5 Business Schools that offer an unparalleled student experience

10 May 2017

The benefits of attending business school are widely acknowledged. As business touches on almost every aspect of modern human society, graduates can prove invaluable in giving a business a new lease of life, whether it be an innovative new start-up or an established industry player.

As demand for business graduates remains consistent and the incentive of higher salaries and increased employability proves an irresistible pull, many are flocking to the combination of academic challenge and practical real-world focus that is offered through a business degree.

There is a myriad of business schools out there that offer exceptional learning environments with fantastic faculty and academic rigour, but not everything in business is about the academics. While that is of course important, you also want a school that will challenge you in other ways and enable personal as well as professional growth.

Academic quality paired with experience and endeavours can provide you with the type of transferrable expertise that are valued in any workplace around the globe. The university experience should not only teach you theory but encourage creative and independent thought, exposing you to new cultures and backgrounds, and building initiative and leadership skills that can be used for the rest of your life.

Through this dynamic combination, university can prepare you for the future world of work that will demand adaptable employees with a broad skills base.

Here are 5 universities that are providing elite education on top of an unforgettable experience…

ROBERT H. SMITH COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND – USA

The Robert H. Smith School of Business combines experiential learning and excellent academics to ensure your career takes off with a flying start.

Not only do they provide teaching that’s regularly ranked among the best in the world, but they are committed to cultivating an exciting intellectual community in which students are challenged personally to conquer the business challenges of the future.

Smith offers undergraduate courses, as well as Masters of Science, Masters in Business Administration and PhD programs spread across a broad range of business-related fields. And it’s their pioneering business research that really sets them apart. Smith has several Centers of Excellence that serve as an intersection between academia and the marketplace, using the valuable research conducted over the years to empower students to tackle difficult business decisions.

In each of these, students are immersed in real-world business challenges that allow them to develop their critical thinking and entrepreneurship skills, in order to assess complex problems and deliver innovative solutions.

There are currently 12 centers, which include the Center for International Business Education and Research, the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Center for Social Value Creation.

EAST ASIA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT (EASB) – SINGAPORE

Over the years, EASB has developed a reputation for being a higher learning institution of educational excellence and prides itself on its world-class teaching and academic rigor.

Offering a comprehensive suite of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across major business disciplines, EASB collaborates with four universities from the UK – Aston University, Herriot-Watt University, Cardiff Metropolitan University and Queen Margaret University – to offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs.

The EASB’s Holistic Education Approach (HEA) places a strong emphasis on preparing students to be well-rounded future leaders beyond academic excellence by providing many enrichment programmes, co-curricular activities and special projects to develop critical leadership and other life and social skills.

“As our business world and our work force changes rapidly, we are constantly looking out on what might be the new skill sets that are required of a modern leader, who could effectively inspire and lead a team of talent to create value for businesses….and we seek to nurture and inculcate these skills in our students.” Said Ms. Elaine Tan, Group Director of Marketing at EASB as she shared on the following research-based information covering:

EASB prepares value-creating professionals who are “Competent, Confident, Committed and Creative” leaders of the modern world. Find out more at: www.easb.edu.sg

EXECUTIVE SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF ST. GALLEN (HSG) – SWITZERLAND

At the University of St. Gallen, not only will you be safe in the knowledge you’re receiving world-class teaching from one of the top ten business schools in Europe according to the Financial Times, but you’re also guaranteed an experience to remember.

Here at HSG, staff place emphasis on responsible action and innovation in business and society, working closely with students to nurture their entrepreneurial ambition.

The Startup@HSG program aims to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit among the student body by presenting different perspectives of entrepreneurship, seeking to influence the way students view business set-up and, ultimately, change the life of HSG graduates.

Consultants connect students and researchers with external partners from research and practice to ensure students are getting the best and most up to date knowledge available to help them succeed.

They also host the annual HSG Founder’s Garage, an event that offers different seminars and workshops, encouraging an entrepreneurial environment and supporting students in developing their own projects.

ROTMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO – CANADA

The rankings for Rotman School of Management make for an impressive list that can leave you in no doubt as to the academic excellence you’ll experience here. Ranked number one business school in Canada for the past 11 years running by the Financial Times, the faculty is also considered third in the world for research and seventh in the world for the teaching of Finance.

The exceptional academics are paired with a global perspective in the world’s most multicultural city, Toronto, in which over half the city’s population are born outside of the country. This is reflected in the degree programs on offer, with Rotman’s MBA being the largest and most diverse MBA program in Canada.

Through the Graduate Business School Council (GBC) Rotman also organises a wide range of social, academic, and professional development activities and events so students grow both professionally and personally through their experience. Current clubs include Asian Business Association, Business Analytics Club, Gaming Club, and Golf & Ski Association.

FACULTY OF COMMERCE, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN – SOUTH AFRICA

The Faculty of Commerce at the University of Cape Town is “igniting knowledge and opportunity” with its vast and varied range of courses on offer. The School covers major areas of business education including Economics, Finance and Tax, Accounting, and Management Studies, as well as having a specialised African-focused department in the African Institute of Financial Markets and Risk Management.

The strong support that the Faculty receives from international agencies is the driving force behind the first-rate research units available, at which students test their skills and immerse themselves in real-world social issues affecting the South African community.

Units include Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics, Policy Research in International Services and Manufacturing, AIDS and Society Research Unit, and the Development Policy Research Unit.

The interactive approach to study and research will ensure you are prepared for the fast-growing world of financial service industries and for meaningful participation in the global economy.

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