Hi Friends. I have an admit for GISMA and HFU (both MBA) and would obviously like to know which one is better? Any pros and cons for both of them? Thank you!

These are two very different schools. What are your goals? What do they have in common?

Search the board for discussion on them. GISMA, of course, is recovering from bankruptcy and is now a private school with an uncertain future. But I guess its MSM degree is a better long-term credential.

Thanks for your reply Duncan. Although I am from a non engineering field but with a decent command over German language and some work experience, I am not really sure of the job prospects that I have after an MBA in Germany. If you could shed some light on that, it would be really helpful.

I seem to be more inclined towards HFU as the course structure seems quite organised and the university though not the best is quite reputed and a government funded uni. GISMA on the other hand was a reputed uni when it was with Purdue but after the Bankruptcy I am not sure if the quality is still there.

If you want to work in Germany, then get into the best school you can. If you can afford GISMA then you can do better.

I think that this next batch of students at GISMA will have a frustrating time. Who can tell if the school will become viable, but after so long the odds are against it.

Could you comment a bit on HFU. Other than being a Fachhochschule are there any other cons? Do you think that MBA from HFU or for that matter GISMA wont be recognized by the industry?

These are both very local schools, without strong MBA careers services. Obviously the demand for English-speaking managers is limited in Germany: if I was a German firm looking for foreign talent, I would prefer to hire graduates of German-language programmes because I'd want to be confident they could hit the ground running when working in German. Graduates of German MBAs are principally either German speakers, or they are returning to their own country. Furtwagen is better known than GISMA, and it's not a very well known MBA unlike, even against other FHs say, Pforzheim or Esslingen.

Hi Duncan,

Can you compare between GISMA and Hochschule Offenburg.
Which is a better option

These are two very different schools. What are your goals? What do they have in common?

Search the board for discussion on them. GISMA, of course, is recovering from bankruptcy and is now a private school with an uncertain future. But I guess its MSM degree is a better long-term credential.

HI,

Thanks for your reply,
My aim is to work in Germany after studies, Your are right that he MSM degree will play a vital role in a long run or may be for getting a job too perhaps.
My question is, will it be fine to assume that because it has MSM name attached to it, we will have a chance to get an employment in Netherlands too?
and
Although most of the students may prefer GISMA over Offenburg but you know the Offenburg provides placement stats on its website with 60K euros being average package for the students, such stats are not there for GISMA, Is it point of concern? Can we assume the same output from GISMA too if not higher than what Offenburg students make.

MSM is an export brand. Most of its students are in the developing world. Without Dutch, I struggle to see how this will help you find work in the Netherlands.

I would certainly be concerned about placement from GISMA: speak to recent graduates. If GISMA had developed good placement, then it would not have gone bankrupt. I could imagine that average salary multiplied by percent employed could produce a similar number. As far as I can see, the school has no faculty.

If you want to work in Germany, I just cannot accept that these are the two best choices.

Hi,

As far as I know, GISMA declared bankruptcy because in its collaboration with Purdue, They had a capacity of 50 students per intake, but Purdue did not allow more than 15-16 students per intake. I believe this has a more direct relation with the bankruptcy and not the placements.
Also kindly allow me to ask you that Is Pforzheim a better option than GISMA at current scenario and Is Hanover as a city is good for jobs perspective?

That's not the case. GISMA recruited many more than 15-16 students. As a recruiter, I got their CV books year after year. I event visited a class at GISMA, and there were well over 16 people in the room.

Pforzheim is a better option, I think. If you speak good professional German, then I think the opportunities are there in Hanover as much as in the greater Stuttgart area.

Just curious to as why these are your only two choices. I would think that an FT ranked program (Mannheim or ESMT) would provide more reliable post-graduation placements.

PS Many more than 15 students:
In the current building: http://www.hothousemedia.com/stmnews/news/130910-lsbf-group-rescues-german-school.jpg
At the Leibniz campus http://images.bwbx.io/cms/2013-06-19/0619-kaput-630x420.jpg
In the first building: http://idw-online.de/pages/de/newsimage?id=36241&size=screen