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From day one of the Copenhagen Business School MBA, you’ll grow both personally and professionally. When you leave, you’ll have a globally recognised qualification and the confidence to step into your future career. Or, in the case of Zhuoyan Jin, several careers.
“I am seeing opportunities in entrepreneurship and innovation consulting unfold,” she says. “At first, I was unsure which direction to take during my MBA, but the entrepreneurship Concentration clarified my desire to try out entrepreneurship. Professor Mercedes and the course empowered me to embrace the startup founder path.”
Zhuoyan Jin, source: Copenhagen Business School, MBA programmes
Born in China and raised in Singapore, Jin joined the full-time MBA programme to broaden her business knowledge. Her background was in design, and while her app, Halmos, was featured in Cosmopolitan as one of the best apps to help deal with breakups and in Trendhunter with a surprisingly high freshness score, Jin didn’t feel confident enough to fully run a startup. Doing so became the focus of her MBA experience.
Among a lineup of Concentrations covering Digitalisation, Finance, or Governance and Sustainability, she decided to focus on Entrepreneurship “without hesitation”.
“I wanted to work on my startup project and become an entrepreneur. Now, after completing my MBA, I’m living that dream and enjoying every moment! Along the way, the Copenhagen MBA made this transformation possible.”
Throughout the 12-month programme, Jin found herself gaining invaluable skills through an integrated curriculum that emphasised strategic and analytical thinking. Subjects spanned from organisational behaviour and market analysis to strategic execution and innovation management. The programme also emphasised sustainable business practices. Through the Copenhagen Business School alumni network, along with field trips and workshops, students gain access to real-world examples of how sustainability is implemented across various industries.
Jin found the programme’s diverse elements complemented each other very well. “It’s hard to pick a favourite,” she says. “Every part of the programme was essential, and together they taught me how to think strategically and analytically, helping me turn chaos into an organized framework.”
Leadership is another focal point of the CBS MBA, developed through the year-long Leadership Discovery Process (LDP). This module combines cognitive coaching, situational leadership, and teamwork exercises. A key feature of the LDP is the multi-day leadership simulator, where candidates participate in outdoor leadership activities and receive valuable peer feedback on their performance.
Jin’s LDP experience was a standout, shaping her approach to responsible management and leadership. “I never aspired to be a leader, but now I realise I am naturally becoming one,” she says. “All the knowledge and skills I learned through the course are finally making sense to me now that I’m a startup founder.”
And as this is Denmark, after all, innovation and solutions are a big part of the programme’s DNA – taking students beyond seminar rooms and testing them in the real world. Many of these experiences, like the Strategy Project, end up defining students.
Andrew Mellor, source: Copenhagen Business School MBA programmes
The strategy project allows candidates to address multidisciplinary issues while gaining practical experience,” says Andrew Mellor, Full-time MBA Admission Manager at CBS.
“Whether through an internship or a case study, you’ll work on real strategic challenges using actual company data, backed by a company mentor.”
For Jin, this meant working with Inniti, a Danish startup, on strategic expansion planning. “I helped them plan their next market expansion — it was a great way to put all my course knowledge into action,” she says. “Plus, working with a real startup gave me a firsthand look into the world of entrepreneurship.”
Most importantly, the experience allowed her to truly immerse herself in Denmark’s entrepreneurial landscape. This explains why the graduate could confidently step into the Danish startup ecosystem once she completed her studies. Her MBA opened the doors for her to join the Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship as part of its incubator programme, which has offered her “fantastic resources and a strong network for entrepreneurs.”
Connect, learn, and lead with confidence
At CBS, the emphasis is clear: success isn’t just about learning; it’s about thriving in your career. The “Managing Your Career” module helps you figure out your goals and make real-world connections, while the career mentor programme pairs you with alumni who will teach you essential skills like pitching, interviewing and more. CBS invites C-suite executives and industry leaders into the classroom, too, where you will learn about Scandinavian business practices while growing your professional network.
“Much of our one-to-one career support services are focused on facilitating opportunities for personal interactions and networking,” says Mellor. “You’ll have opportunities to connect with C-suite executives and industry leaders at professional breakfasts, case competitions, and on-campus events.”
All these experiences are designed to prepare students with the skills (Nordic Nine traits) for local and global careers. As a result, 93% of graduates are employed within six months of graduation (2023 employment statistics) in a wide range of roles, from sustainability to digital marketing managers in companies like MAERSK, McKinsey & Company, and Pandora.
As for Jin, the future seems limitless. It tends to be when you have a community backing you. “The CBS alumni network is a large group, and it really doesn’t matter how impressive the person is; everyone is willing to be helpful,” she says.
“As a startup founder, I feel empowered,” she says. “The Copenhagen MBA unlocked my inner drive!”
Connect with the Copenhagen MBA team or download the MBA programme brochure.
