Pursuing an MBA is an investment you can’t lose on

In 2024, an MBA still brings great returns. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s (GMAC) Corporate Recruiters Survey, there are three key ways an advanced education in this field pays off: the skills you gain, the compensation you can command and the positive perceptions you get from Fortune 500 companies.

Most of the over 1,000 respondents representing 34 nationalities say graduate management education (GME) schools are on the right track preparing their graduates with skills of current and growing importance. These include communication, data analysis, and strategy. As a GME graduate, you’re set to get “favourable views” from employers in Asia and at Fortune 500 companies. Perhaps buoyed by these two factors, companies are set to bump MBA salaries in the US higher than 2022 projections, even after accounting for inflation. 

Choose the right business school and you’re set to turn your MBA, already a good investment for your life and career, into the best decision you’ll make. 

Source: INCAE Business School

INCAE Business School

What began in 1963 with a summit between then-President of the US John F. Kennedy and Central American presidents has led to 60 years of developing business leaders in Latin America for a better future. Founded by Harvard Business School,

INCAE Business School is today repeatedly rated as the best business school in the region. 

It is part of the top 2% of business schools worldwide that hold the triple crown of international accreditations from the Association of MBAs (AMBA), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and EQUIS. Its Executive MBA ranks among the top 100 globally (Financial Times) and its Online MBA and Global MBA were recently ranked #3 in the world and Tier One, respectively, by CEO Magazine. What these rankings and accolades translate to is an assurance that an INCAE education represents quality, innovation, and prestige.

Here, students learn using the case method. Developed by Harvard Business School, it involves simulations, coaching processes, and activities in both indoor and outdoor environments — each is an opportunity to apply knowledge and develop decision-making, analytical, and effective leadership skills. INCAE’s MBA programmes use a comprehensive learning model for executives based on these practical methodologies.

Each MBA programme stands out in its own way. The 15-month Global MBA fosters global perspectives and leadership skills for navigating uncertain markets and driving innovation. The Executive MBA lets executives pursue their studies without interrupting their professional commitments, combining eight in-person modules in Panama, two in-person modules in Costa Rica, four online modules and three modules in collaboration with schools in the US, Europe, and Asia. The 10-module Online MBA prepares you for your next professional step from anywhere in the world — you will take online sessions and join immersion sessions at INCAE’s campus in Costa Rica.

In 2024, INCAE opened its Executive Center in Panama, offering access to certain master’s degrees and executive programmes and greater ease of connection to other countries in the region. From this vibrant epicentre of international trade and from its multicultural Costa Rica campus surrounded by lush climate, fauna and flora, INCAE is set to continue driving transformative change in Latin America. Apply to INCAE today.

Source: HEC Paris

HEC Paris

HEC Paris was the #1 European business school in 2023 for its unique and complete range of programmes, all of which aim at training socially conscious future business leaders. This has attracted over 4,500 students representing 111 nationalities — bringing the most talented from highly diverse professional and cultural backgrounds to its 340-acre wooded campus close to Paris and Versailles.

Many pursue the MBA. For 16 months, you’ll follow a curriculum that is divided into two phases: Fundamental and Customised. The former takes eight months and focuses on core business skills such as financial accounting, leadership communication, marketing, statistics and more. For the second half, you can choose from a wide range of options including MBA Specializations (concentrated learning in one sector), elective courses, international exchanges and internship opportunities, as well as in-depth learning projects.

The TRIUM Global Executive MBA stands out for being a partnership of three of the world’s leading universities: NYU Stern, London School of Economics and Political Science, and HEC Paris School of Management. It’s the best of many worlds — making it an ideal launchpad for business leaders to navigate an ever-changing, unpredictable world.

Now more than ever, senior executives need profound insights into decision-making contexts. The programme starts in LSE, with the module “Business in the Global Political Economy.” Led by global academics shaping policy discourse, it offers TRIUM students a distinctive and captivating experience, unlike other Global EMBAs. An integrated curriculum not only covers global business from every angle but ensures TRIUM students are the first among their peers to understand the opportunities and risks of the current business world and that of tomorrow.

The programme culminates in a Capstone Project, where participants apply what they learn to a real-life strategic opportunity, such as launching a start-up or social venture or restructuring an existing business environment.

Source: University of California Berkeley: Haas School of Business

University of California Berkeley: Haas School of Business

The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley helps students build fluency in business fundamentals. The result? Graduates are empowered and confident to step into their future, armed with knowledge and skills to create change.

The school is host to more than 2,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students who come from all over the world to find success here. Programmes like the Full Time MBA, MBA for Executives, and Evening and Weekend MBA are designed to deep-dive into sectors like communication, innovation, global business and many more. You gain more knowledge as you learn collaboratively with top-notch peers.

“I feel like I have a skillset to go into any industry and approach different problems in a structured way; I’m learning how to look at markets, understand industry trends, and evaluate consumer or competitor behaviour,” says graduate Andy Kang, now a strategic planning manager at Nike. “Haas has given me different frameworks for problem solving.”

At this b-school ranked #7 in the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2023, classes are kept small to foster an intimacy that’s critical to personal development. Students and faculty share a common culture and leadership principle, which means support is always available. If you are a student who enjoys learning as you do, you won’t regret picking this school. It prominently features hands-on experiential learning, while customising your programme in an interdisciplinary environment.

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