8 Reasons MBA Students Should Consider Studying Abroad
In today’s global economy, understanding the motivation behind international business decisions can help students bridge cultural gaps, and prepare them for careers at home and abroad. MBA study abroad graduates are more attractive to potential employers, jump-starting careers in a variety of industries. Here are several benefits to studying abroad.
Build Strong Leadership Skills
Leadership expectations and styles differ from one country and culture to another. As students learn to work with a diverse team, they are also exposed to different business styles. This valuable experience imparts stronger leadership skills that can be used throughout their careers.
IBS’s international business partners are leaders in their respective industries. The program enables students to learn from executives who are working in the international business arena every day. Organizations include:
- Intel
- BMW
- Lloyd’s of London
- Cushman & Wakefield
- Reidel Glassworks
- World Bank
- World Trade Organization
Better Understand How the US Fits
While the United States has a unique blend of regional customs, Americans’ overall perspective is similar from one area to the next. By immersing themselves in another culture, students develop their own views and ideas built from experience instead of lectures. Understanding the differences not only helps them navigate in the international business arena, but it can also reduce the culture gap, making it possible to develop stronger relationships.
Learn from International Executives
Executives in global companies have experience in a variety of areas, from posts in a range of countries to positions starting from entry-level. Students learn how their experiences changed them, what they learned and how it helped them get where they are today. Networking on an international level and having this type of mentor can open doors in areas students never thought possible and improve international job prospects.
Expand Your Network
Not only does immersion in another culture give students the chance to learn and live in a completely different environment, but it also introduces them to like-minded students and professors. A large percentage of study-abroad students go on to have careers in global organizations. The friends and colleagues they met as a student become an invaluable personal network as their jobs progress.
Career Advancement
Students with international experience and cross-cultural communication skills stand out from other job candidates, both at home and abroad. Familiarity with international standards and laws enable them to respond in quickly evolving markets, which is a benefit to employers.
Travel Experience
Instead of dorm rooms or hostels, students may stay in 4-star hotels with lobby security. These are the same accommodations international organizations use for their employees. Free time is set aside for participants to explore the area as they choose, from city tours to strolling specific districts or visiting museums.
Learn in Life’s Classroom
Participating in a Europe MBA Seminar offers students the opportunity gain insight into different cultures by stopping in multiple destinations during their time abroad. Each country has industry specialties that enhance classroom learning and teaches an appreciation for their upcoming role in the global economy. The more countries they can visit, the more well-rounded their experience.
Activities include touring the most well-known sites in each host country, such as Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower. Each country has a particular area of focus.
- Paris, France is the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural products and services.
- Heidelberg, Germany encourages business innovation and has a thriving entrepreneurial environment.
- London, England has elevated finance-related business acumen, competing with New York City.
The winter Southeast Asia Seminar expands participants’ international business education by taking them out of the classroom and matches them to highly-regarded business connections. Chinese customs, history and politics are viewed from a practical perspective, and students learn how it shapes the business environment and overall culture today.
Tours of the Damnoen Floating Market, Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnamese street food, and Bangkok are part of the trip. Students learn from the best in each country:
- Bangkok, Thailand hosts the headquarters of some of the largest businesses in the world. Students are mentored in finance, business economics, and marketing.
- Ho Cho Minch City, Vietnam is the country’s financial center, and it has a prominent history going back hundreds of years.
When working with a traditional study abroad program, business majors often have difficulty deciding which location will be most beneficial to their future careers. Short-term, multi-destination programs offer flexibility, a wider breadth of knowledge, and a range of mentor expertise.
Non-Traditional Program Benefits
Participants are able to travel the world and earn education credits while expanding their business acumen. Students in the IBS MBA study abroad programs can gain a competitive career advantage by getting out of the classroom and into the business environment. They get a practical look into the business environment they are getting ready to enter.
