INSEAD Singapore

Globetrave...

30 59

Posted May 27, 2007 21:40

Hi! I heard INSEAD is very high inthe rankings also for their Singapore campus. Is there anybody who has done the program and can give me some firts-hand infos?
Thanx!
Genta

INSEAD is rank high only for one reason and that is because of its campus outside of Paris. The Singapore campus on stand alone basis is not nearly as good.

The choice of electives is poor, especially for Finance.
The best Asian Finance school by far is Hong Kong UST B-School.

If you want to go to the real INSEAD go to France. Thats the truth no matter what anyone on these pages tries to tell you,....

<blockquote>Hi! I heard INSEAD is very high inthe rankings also for their Singapore campus. Is there anybody who has done the program and can give me some firts-hand infos?
Thanx!
Genta</blockquote>

INSEAD is rank high only for one reason and that is because of its campus outside of Paris. The Singapore campus on stand alone basis is not nearly as good.

The choice of electives is poor, especially for Finance.
The best Asian Finance school by far is Hong Kong UST B-School.

If you want to go to the real INSEAD go to France. Thats the truth no matter what anyone on these pages tries to tell you,....

quote

copernicus

40 80

Posted Jun 15, 2007 03:49

Hi! I heard INSEAD is very high inthe rankings also for their Singapore campus. Is there anybody who has done the program and can give me some firts-hand infos?
Thanx!
Genta

see below for my comment

quote

copernicus

40 80

Posted Jun 15, 2007 04:08

Hi! I heard INSEAD is very high inthe rankings also for their Singapore campus. Is there anybody who has done the program and can give me some firts-hand infos?
Thanx!
Genta

INSEAD is loosing its appeal worldwide, In the US the school has never been well known. The Singapore campus is simpy a much worse version of the one in France. If you are looking for a true Asian MBA look elsewhere.

Here is what Bankersball.com has on the subject of INSEAD.

http://www.bankersball.com/2006/11/21/insead-the-forgotten-b-school/#more-354

"November 21, 2006
INSEAD: the Forgotten B-School?
Newly appointed INSEAD dean Frank Brown is on a mission to bring the business school?s brand up in the world, reports the WSJ. The school, which has campuses in France and Singapore, bills itself as the ?Business School for the World? but seems to have issues with the world knowing what it is.

Says Brown: ?The biggest challenge that we have is communicating the Insead brand. ? I?m amazed how many people know the name Insead but how few people know what Insead really is.?? ?I think that the Insead brand should become more synonymous with the word ?leadership,? and specifically ?transcultural leadership.? We really do generate people at Insead with a unique perspective on the world. Our participants have an ability to navigate across geography and across cultures and really have a significant impact on organizations. ??

Efforts include strengthening the U.S. alumni network and creating a U.S. office for alums and executive education.

Despite apparent fans in the ranks of the authors of its Wikipedia entry, the school did not make the top 10 list of the Economist, which apparently is one of the few b-school raters that rank international schools against each other.

By the way, INSEAD is not an acronym. ?Like Harvard is Harvard and Wharton is Wharton, INSEAD is INSEAD.? (From the INSEAD FAQ). Also, INSEAD is not a French business school, it?s just in France."

INSEAD SINGAPORE IS not a good school at all!
INSEAD FRANCE is only an average school!

Look at this latest independent ranking of Finance departments in Asia-Pacific. Scroll down to page 16 for the ranking. You will have to go down far to see Insead - Singapore at #103, thats absolutely pathetic. Another Asian school Hong Kong UST clear #1.

http://fnalumni.ust.hk/news/Asian_ranking.pdf

Overall World Finance ranking 1990-2006 done by the University of Arizona. INSEAD #46, Hong Kong UST #23. According to this Hong Kong UST is also better in Finance than INSEAD France

http://wpcarey.asu.edu/fin/rank/upload/2005_rankings.pdf

<blockquote>Hi! I heard INSEAD is very high inthe rankings also for their Singapore campus. Is there anybody who has done the program and can give me some firts-hand infos?
Thanx!
Genta</blockquote>

INSEAD is loosing its appeal worldwide, In the US the school has never been well known. The Singapore campus is simpy a much worse version of the one in France. If you are looking for a true Asian MBA look elsewhere.

Here is what Bankersball.com has on the subject of INSEAD.

http://www.bankersball.com/2006/11/21/insead-the-forgotten-b-school/#more-354

"November 21, 2006
INSEAD: the Forgotten B-School?
Newly appointed INSEAD dean Frank Brown is on a mission to bring the business school?s brand up in the world, reports the WSJ. The school, which has campuses in France and Singapore, bills itself as the ?Business School for the World? but seems to have issues with the world knowing what it is.

Says Brown: ?The biggest challenge that we have is communicating the Insead brand. ? I?m amazed how many people know the name Insead but how few people know what Insead really is.?? ?I think that the Insead brand should become more synonymous with the word ?leadership,? and specifically ?transcultural leadership.? We really do generate people at Insead with a unique perspective on the world. Our participants have an ability to navigate across geography and across cultures and really have a significant impact on organizations. ??

Efforts include strengthening the U.S. alumni network and creating a U.S. office for alums and executive education.

Despite apparent fans in the ranks of the authors of its Wikipedia entry, the school did not make the top 10 list of the Economist, which apparently is one of the few b-school raters that rank international schools against each other.

By the way, INSEAD is not an acronym. ?Like Harvard is Harvard and Wharton is Wharton, INSEAD is INSEAD.? (From the INSEAD FAQ). Also, INSEAD is not a French business school, it?s just in France."

INSEAD SINGAPORE IS not a good school at all!
INSEAD FRANCE is only an average school!

Look at this latest independent ranking of Finance departments in Asia-Pacific. Scroll down to page 16 for the ranking. You will have to go down far to see Insead - Singapore at #103, thats absolutely pathetic. Another Asian school Hong Kong UST clear #1.

http://fnalumni.ust.hk/news/Asian_ranking.pdf

Overall World Finance ranking 1990-2006 done by the University of Arizona. INSEAD #46, Hong Kong UST #23. According to this Hong Kong UST is also better in Finance than INSEAD France

http://wpcarey.asu.edu/fin/rank/upload/2005_rankings.pdf

quote

JamieO

36 71

Posted Jun 15, 2007 11:10

I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...

quote

AnalystNYC

16 31

Posted Jun 21, 2007 00:32

I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...

Here is an excellent discussion on INSEAD Singapore vs Hong Kong schools- HK UST to be particular.

http://www.find-mba.com/board/4345

quote

mbaconsult...

3 5

Posted Jun 29, 2007 15:08

I think the INSEAD bashers are way off base. Take advice from these bashers with caution.

quote

Globetrave...

30 59

Posted Jun 29, 2007 16:03

I think the INSEAD bashers are way off base. Take advice from these bashers with caution.

everybody needs to their own research.

take a trip to singapore and visit that Insead campus, perhaps the reality will sink in, and you will not waste money applying there.

<blockquote>I think the INSEAD bashers are way off base. Take advice from these bashers with caution. </blockquote>

everybody needs to their own research.

take a trip to singapore and visit that Insead campus, perhaps the reality will sink in, and you will not waste money applying there.

quote

MBAsurvivo...

2 4

Posted Jul 15, 2007 15:46

I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.

<blockquote>I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...</blockquote>

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.

quote

kit

6 12

Posted Jul 16, 2007 19:42

I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.

Thanks for your comments MBAsurvivor. How would your rate recruiting and placements in Asia? And any idea what INSEAD's alumni network is like in the region? Thanks again.

<blockquote><blockquote>I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...</blockquote>

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.</blockquote>

Thanks for your comments MBAsurvivor. How would your rate recruiting and placements in Asia? And any idea what INSEAD's alumni network is like in the region? Thanks again.

quote

juanito

29 48

Posted Jul 18, 2007 18:37

MBAsurvivor, I am verys curious to know how international INSEAD Singapore is. There has been some discussion going on about that...

Besides, kit has asked the second question I had. Thanks! Always good to get first hand info :-)

quote

kit

6 12

Posted Jul 23, 2007 12:24

Seems Capital Group recruits from INSEAD Singapore.

http://www.capgroup.com/careers/students/mba/

Anyone know other companies that actively recruit?

quote

JamieO

36 71

Posted Jul 23, 2007 17:45

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.

Negative comments should not just be swept aside as viral marketing anymore than over positive comments should be either. I would hope that any MBA alumni would stick up for their school...

Personally, I have never been to Singapore or to INSEAD. That doesn't stop me from posting what I know about other schools in Asia. INSEAD may be a lot of things, but they don't have a monopoly on MBAs in Asia. There are several other really good (and dare I say it...possibly better) options in Asia.

No one is knocking INSEAD's reputation in France, we are purely stating that the quality may not be the same in Singapore. As you say, the programme is less intense there.

<blockquote>
To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.</blockquote>

Negative comments should not just be swept aside as viral marketing anymore than over positive comments should be either. I would hope that any MBA alumni would stick up for their school...

Personally, I have never been to Singapore or to INSEAD. That doesn't stop me from posting what I know about other schools in Asia. INSEAD may be a lot of things, but they don't have a monopoly on MBAs in Asia. There are several other really good (and dare I say it...possibly better) options in Asia.

No one is knocking INSEAD's reputation in France, we are purely stating that the quality may not be the same in Singapore. As you say, the programme is less intense there.

quote

juanito

29 48

Posted Jul 24, 2007 17:47

I wouldn't state generally that statistics from the Economist are bizarre, but they can be a useful (side)source of information if you use it along with other (main)sources of info. They are definitely not the same as a brochure of the school itself!

Still, maybe some posts were too one sided, giving a too bad impression of INSEAD, to promote HKUST for some reason - but I find it good to have different insights and position here on the board.

Interesting what you write about INSEAD Singapore vs Fontainebleau! So usually people apply in France and spend some time during studies on the Singapore Campus if I understand well. Therefore about recruiting I should consult Fontainebleau statistics. But is it possible, ad advisable, to apply directly in SIngapore? How is recruiting there? What is you personal experience?

quote

olama

1 1

Posted Dec 17, 2007 01:51

I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.

Thanks for your comments MBAsurvivor. How would your rate recruiting and placements in Asia? And any idea what INSEAD's alumni network is like in the region? Thanks again.

I am a current INSEAD student and I think the threads about INSEAD are actually conveying an inaccurate image about the MBA program here. I hope the following answers some of the questions that were asked as I express how I see INSEAD from the inside.

The Fontainebleau and Singapore campuses are just one program. The same professors, the same students and even the same dean for the MBA program. My Managerial Accounting prof. was even teaching on both campuses during the same period (we didn't feel it though; he told us near the end of the course about some interesting insight about Chinese EMBAs). The 10 months program is divided into 5 periods, each 2 months long. I started in Fontainebleau for 3 periods and plan to spend the last 2 in Singapore (I had planned for a period in Wharton, but I did not like the electives offered there). Here at Fontainebleau we meet students from the class graduating in December (I am supposed to graduate in July next year) who spent some or most of their periods in Singapore and there is consensus among them that the campus is much newer and the student life livelier than in Fontainebleau. Study is the same and there seems to be no questions about that. Both campuses have very similar facilities (which are quite impressive, at least to me). I see the Singapore campus quite often in videos from events as they happen in Singapore. We usually have the same events at the same date. Recreation is more diverse in Singapore.

I have chosen to spend the last two periods in Singapore (knowing that these represent the recruiting season for my class). I made this decision based on the following information:
- We share the same database for job search
- There is the same number/quality of recruiters on both campuses
- Recruiters from Asia/Australia/Middle-East are more present on the Singapore campus
- Recruitment statistics for both campuses presented to us by the dean were almost identical in terms of numbers and sectors
- I see the list of companies present on campus each week and it is usually the same for both campuses
- I checked the career fair booklet and all the big firms are present on both campuses; the small firms from London are replaced by the small firms from Asia
- Singapore offers permanent residence status to students graduating at the Singapore campus

Regarding the alumni network in Asia, I just performed a search on the internal networking system (not the alumni system to which I will gain access when I graduate) and I searched for alumni from Hong Kong and China who listed themselves as Ambassadors (i.e. willing to talk to interested people about INSEAD) which is limited to alumni who graduated up to 4 years ago and the results were 67 and 168 respectively. I wonder what the size of the real network is, including non-ambassadors and all the other coutries.

For a better understanding of what an MBA at INSEAD is like I would suggest searching for student blogs. They talk about the real stuff that is happening and usually quite accurately.

<blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>I have heard similar comments about INSEAD in Singapore before. If it is the Asia experience you are after, you would be better off trying a leading Asia business school instead in Hong Kong for example. There are several that have excellent industry links and strong programmes.

If it is specifically Singapore you are interested in, I would say that both NUS and NTU are better choices than INSEAD.
If you want to mix the Asian/European experiences, NUS have an exchange programme for the MBA with ESSEC, IE, ESADE, HEC and St. Gallen. NTU on the other hand offer a Double MBA programme with both ESSEC and St. Gallen.

Personally, I wouldn't go for INSEAD just for the name...</blockquote>

To be honest, I am not sure if there is viral marketing here in this thread by some university administrators.
Most comments esp. against INSEAD are totally off the thruth. I have studied at US schools (Columbia, Wharton) and later went for business to INSEAD. The Singapore campus is brand-new and still under development. Fontainebleau is pretty large and top-gorgeous. Students and professors switch campuses regularly (they have to!). Courses are equal. There are INSEAD facilities in Silicon Valley, China, Israel and Abu Dhabi, from where you get research input as well. Professors are identical to top 10 business schools (they rotate as well). Courses are almost identical to eg. Harvard and Columbia. However the student body is somewhat older and much more experienced. GMAT is currently around 710-750. If you are just checking brochures and some bizarre statistics from "Economist" then please do not apply to INSEAD. You will never make it anyway, because you also would compare a Chinese Ssangyong (whatever) car with a Mercedes or Ferrari and go for your Chinese car for all its great feature list in the brochure. Hongkong is a major destination of all Asian interested INSEAD students. Most of them end up at banks such as Goldman, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, etc. Recruiting, however, is largely based on the French campus. The Singapore campus is viewed by some students as the "Club Med" after 6months of hellish 100h work weeks in Fontainebleau. Well, not really "Club Med"... but you only study/work 80h a week. Which is a relief and a chance to get away to Bali on the weekend.</blockquote>

Thanks for your comments MBAsurvivor. How would your rate recruiting and placements in Asia? And any idea what INSEAD's alumni network is like in the region? Thanks again.

</blockquote>

I am a current INSEAD student and I think the threads about INSEAD are actually conveying an inaccurate image about the MBA program here. I hope the following answers some of the questions that were asked as I express how I see INSEAD from the inside.

The Fontainebleau and Singapore campuses are just one program. The same professors, the same students and even the same dean for the MBA program. My Managerial Accounting prof. was even teaching on both campuses during the same period (we didn't feel it though; he told us near the end of the course about some interesting insight about Chinese EMBAs). The 10 months program is divided into 5 periods, each 2 months long. I started in Fontainebleau for 3 periods and plan to spend the last 2 in Singapore (I had planned for a period in Wharton, but I did not like the electives offered there). Here at Fontainebleau we meet students from the class graduating in December (I am supposed to graduate in July next year) who spent some or most of their periods in Singapore and there is consensus among them that the campus is much newer and the student life livelier than in Fontainebleau. Study is the same and there seems to be no questions about that. Both campuses have very similar facilities (which are quite impressive, at least to me). I see the Singapore campus quite often in videos from events as they happen in Singapore. We usually have the same events at the same date. Recreation is more diverse in Singapore.

I have chosen to spend the last two periods in Singapore (knowing that these represent the recruiting season for my class). I made this decision based on the following information:
- We share the same database for job search
- There is the same number/quality of recruiters on both campuses
- Recruiters from Asia/Australia/Middle-East are more present on the Singapore campus
- Recruitment statistics for both campuses presented to us by the dean were almost identical in terms of numbers and sectors
- I see the list of companies present on campus each week and it is usually the same for both campuses
- I checked the career fair booklet and all the big firms are present on both campuses; the small firms from London are replaced by the small firms from Asia
- Singapore offers permanent residence status to students graduating at the Singapore campus

Regarding the alumni network in Asia, I just performed a search on the internal networking system (not the alumni system to which I will gain access when I graduate) and I searched for alumni from Hong Kong and China who listed themselves as Ambassadors (i.e. willing to talk to interested people about INSEAD) which is limited to alumni who graduated up to 4 years ago and the results were 67 and 168 respectively. I wonder what the size of the real network is, including non-ambassadors and all the other coutries.

For a better understanding of what an MBA at INSEAD is like I would suggest searching for student blogs. They talk about the real stuff that is happening and usually quite accurately.

quote

boots

3 6

Posted Jan 10, 2008 08:42

Has anyone applied to the second round? I don't know anyone else that has applied and am curious how other people are doing. Has anyone heard back yet for interviews?

For me Insead (specifically Insead Singapore) is a perfect fit. Insead definately has a unique reputation and unique focus, which may be very attractive to some and not to others. I would chose Insead above Harvard / Columbia / Wharton etc. But that's me.

quote

Anil_2007

1 2

Posted Mar 02, 2008 07:30

Hi there! I m looking forward to MBA in Singapore. Have anyone heard about PSB Acedemy. How is it like compared to INSEAD??
Please help thanks!!!

quote

alien740

2 3

Posted Mar 03, 2008 10:44

Has anyone applied to the second round? I don't know anyone else that has applied and am curious how other people are doing. Has anyone heard back yet for interviews?

For me Insead (specifically Insead Singapore) is a perfect fit. Insead definately has a unique reputation and unique focus, which may be very attractive to some and not to others. I would chose Insead above Harvard / Columbia / Wharton etc. But that's me.

would you also drive a hyundai over ferrari?

Insead is decent but nowhere near the schools you had mentioned.

<blockquote>Has anyone applied to the second round? I don't know anyone else that has applied and am curious how other people are doing. Has anyone heard back yet for interviews?

For me Insead (specifically Insead Singapore) is a perfect fit. Insead definately has a unique reputation and unique focus, which may be very attractive to some and not to others. I would chose Insead above Harvard / Columbia / Wharton etc. But that's me. </blockquote>

would you also drive a hyundai over ferrari?

Insead is decent but nowhere near the schools you had mentioned.

quote

dyah.wulan...

1 1

Posted Apr 10, 2008 13:19

hi, plz share the comparassion between INSEAD, PSB and NTU? which one is better?

quote

tranductru...

1 1

Posted May 03, 2008 12:27

Dear all,

Seem that it has been very fancy and long-lasting debate on INSEAD Singapore compared to other Asian institutions since this topic was opened.

More practically, I'd like to know more about INSEAD Singapore. If you've got some information about it, could you possibly send to my email address at [email protected] ?

Many thanks in advance.
Warmest regards,
Tran Duc Truong

quote

carlkk

4 8

Posted May 03, 2008 22:24

I'm a prospective student for INSEAD, LBS and Oxford with some interest in Asia. I spent a while trying to figure out this whole Asian campus thing and was interested in INSEAD singapore campus. I landed on this thread/board during my research I was surprised at this whole slug fest, especially repeatedly on this board by HKUST people. I also saw some guy do the same HKUST branding on Business week as well -- it almost feels cheap and you feel sorry for the school.

Anyway, a simple Google search of "INSEAD Singapore FAQ " threw up this very good blog (of an INSEAD guy, so first hand account with no bashing of anyone - and I saw that he has many posts/photos etc of INSEAD singapore) where he/she specifically addresses this INSEAD Singapore confusion. Maybe you should do some basic research first!

http://onwardtomba.blogspot.com/2007/12/insead-singapore-fact-faq-and-myths.html

For the guy who was asking about PBS or whatever, you should go to PBS or NTU. Don't waste your time on a "horrible" school like INSEAD which is where ignorant people like me are trying to go ;)

quote

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