3 European business school leaders to achieve global success

Originally founded around 1988 by a few prestigious European schools before progressing to the MBA-focused markets of the United States and Asia-Pacific, the Master in Management has evolved to become one of the most sought-after business degrees globally today. It’s known as the master’s degree that launches careers, instead of accelerating careers (like an MBA would). 

The goal of the programme is to provide broad exposure to different business disciplines and subjects, as well as pragmatic training and connections needed to start a career. 

Unlike an MBA which is typically geared towards experienced professionals, the MiM is better suited for those who are earlier in their careers. It’s also more versatile, allowing students to explore different career options and pathways to a leadership role. MiM graduates have gone on to become management analysts, financial analysts, project managers, human resource specialists, and so much more in a variety of industries.

EDHEC Business School fosters a multicultural community with students of 130 nationalities. Source: EDHEC Business School

EDHEC Business School

In Lille, Nice, and Paris, this is what EDHEC Business School Master in Management (MiM) students experience: a guaranteed path to career success, world-class faculty, an immersive curriculum, and real-world experience.

As a student of an MiM programme ranked 4^th worldwide in 2024 (Financial Times), you have excellent resources to strengthen your skills and knowledge. Your faculty members double as industry experts, delivering cutting-edge teaching that reflects the current state of business and research. They cover a wide range of topics like finance, business management, marketing, tech & data, sustainability and entrepreneurship, while developing your leadership, adaptability and soft skills necessary to succeed in managerial roles. TheMiM programme is also distinguished by EDHEC’s strong corporate partnerships, offering students direct access to top industry professionals and real-world business insights. All of this takes place within a dynamic community with over 100 associations, more than 350 events per year, and a connected alumni network all over the world.

But what truly sets EDHEC’s MIM apart are its specialised tracks and immersive experience. The programme offers four tracks from Master 1 to customise your MiM to your career goals: Finance , Business Management, Data Science and AI for Business, and .Global Master in Management -GETT ( Global Economic Transformation and Technology).

The MiM starts with a strong academic foundation, which is then reinforced during an employability-enhancing professional immersion year. This is when you get to apply all you’ve learned from lectures, case studies, workshops, and corporate challenges in real-world business settings. Your final year is focused on further honing your skills through one of 13 specialised Master of Science (MSc) programmes – edging you even closer towards realising your career goals.

As an MiM graduate from EDHEC, you’ll stand out with your globally recognised degree, industry experience, and the support of the #1 career services and alumni network in France (MiM FT 2024).

Click here to make your management dreams come true at the EDHEC Business School.

The MSc in Management at the University of Gothenburg places emphasis on sustainability. Source: University of Gothenburg / Facebook

University of Gothenburg

The Master of Science in Management at the University of Gothenburg is a rigorous two-year programme where you are confronted with real-world case studies that require strategic thinking, risk-taking, and a penchant for change. You will focus on developing leadership skills, and look at trends related to sustainability, digitalisation, and globalisation. 

As the curriculum is a diverse catalogue of mandatory courses, and hands-on projects, you’ll be well-prepared to take on the various and latest developments in the world of business. Topics covered include strategy and organisation, corporate governance and financial structures, research methods in management, and more. The last semester is dedicated to a master’s thesis, where you’ll collaborate with an actual company.

“I would say that you are a part of a class where all students have the same interest and drive to learn new things in the subject. But above all, it is the researchers in Management who make the education so incredibly good,” says student Malin Setterström.

“They have new knowledge from research with the business community which they share with us, not just older / classic manager models … At the same time, they show great commitment with seminars and group work which makes the education really fun and rewarding — not just theoretical.”

The School of Business, Economics and Law, which runs the programme, has many corporate partnerships that give you opportunities to take your learning outside the classroom. This prepares you with real-world experience and an international outlook that’s important to enter the workforce with. The school also offers cutting-edge research, business simulations, study abroad opportunities, and a multicultural setting so that you can build a strong network and get your foot in many doors.

Aside from the specialising masters, the Polimi School of Graduate Management offers the Management Academy for current professionals, entrepreneurs, and managers. Source: Politecnico di Milano / Facebook

Politecnico di Milano

With so many business graduates, having a specialised master’s degree gives you an edge. So imagine being able to go to a school where there’s just about every single management specialisation under the sun, like the luxury industry, or cybersecurity. That’s the wide range of opportunities you get at the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) — the #1 university in Italy and the #111 in the world, according to the QS 2025 ranking. 

At POLIMI, there are plenty of programmes to choose from. One of them is a specialising master’s – programmes tailored to a specific sector of business. Those related to management include sports, global luxury goods and services, media and communication, project management, and many more. The programmes span one to two years and require less than three years of work experience. Some are flexible too, allowing you to learn online, on-campus, part-time, or full-time. They fit around your commitments and schedules. 

Another distinguishing feature of Polimi programmes are its close industry connections. These  link you to real-world learning opportunities and a global network that you can use to jumpstart your career. You’ll take on industry-based projects, meet the business moguls ready to impart their wisdom on your knowledge, participate in study tours with corporate partners, and more.

“Studying International Master in Luxury Management at POLIMI GSoM was a life-changing opportunity for me,” says student Akanksha Chandra. “I always wanted to study and experience the fashion work life in Milan and I am grateful to POLIMI GSoM for providing the combination of traditional managerial practices and theories with concepts meeting the needs of the modern luxury goods industry. It was a great experience with throughout international focus and exposure to global industries and international faculty.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International.