4 business schools to save the world

A business degree can be a powerful tool in today’s workforce. From Apple CEO Tim Cook to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, some of the most notable names in today’s workforce gained an edge by pursuing an education in business. Armed with the critical tools and strategies to lift their ideas off the ground, they’re spearheading innovations that have altered modern society as we know it. 

Business school does more than just elevate aspiring entrepreneurs, however — it can lead to advances that change our world for the better. As a general rule of thumb, all business schools strive to continuously adapt their curriculums to meet business needs and challenges. From climate change to social and ethical concerns, business schools are offering an education that prepares graduates to address such issues. 

The best business degrees take this one step further: by grounding students in a globalised mindset. Graduates from these programmes have the chance to partake in a variety of experiences that grants them real-world exposure on an international scale. The result? Global, business-ready graduates with the insights and experiences to inspire real, meaningful change. 

Here are four business schools to save the world:

Source: WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

When it comes to innovative business schools, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management is one of the first to come to mind. As a leading business school with a reputation that precedes itself, WHU is a paragon of future-oriented research and teaching in business economics. It offers a variety of exciting master’s programmes with flexible, unique and challenging curricula.

Take the Master in Finance. Ranked #1 in Germany, this programme immerses students in the finance industry through a comprehensive but flexible curriculum. What sets the WHU programme apart is the opportunity to gain international insight into the field. Outside of their usual classes in Vallendar, students can participate in a semester abroad. Those looking to gain practical experience can join internships, taking advantage of WHU’s broad network of professionals and industry contacts to do so.

Ambitious learners can take this one step further by pursuing a double degree. With this, students can take two semesters at WHU and two more at a partner university, after which they will earn two degree qualifications.

The Part-time Master in Management, on the other hand, is another top-ranked programme in Germany that turns learners into experts in general management. It gives working professionals the rare chance to pursue a Master of Arts whilst being employed. The best part? It doesn’t sacrifice all that makes a WHU education stand out, guaranteeing exposure to international contexts, a focus on practical tasks and forming connections with future entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The first-of-its-kind Master in Entrepreneurship is ideal for those who want to lead and found companies in times of technological changes, innovation, artificial intelligence, new business models and rapid transformation. Whereas the Master in International Business fits those from diverse disciplines seeking to gain key skills for succeeding in international settings.

Throw in small classes that ensure personalised guidance and instruction and it’s no wonder why hundreds of students across the world are choosing WHU. Its focus on diversity, inclusivity and “cosmopoliteness” is just as influential in bringing together bright minds from every corner of the globe.

The result? Graduates who are more than capable of tackling any challenge thrown at them — with global experience and insight on top of that. Find out more about the master’s programmes at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management here. Browse WHU’s Master of Science brochures here.

Source: ESSEC Business School

ESSEC Business School

While Cergy, France, is known for its popular attractions, that’s not all the city is unique for. Though a little town, the city is home to one of the top business schools in the world. The ESSEC Business School focuses on educating students at all levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate and doctoral. The school aims to nurture future business leaders who are ready to take on careers that will benefit society. 

Its Global MBA programme ranks #93 globally. This programme is designed to focus on business concepts and international markets. It isn’t just about theory — students will gain first-hand experience through immersion in real-world projects and company visits. While the main part of the programme will be conducted on the Cergy campus, students will get the opportunity to either travel to Singapore for five weeks or one week in an emerging market or multiple other countries, giving them an international experience. 

Conducted over 12 months, this intensive programme will give students the knowledge and experience to boost their careers. This is thanks to its varied and challenging content that covers Luxury Brand Management, and Strategy and Digital Leadership, giving students a macro view of core business functions coupled with industry-specific skills and knowledge to help them successfully switch careers to industries such as consulting, tech, or luxury.

Find out more about its exceptional MBA programme here. 

Source: Warwick Business School Facebook

Warwick Business School

It’s no secret that Warwick Business School graduates go on to seize their own success. Sophie Thompson founded a virtual reality startup, while Alex Austin chose to put his financial savvy to use in the corporate world. No matter what you choose, a Warwick postgraduate education ensures you are prepared for every aspect of it.

What can aspiring Warwick business, finance, and management students expect? For one, you will get involved in MSc and MBA group and individual projects. On top of that, you will also have the opportunity to participate in one of the LeadershipPlus Projects with an external corporate, SME, or NGO partner.

Every postgraduate student draws from a wealth of human capital resources, from administrative staff and faculty members to peers and industry partners. You stand to learn from established leaders in the Change Maker Speaker Series, which has hosted the likes of Barclays Ireland CEO Kevin Wall and NASA Chief Technologist Dr. Douglas Terrier.

Here is a school that takes pride in producing change-makers through personal transformation and thought leadership in an inspirational and diverse applied learning environment. This spirit extends to its virtual offerings; the Warwick Business School’s MBA is ranked the top distance learning MBA in the Financial Times Online MBA Ranking 2020. 

Source: Darden School of Business – University of Virginia Facebook

Darden School of Business – University of Virginia

Preparing responsible leaders to lead the global business landscape through social transformation — that’s what the Darden School of Business aims to do. Established in 1955, it opened as the graduate business school of the Thomas Jefferson-founded University of Virginia and has since become one of the top institutions in the nation to offer a career-focused postgraduate education for ambitious individuals.

Darden’s Full-Time MBA is a 21-month taught programme that gives students unmatched access to more than 80 of the most innovative and influential business thought leaders. It begins with a core curriculum that offers a rigorous, case-based learning experience in the first year. The second year makes room for personalised interests alongside real-world exposure, where students work on consulting projects, live-action cases and global immersions. 

Faculty at Darden are some of the best thinkers in the world, educating students whilst pursuing research that advances the nature of business. They are supported by a range of research centres and initiatives to progress knowledge about the field, enrich student experiences and convene forums with academics and executives in the name of promoting business development. 

What follows is a cohort of business leaders and executives who have the grit and tenacity to succeed in a competitive environment. They take their first steps at Darden — and graduate with the expertise to change the world.

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