Hi,



I'm a scholarship awardee from Indonesia, plan to take MBA in Europe and currently have two offers from RSM and AMBS. I am in the process of weighing the pros and cons of both schools. I don't have any plans to work in the respective countries or Europe; my intention is to return to my home country after completing the MBA.



Additionally, I am contemplating whether AMBS's 18-month program is more advantageous compared to RSM's 12-month program. Taking into account the benefits provided by the scholarship, I am personally tend towards the longer program at AMBS to gain a more in-depth and comprehensive experience in my studies.



Can anyone give advise?

[Edited by Harry_Pottret on Dec 05, 2023]

Do you have any career goals?

I have a business development (sales) background with 7 years working experience. Currently at a quite settle upper-middle management position in a logistic company. I plan to shift a little bit to be a generalist and climb up my career to the top management, not as a particular sales leader but as a company's strategist but still in the logistic industry.

Are there generalists in middle management? I would have thought that middle to senior managers are leading business functions.

Currently I'm still leading a business development (sales) team. But I want to take a more generalist role in the future, such as Corporate Strategy.

I took a look at LinkedIn jobs with "corporate strategy" in Indonesia. None that I could see include the term "MBA" and some are synergistic with your sales background, for example: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3778468376 So, I wonder whether you really need any MBA.

However, if the only two options are RSM and AMBS, then RSM has a larger alumni network, and more people concerned with strategy (88 versus 54). AMBS people tend to be in tech or consulting: RSM is strong there, and also in finance. So, other things being equal RSM has the advantage.

In terms of structure, the two programmes are very similar with five terms: they are simply taught more intensely at RSM and more slowly at AMBS. Both schools cover the core through to July, and then move into electives. These are much more generously spaced at AMBS. That reflects the added job hunting time needed by people looking to work in the UK, who face a more challenging domestic job hunt (half AMBS MBA graduates find in-country work, compared to three-quarters of RSM students).
Furthermore, AMBS students are more often looking to change roles, industry and country. AMBS offers five electives; RSM offers three plus a two-month double-elective called an Advanced Course. So, the courses are similar enough that if your priority was to get into the job market in Indonesia, I think RSM is a good choice. However, ignoring the opportunity cost of the extra time, AMBS students are more satisfied, higher paid, and have a better network across the rest of Asia-Pacific because it's a larger school with campuses in Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Obviously, you will learn more and have more project opportunities to test out your learning, in the longer AMBS format.