With today’s market place expanding in a global context, business and industry is increasingly in need of MBA professionals who have the knowledge and expertise it takes to excel in such a diverse climate. Business schools all over the world are recognizing the importance of incorporating an international component into their MBA programs. Attracting students from other countries greatly enhances the learning experience for all MBA students.
Countries like South Korea have seen dramatic increases in their local economy and are now re-designing many of their colleges and universities including their top business schools in an effort to attract foreign students. Up until now, even English language MBA programs in South Korean business schools have been predominantly filled by local students. This trend is now changing due to several factors including government investments in local business schools as well as scholarships being offered to international students. Other schools have followed by revamping their curriculum in order to make it more attractive to students from around the world.
Although schools like Yonsei University have been offering full-time English language programs since 1998, the student body has been predominantly made up of either Korean Americans or Korean nationals. It is expected that the newly redesigned MBA programs will now be comprised of half international and have local students. The curriculum will be based on team-work where each team will have two international students and two Korean students making the entire classroom environment a global one.
Realizing that accreditation was understandably of major importance to foreign students, Yonsei University along with 6 other business schools offering English language programs have attained accreditation. The other South Korean schools are:
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Korea University Business School (KUBS)
- Seoul National University (SNU)
- Sejong University
- SungKyunKwan University( SKK)
- Sogang University
China’s distinction of having the fastest growing economy as well as the third largest GDP is attracting the attention of many foreign students (including American and Canadian) wanting to be part of this leading economic powerhouse. Although the manufacturing industry has been strong for some time, the financial and retail sectors are in great need of experienced and professional management teams. Although many students who receive their MBA’s from schools like Beijing Tsinghua University choose to remain in China after graduation, the credentials earned are easily applied to business and industry world-wide. There are a number of top MBA business schools that offer English language MBA programs in China such as:
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)
- Fudan University – East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST)
- Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
Hong Kong also offers MBA programs in English, a few of which are:
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
- Hong Kong University (HKU)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
One vital aspect of studying in countries like South Korea or China is the cross-cultural experience that is gained and can be of immense benefit to corporations around the world that are engaged in international business. Some students find that studying and living in Hong Kong makes for an easier transition since it was a British colony for so many years. Universities like CUHK provide students assistance with business networking making it relatively easy to obtain a one year work visa once they graduate.
