Hi everyone

I am in the process of applying to the parr-time MBA of these 3 schools. I work in a big tech company in Germany but I would see an MBA also as a possibility to explore a more international market.
Ideally i would love to keep my big tech companies track though.

I had a very positive impression about Frankfurt school, but I see it scores worse in ranking, especially for MBA. Bocconi is definitely the best of the three in terms of rankings, but so much focused on Italian market (i’m Italian btw, but being a woman my career chances in italy are unfortunately pretty weak...).
Mannheim seems the most solid BS in Germany and have more tech alumni, but it seemed to me a bit less international than Frankfurt.

What is your opinion on these 3 schools? Do you share my impressions?

Any feedback very much appreciated,
Thanks

I think you mean 'lower', not 'worse'. Frankfurt isn't falling. It's just a younger player in the MBA market and, of course, a smaller player than Bocconi University.

Start from your goals. In the countries you are targeting, where do tech firms recruit from? In terms of MBAs, it's certainly ESMT, Frankfurt, Insead, Mannheim and WHU. Leading state universities like Technical University of Munich, University of Stuttgart, Technische Universität Berlin and the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg have bigger networks but are less well known internationally.

Since you are starting with Germany, Mannheim is the obvious choice (maybe the Mannheim-Essec programme, for a more international network). It has a bigger international network than Frankfurt. It's a more prestigious school and, as a full-service university, also has graduates from tech degrees all through in the IT sector. If the international market is more English-speaking, consider the WHU-Kellogg EMBA. 

I think you mean 'lower', not 'worse'. Frankfurt isn't falling. It's just a younger player in the MBA market and, of course, a smaller player than Bocconi University.

Start from your goals. In the countries you are targeting, where do tech firms recruit from? In terms of MBAs, it's certainly ESMT, Frankfurt, Insead, Mannheim and WHU. Leading state universities like Technical University of Munich, University of Stuttgart, Technische Universität Berlin and the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg have bigger networks but are less well known internationally.

Since you are starting with Germany, Mannheim is the obvious choice (maybe the Mannheim-Essec programme, for a more international network). It has a bigger international network than Frankfurt. It's a more prestigious school and, as a full-service university, also has graduates from tech degrees all through in the IT sector. If the international market is more English-speaking, consider the WHU-Kellogg EMBA. 

AACSB and EQUIS accredition are the gold standard: AMBA is easier. It makes no sense to exclude WHU on that basis. Frankfurt will certainly become more international, but it won't have overtaken Mannheim or WHU by the time you retire. It's not so much that it's growing faster, but it's growing its provision in the English language. It's older than WHU, and has deep roots in the Frankfurt banking sector. I'm not sure that any of these schools is notably more or less traditional: they recruit faculty from the same leading-edge schools. Insofar as Mannheim and WHU are heavyweight research schools, they will be more advanced. 

A former colleague of mine did her MBA at SDA Bocconi, and she found that it just wasn't highly valued or well-known *in Germany*. UniCredit, as an Italian bank that bought a German bank, is the biggest employer of Bocconiani in Germany. 

[Edited by Duncan on May 07, 2021]

A former colleague of mine did her MBA at SDA Bocconi, and she found that it just wasn't highly valued or well-known *in Germany*. UniCredit, as an Italian bank that bought a German bank, is the biggest employer of Bocconiani in Germany. 

AACSB and EQUIS accredition are the gold standard: AMBA is easier. It makes no sense to exclude WHU on that basis. Frankfurt will certainly become more international, but it won't have overtaken Mannheim or WHU by the time you retire. It's not so much that it's growing faster, but it's growing its provision in the English language. It's older than WHU, and has deep roots in the Frankfurt banking sector. I'm not sure that any of these schools is notably more or less traditional: they recruit faculty from the same leading-edge schools. Insofar as Mannheim and WHU are heavyweight research schools, they will be more advanced. 

Well, not everyone is looking for triple accreditation. It's a signal to help international applicants, so it matters for schools that need extra effort to recruit foreign students. AACSB is higher and much more demanding *than AMBA, by a long way*. It's a school-wide quality check, unlike AMBA. If a school can pass AACSB or EQUIS, then it's going to pass AMBA. However, applicants have to start from their goals. Which school has the best network in the places where you want to work? LinkedIn has the answer. 

Mannehim is, obviously, stronger than Frankfurt. It's certainly the school's top business school, and the most selective. It's arguably the country's top full-service university (i.e. outside the technical universities). The Frankfurt School will never have a bigger or better brand internationally than Mannheim but in certain areas, like the reputation of its academic research on finance, it can certainly compete. 

[Edited by Duncan on May 07, 2021]

Well, not everyone is looking for triple accreditation. It's a signal to help international applicants, so it matters for schools that need extra effort to recruit foreign students. AACSB is higher and much more demanding *than AMBA, by a long way*. It's a school-wide quality check, unlike AMBA. If a school can pass AACSB or EQUIS, then it's going to pass AMBA. However, applicants have to start from their goals. Which school has the best network in the places where you want to work? LinkedIn has the answer. 

Mannehim is, obviously, stronger than Frankfurt. It's certainly the school's top business school, and the most selective. It's arguably the country's top full-service university (i.e. outside the technical universities). The Frankfurt School will never have a bigger or better brand internationally than Mannheim but in certain areas, like the reputation of its academic research on finance, it can certainly compete. 

I don't know if you have any familiarity with how the accreditations are given, or the work involved in gaining and maintaining them. Nothing I have said is mistaken, as far as I can see, so I don't see what there is to disagree with. Is Frankfurt really a stronger institution than ESCP or Harvard business schools, just because it has triple crowns? 

You can use LinkedIn to compare where the alumni of these schools are. Half of Mannheim Business School alumni are outside Germany, compared to one third of Frankfurt alumni. 

[Edited by Duncan on May 09, 2021]

I don't know if you have any familiarity with how the accreditations are given, or the work involved in gaining and maintaining them. Nothing I have said is mistaken, as far as I can see, so I don't see what there is to disagree with. Is Frankfurt really a stronger institution than ESCP or Harvard business schools, just because it has triple crowns? 

You can use LinkedIn to compare where the alumni of these schools are. Half of Mannheim Business School alumni are outside Germany, compared to one third of Frankfurth alumni. 

I would also disagree with the idea that the triple accreditation is made with the **only** purpose/need to attract foreigners, I don't see it like that either. And, of course, that is not the point I made. So, I am struggling to see what you really disagree with. Are you sure you are not just rationalising a dislike of Mannheim? 

PS ESCP seems like a great comparison: a fairly new player in the English-language market for full-time MBAs. It's obviously able to win AMBA accredition (Indeed, it had it and didn't reapply). Is it really worse than Frankfurt?

[Edited by Duncan on May 07, 2021]

I would also disagree with the idea that the triple accreditation is made with the **only** purpose/need to attract foreigners, I don't see it like that either. And, of course, that is not the point I made. So, I am struggling to see what you really disagree with. Are you sure you are not just rationalising a dislike of Mannheim? 

[Edited by JL85 on May 07, 2021]

I would also consider the other part-time options: HHL (Cologne, Leipzig, Munich) and IESE in Munich.

I would also consider the other part-time options: HHL (Cologne, Leipzig, Munich) and IESE in Munich.

Well, not everyone is looking for triple accreditation. It's a signal to help international applicants, so it matters for schools that need extra effort to recruit foreign students. AACSB is higher and much more demanding *than AMBA, by a long way*. It's a school-wide quality check, unlike AMBA. If a school can pass AACSB or EQUIS, then it's going to pass AMBA. However, applicants have to start from their goals. Which school has the best network in the places where you want to work? LinkedIn has the answer. 

Mannehim is, obviously, stronger than Frankfurt. It's certainly the school's top business school, and the most selective. It's arguably the country's top full-service university (i.e. outside the technical universities). The Frankfurt School will never have a bigger or better brand internationally than Mannheim but in certain areas, like the reputation of its academic research on finance, it can certainly compete. 

When you see schools get their triple crown, they will normally have gained AMBA accreditation first, since that's easier. WHU is the highest-ranked [full-time] MBA in Germany, so I don't think you should seriously worry that the MBA is weak.  ESMT, Frankfurt, HHL, Mannehim, and WHU are all strong schools. They do each, however, attract different sorts of students and feed them into different roles. Your opportunity is to find the best school to carry you best towards your goal.  

[Edited by Duncan on May 22, 2021]

When you see schools get their triple crown, they will normally have gained AMBA accreditation first, since that's easier. WHU is the highest-ranked [full-time] MBA in Germany, so I don't think you should seriously worry that the MBA is weak.  ESMT, Frankfurt, HHL, Mannehim, and WHU are all strong schools. They do each, however, attract different sorts of students and feed them into different roles. Your opportunity is to find the best school to carry you best towards your goal.  

Mannheim and WHU are both great. Mannheim students are stronger academically and have more acculturation. WHU students have made more career progress, and are more international. If you speak German on the way in, Mannheim is a no-brainer. If not, WHU has better career services.