4 European business institutions creating next-generation leaders

Today’s business landscape is rocky. Technological innovations, shifting consumer preferences, environmental challenges, and geopolitical dynamics are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s a real challenge to stand out in a job market saturated with similar talent. This is where a competitive edge – such as the kind obtained through an advanced business degree – comes in handy.

Upskilling is key. According to a GMAC report, employers seek those with future-ready skills, such as problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking. The report also says that two-thirds of employers prefer hiring those with full business degrees rather than just micro-credentials or certificates. A master’s degree is a solution that addresses both these areas, and will help set you apart in today’s dynamic business industry.

Interested? These accredited European business schools balance valuable knowledge and timeless skills to handle emerging industry needs:

RWTH Aachen Business School students benefit from small classes and blended learning, offering room for individual experiences and needs. Source: RWTH Business School

RWTH Aachen Business School

This isn’t your ordinary, traditional business school. Where RWTH Business School stands apart is its dual emphasis on technology and management. It tailors its graduate programmes to technical profiles with management ambitions, rather than just offering a range of general management programmes. Take any one of its tech-savvy offerings, you’re set to master the know-how to lead the business sector’s digital transformation.

The school is home to three full-time master’s programmes, namely the M.Sc. Management & Engineering in Technology, Innovation, Marketing & Entrepreneurship, M.Sc. Data Analytics & Decision Science, and M.Sc. Sustainability Management: Technology, Analytics & Transformation. Senior leaders such as C-suiters and aspiring CEOs may opt for the Master of Business Administration. Whichever you choose, you will learn in one of Europe’s largest, leading technical universities, and one of the few schools in Germany to bear the renowned AACSB accreditation.

RWTH Business School’s prestige is further reflected by its location in a dynamic business hub within a student city. Aachen’s strategic location in the border triangle of Germany Belgium and the Netherlands offers opportunities to further bolster any business professional’s knowledge and network. The city has a rich history and culture, reinforced by the kind of technology that attracts companies and research institutions the likes of Ericsson, Ford, Microsoft, and Phillips. This makes Aachen an incredible location for growing business start-ups, spin-offs, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

For these and more good reasons, many RWTH Business School alumni go on to call Germany home. Most of them enter the workforce after graduating – with 82% remaining and working in Germany. The school’s rich career support can take credit for this. This dedicated team prepares students for their future careers and ensure graduates reenter the job market with sharper skills and renewed vigour. The results are in the books – as many alumni earn more money or achieve a higher position after graduation, making their time at RWTH Business School a brilliant investment.

Learn alongside talented executives from one of the oldest business schools in the UK, Source: Alliance Manchester Business School

Alliance Manchester Business School

Located within the University of Manchester, the Alliance Manchester Business School offers world-class, industry-focused education to undergraduates, postgraduates and executives across the globe. The school has a triple accreditation from AACSB International, AMBA, and EQUIS, and is ranked third in the UK for research power.

Established in 1965 as one of the pioneers among the UK’s business schools, today it is home to students of 135 nationalities. They’re drawn to Alliance MBS’s comprehensive range of industry-focused programmes. As a full-service business school, it offers programmes at all levels, from undergraduate to executive education, including a highly-regarded PhD programme. For those eyeing a master’s degree, the institution offers 17 programmes, including business analytics to operations, human resource management to innovation and entrepreneurship.

The MSc Business Analysis and Strategic Management explores the intricacies of comparative international strategic management. Theoretical insights seamlessly merge with real-world applications through client-facing projects, providing invaluable work experience. The programme hones skills crucial to global business consulting, ensuring graduates are well-equipped for the dynamic professional landscape.

The best part? You’ll be guided by internationally recognised experts who teach and conduct research. The university boasts more Nobel laureates among its academic staff than any other in the UK, ensuring a learning environment infused with cutting-edge insights and discoveries.

The Rotterdam School of Management strives to develop business leaders who become a force of positive change. Source: Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University)

Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University)

In 1970, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM), started in a small townhouse with 30 students. Today, it’s one of Europe’s most international, innovative business schools, with 9,500 students of over a hundred nationalities.

Here, students don’t just learn from the world’s best business leaders, but go on to join their ranks. The school is among the top 1% of business schools worldwide, and its reputation is further cemented by its Triple Crown accreditation.

The school has a first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes. Each turns students into changemakers in the business world. Postgraduate studies take 12 to 18 months, with part-time options available for working professionals. Whichever programme you choose, you’ll learn from an expert faculty filled with highly active and internationally influential researchers.

What you learn from them is compounded with what you’ll gain from RSM’s wider business community. The school partners with over 100 leading schools, multinational corporate institutions, and research centres to ensure that its work stays in touch with the changing needs of the business world. You will benefit from the best of both academic and corporate worlds, carrying your newfound knowledge to real-life practice.

Source: Antwerp Management School

Antwerp Management School

For those looking to boost their expertise or explore a career change, Antwerp Management School in Belgium offers full-time master’s programmes that can help you do just that.

Expect real-world learning in this triple-crowned international business school (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS). Programmes here prepare you for the intensity and competitiveness of the business world. The school has nine full-time master’s programmes and a top-ranked Executive MBA, all taught in English.

Each programme is practice-focused and interactive, combining theory with practice. For example, those pursuing AMS’s Master in Global Management will visit Asia and South America to explore emerging markets and get a taste of working with other cultures. In the Master in Strategic Human Resource Management, you’ll explore how multiculturalism plays a role in creating workable HR strategies across borders.

“AMS provides unique opportunities for both self development and career planning with their Global Leadership and Career Services teams who make sure you transition into a career with confidence,” says Global Management graduate Pieter Boghe. “Add to this the many incredible company seminars, international professors and amazing trips and you really get an unforgettable experience you won’t regret.”

Each programme comes with in-depth links with the business world. AMS has a vibrant yearly calendar with over 50 career events, giving students networking opportunities and the newest insights into the fast-paced job market. It’s little surprise that 90% of AMS graduates begin their professional journey within three months after one of the school’s master’s programmes.

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