Bocconi EMBA vs Mannheim+ESSEC EMBA

Tullio_B

1 1

Posted Jun 08, 2021 17:27

Dear Forum,

I am torn between these two programs, which I am comparing because they are both compatible with my budget (which excludes more highly ranked BS), with my travel possibilities, and with the profile I am looking for (which is an MBA program with a focus on General Management rather than Consulting, and with some international recognition at least in EU - I would love to get an MBA well known also in the US but that's just out of my reach in terms of budget).

The Bocconi EMBA and the MannheimESSEC EMBA are both modular 'executive' programs.

In the case of SDA Bocconi, I am tempted by the Bocconi brand, which is ranked better than both the Mannheim and ESSEC Schools, and therefore I assume it has a better international appeal.

The Bocconi EMBA is taught for 80% in Italian (not a problem for the language for me), which means that 95% of participants are also Italian, therefore I have to assume it offers less diversity than the Mannheim ESSEC program, both in terms of networking opportunities and personal development experience.

Also, I can't fine the Bocconi EMBA in any ranking, most likely because it is not taught in English. So, the school is very well ranked, and I've heard only positive comments from Alumni about the quality and solidity of the teaching, but I am perplexed about the "Italian EMBA" program itself.

On the other side, Mannheim+ESSEC EMBA may have slightly less teaching quality (as some of Alumni I've been in contact with, revealed) but it seems to offer a more diverse class mix and a more global outlook (with 3 exchanges in US, China, and Singapore, compared to only one exchange with Frankfurt School for the Bocconi EMBA).

Considering that I would like to use this EMBA not only for solidifying general management skills, but of course also for looking into other job opportunities, I'm tempted to prefer the more diversity offered by Mannheim+ESSEC (#32 on ft global mbas) to the Bocconi brand (top 10 in many rankings, but not for this very EMBA). A reason for this consideration is also the following one: I am Italian myself, I have been working around the EU for the past 10 years, I am currently based in Germany, and I have a feeling that the Italian job market is not necessarily very flexible and ready to absorb mid-career MBA profiles... perhaps Bocconi would make more sense for a young profile wanting to enter the consultancy world, than a mid-career manager seeking to move onto executive roles for which other EU countries (like Germany) may offer better options.

I would love to get some challenging thoughts from the forum :) Thanks!

[Edited by Tullio_B on Jun 08, 2021]

Dear Forum, 
 
I am torn between these two programs, which I am comparing because they are both compatible with my budget (which excludes more highly ranked BS), with my travel possibilities, and with the profile I am looking for (which is an MBA program with a focus on General Management rather than Consulting, and with some international recognition at least in EU - I would love to get an MBA well known also in the US but that's just out of my reach in terms of budget). 
The Bocconi EMBA and the MannheimESSEC EMBA are both modular 'executive' programs. 
In the case of SDA Bocconi, I am tempted by the Bocconi brand, which is ranked better than both the Mannheim and ESSEC Schools, and therefore I assume it has a better international appeal. 
The Bocconi EMBA is taught for 80% in Italian (not a problem for the language for me), which means that 95% of participants are also Italian, therefore I have to assume it offers less diversity than the Mannheim ESSEC program, both in terms of networking opportunities and personal development experience. 
Also, I can't fine the Bocconi EMBA in any ranking, most likely because it is not taught in English. So, the school is very well ranked, and I've heard only positive comments from Alumni about the quality and solidity of the teaching, but I am perplexed about the "Italian EMBA" program itself. 
On the other side, Mannheim+ESSEC EMBA may have slightly less teaching quality (as some of Alumni I've been in contact with, revealed) but it seems to offer a more diverse class mix and a more global outlook (with 3 exchanges in US, China, and Singapore, compared to only one exchange with Frankfurt School for the Bocconi EMBA). 
 
Considering that I would like to use this EMBA not only for solidifying general management skills, but of course also for looking into other job opportunities, I'm tempted to prefer the more diversity offered by Mannheim+ESSEC (#32 on ft global mbas) to the Bocconi brand (top 10 in many rankings, but not for this very EMBA). A reason for this consideration is also the following one: I am Italian myself, I have been working around the EU for the past 10 years, I am currently based in Germany, and I have a feeling that the Italian job market is not necessarily very flexible and ready to absorb mid-career MBA profiles... perhaps Bocconi would make more sense for a young profile wanting to enter the consultancy world, than a mid-career manager seeking to move onto executive roles for which other EU countries (like Germany) may offer better options. 
 
I would love to get some challenging thoughts from the forum :) Thanks!

quote

Duncan

14.007 15.473

Posted Jun 08, 2021 17:56

The EU has very national labour markets. Bocconi makes sense if you want to focus your career on Italy. The Bocconi EMBA is for people who are already in the Italian market. It's. not a tool for transition. I'm not sure what the job opportunities are, but I am sure you are not strategising career goals deeply enough.

quote

laurie

1.085 549

Posted Jun 14, 2021 20:16

It sounds like you want to transition into one of these European countries, and may not already live on the continent. If that's the case I would strongly suggest looking at full-time MBA programs in the country where you want to work, and ideally where you already speak the local language.

Otherwise, we'd probably need to know more about your career goals in order to make any specific suggestions.

It sounds like you want to transition into one of these European countries, and may not already live on the continent. If that's the case I would strongly suggest looking at full-time MBA programs in the country where you want to work, and ideally where you already speak the local language.  Otherwise, we'd probably need to know more about your career goals in order to make any specific suggestions.

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