves as the basis for an international career."

A truly international MBA

Tae-Young Choi from South Korea is now a Marketing Manager at Kotra in Brussels. Part of his decision to do his MBA in France was based on his desire to stand out in the job market. "These days it isn't difficult to find a Korean who has an MBA degree from the US. I felt that the experience of the European culture and the French language skills would be an excellent advantage to compete with them. It also meant that with a shorter course length I could save money and time." Choi's experience, and those of other international students, clearly goes beyond mere language acquisition. Craig Marsh, MBA Programme Director of the Theseus-Edhec MBA in Nice questions why anyone looking to pursue a truly international MBA would do so in the US or the UK, dominated as they are by Anglo-Saxon culture, tradition and ideas. He explains that, "In France, the MBA has no allegiance to any particular cultural perspective or philosophy of business. It is a truly international experience, witnessed by the many nationalities in the class and faculty drawn from all over the world. Our programme happens to benefit from the resources of a French Grande Ecole and the mild Mediterranean climate. In all other respects " language (taught entirely in English), faculty (drawn from all over the world), students (average 16 nationalities per class), and course content (oriented to knowledge intensive organizations), there is no (national) flavour to it at all. This is a belief echoed by Patrice Houdayer, Dean of Academic Programs at EM Lyon. "The MBA experience is an international and a multi-cultural experience before anything else, where students gain a different perspective of management. It's a perfect opportunity to connect with Europe, for non-European candidates, and to connect with other European countries for the European candidates."

The added value of a French MBA

So what is the value of a French MBA on the international job market ? Houdayer insists that for an international career, it is indispensable that a candidate pick an international school. "We see a lot of graduates hired by big French companies, and then getting sent to international offices of the company. We've also had foreign graduates, not speaking French before doing the MBA , who got a job in a major French company."

At HEC, the MBA Program trains individuals to assume positions of international business leadership. The course content reflects this. Of the most recent graduating class, almost 90% were recruited into positions of international scope, while nearly 60% of the non-European graduates found employment in Europe. HEC uses real-life case-study approaches in the core courses, which present economic, strategic and managerial issues from different angles. As a result, participants have a more competitive and critical understanding of the world as they question standard processes and values. Students are also better prepared to address cultural and national differences in the companies when they are destined to play a leadership role. So, in France, it seems you can have it all. You can do business here, appreciate the finer things in life such as art, food and wine, and get yourself an MBA in a uniquely multicultural environment from a top class institution Ian Cathcart, Operations Manager in the water industry, is currently studying at Audencia Nantes. His choice was simple "I wanted to do something a bit different when I looked at taking an MBA. France seemed a good choice as I'm keen to develop my language skills. Audencia has got the accreditations, the virtual tour on the web site gave a really good impression and I had a personal reccommendation from a work colleague. Everything fell into place." C'est la vie.

Source: QS TopMBA Career Guide