Hi Post MBA,

I work full-time at a multinational co. in BCN and unfortunately, I cannot take any sort of leave for a full-time MBA. That's why I'm interested in a pt program (at one of the top schools) in English. However, I have done some research and so far I have found none.

Many thanks,
GD

I think that it makes no difference if you choose a partime MBA in Spanish, the languages does not matter but the quality matters.

Try to search about the new Executive MBA at IESE, or the EMBA and partime at Esade. There are many factors, but your time is the first to consider.

Thank you for the advice, however, I believe that doing it in Spanish would not be an option for me as I am not fluent and such an investment (MBA fee) deserves my full comprehension.
On the other hand, with so many multinationals in Spain, particularly in Barcelona and Madrid, I find it intriguing that none of the top schools in Barcelona; and I dare say in Madrid; cater for these part of the market. I have discussed it with several colleagues and foreign friends who also work full-time for such companies and who would definitely take part in a program of this kind, that's if it ever existed.

Many thanks,

Hello GD,
to find more information about the part time MBAs of the two best schools in BCN you might want to check out the following links:
http://www.esade.edu/bs/mba/part_time_mba
http://www.eada.edu/formacio/programaInfo-page.html?activitatID=229&ambitID=17

I think EADA's part time MBA is in Spanish, in English they only offer a Euro MBA

jona

Hello GD,
to find more information about the part time MBAs of the two best schools in BCN you might want to check out the following links:
http://www.esade.edu/bs/mba/part_time_mba
http://www.eada.edu/formacio/programaInfo-page.html?activitatID=229&ambitID=17

I have attended ESADE (MBA and Ph.D. coursework) and have hired MBAs from IESE and BMI. Let me know if there is anything you would like to know.

Full Disclosure: I am participating in the FIND MBA board as an excercise to provide an illustration for a segment I am teaching of the course "What the CEO wants you to know" at BMI www.barcelonami.org One of the readings for the segment is www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40_ceo.html??? Click on Post MBA for more biographical info.

Hi voz de galicia,
you are right, I have to correct my post, best schools in BCN are definitely ESADE, and IESE, as you say.
EADA is number 3, it is ranked in some rankings - but quite a bit further down (pos 87 EIU and 100 FT) than the two others.

sorry for having been misleadinig.

Jona

ESADE and IESE are ranked highly by some media outlets. They are examples of what Bennis criticizes sharply in "How Business Schools Lost Their Way" http://accounting.cba.uic.edu/Articles/MBA/How%20Business%20Schools%20Lost%20Their%20Way.htm (apologies for the headache inducing format) and Pfeffer highlights in this interview, "There's been a dilution in quality of the MBA" http://businessworldindia.com/b_school/interview_strategies1.asp. Though I have recruited from IESE, I'm primarily focused on BMI where Bennis and Pfeffer's problems are being solved.

As for the rankings of business schools it may be helpful for prospective MBAs to review this 2007 Journal of Management Development article, "The rankings game: and the winner is..." http://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet; jsessionid=C04CBBB4BFF340659D40E529C10E36C5?
Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0260260104.html (copy and paste full link) and this 1993 Management Research News article (cited in the previous article), "What's Wrong With MBA Ranking Surveys" http://officialmbaguide.org/whatswrong.php

You may also find this article an interesting read as you assign a net present value to a $50 to $100 thousand investment. "What's an MBA Really Worth?" http://cbet.uwaterloo.ca/Prospective_Students/mba_worth.html

Choosing the right school for your MBA is a significant decision that should be driven primarily by your post MBA objectives and supported by in depth research. I'm happy to provide perspective from a hiring manager to anyone looking for an MBA in this forum.

Full Disclosure: I am participating in the FIND MBA board as an excercise to provide an illustration for a segment I am teaching of the course "What the CEO wants you to know" at BMI www.barcelonami.org One of the readings for the segment is www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40_ceo.html???? Click on Post MBA for more biographical info.

Hi Dr. Branch,

I am really interested in pursuing an MBA, and I consider BMI to be a good and practical choice, since I am the type of person who wants to learn in a more practical approach than a theoretical one.

Anyway, based on what I?ve read in the website of BMI, it?s good to know that the school is applying for AMBA accreditation. Aside from the AMBA, I also have a suggestion, and I hope you can consider it ? why not also try applying (or at least becoming institutional members first) to other accreditations, like EQUIS, IACBE (International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education), and ACBSP (Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs)? IACBE is specialized (business). Of special mention is the ACBSP, which was created to accredit business schools with an emphasis on teaching and learning, since that is what the emphasis of BMI is; unlike the AACSB, which emphasis is more on research. Also worth mentioning is that IACBE and ACBSP, which are both US-based, focuses more on smaller institutions and teaching, which is perfect for BMI, since it is new.

I am not a business professor, but when I researched on the websites of these 2 accrediting bodies, well, I thought that beyond ?brand name? recognition, IACBE and ACBSP are above-average, to say the least.

Those are just my thoughts and insights?

Raul

Raul,

Thank you for your interest in BMI and for your suggestions! Before I begin, I suggest that (if you have not already done so) you ought to read my previous postings on this discussion thread. Okay, so I know that accreditation is used by many potential students as a signal of quality of an institution's MBA programme. I am not altogether convinced (if that was not clear in my previous postings) that accreditation actually measures quality. Indeed, I seem to recall another person on the findMBA discussion board who used the analogy of a Ministry of Health. I agree. . . a Ministry of Health merely sets the minimum standards for the cleanliness of the kitchen, the temperature on the dishwashing machine, and so on. It says nothing about the tastiness (quality) of the food, or, even more important, to my marketing mind, about whether or not it delivers what you as the consumer want to eat at a given time. With that in mind, therefore, I would suggest that the discussions really ought not to be about accreditation, but ask questions about quality (tastiness) of the MBA programme. What is its fitness with what you as the potential student want? That leads back to the question ?What is quality?? I know that it is a difficult thing to define. At BMI, we like to think that everything which we do is excellent: from the personal touch which you would receive from our director of admissions, to the award-winning professors from leading institutions, to our student activities and outings, and even to the food and drink which we serve at parties and celebrations. As for fitness, we also like to think that we have described accurately and honestly what BMI is, what our MBA programme is all about, and so on, so that you can evaluate ?fitness? for yourself.

Now, more to the point of accreditation, there are 3 agencies which are most respected: AMBA (from England), EQUIS (from continental Europe), and AACSB (from the U.S.A.). There are in addition to these 3, 10?s if not 100?s more. And very cynically, by the way, one might ask why these agencies exist in the first place. Do they perform any real function? Are they simply self-serving? Do they exist another reason than to provide jobs to the people who started them? There are some, I might add, which were developed by the very institutions which then are accredited by them. Hmmm! In any case, the ?big 3? are well known, well respected, and generally used by potential students as signals of quality. Again, I do not think they necessarily measure quality. However, I do believe that they prescribe minimum standards for business schools, and, admittedly, these minimum standards are probably similar to the minimum standards which I would suggest if I were in the accreditation business. As such, BMI hopes to achieve 1 or more of these 3 accreditations in the near future, in order to demonstrate to its potential students that it meets or exceeds a set of minimum standards. In all honesty, the self-reflection which is required of an institution when it is preparing its application for accreditation, is also a wonderful process in and of itself (optimising processes, insuring policies, and so on. . . getting your kitchen clean and dishwasher hot). As such, BMI is engaged fully in the accreditation process to reflect how it meets or exceeds the minimum standards. In the meantime, BMI would welcome any additional comments or suggestions, and is certainly eager to speak with you about your candidacy.

Raul, I hope that this posting was useful to you and others. I look forward to future postings.

With best wishes,

John Branch

Hi Dr. Branch,

Thanks for giving me input on the accreditation issue, and yes, you're right, I've realized now that other small and virtually unknown accredating agencies are not that respected, unlike the "big 3," AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS..

Again, it's a good thing that BMI will apply for AMBA accreditation.. It will surely be of help in the future, both to the students and the school.

Anyway, thanks to the BMI admissions; actually, I e-mailed them and made some inquiries (because I plan to pursue and MBA in the near future), and they replied and responded to my questions right away.

Thank you,

Raul

Hi,
I am currently looking for a good master in Spain, prefferably Madrid, but it's been confusing so far. How come Carlos III is rated so well when in Spanish forums is not even mentioned? I've found ICADE quite charming, but it costs double than Carlos III, I was going to apply for ICADE but the difference in price is so high... does it worth it??
Can anyone give me some information about both and maybe other ones. I'm not paying more than 20.000.
Does anyone here knows which are employers' best rated schools?
Thanks

Burringo,

ICADE doesn't have any international accreditation and is much more expensive, whereas Carlos III is AMBA-accredited and tuition fees are much lower, so I would recommend Carlos III.

I would also advise you to visit the schools, if possible: go there, talk to the admissions people, talk to the current students to know how they like the program. Web sites and discussion forums are a good starting point, but you should also try to see things by yourself. If you cannot visit the schools, you can perhaps get in touch with alumni who live in your own country.

If you want other options in Spain, you should look for the other accredited programs: IESE, Instituto de Empresa, ESADE and EADA. However, if your budget is 20,000 euros, you can't afford them. As you've probably noticed, there's a myriad of MBA programs in Spain. Many of them are heavily advertised and quite expensive, but are not accredited.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently waiting for the answer of Carlos III for their MBA program been this my 1st option. But also BMI has caught my attention and they advice me that I just to submit a few more documents to get acceptance. In terms, of them getting accreditation AMBA by 2010 tells me that their program is worth it? Can I get more feedback on them? Anyone that knows more in details? And also in comparison to EAE MBA program which program has the better reputation internationally? A bit confuse..

Thanks

MariaMontreal,

Greetings! I am the Academic Director of BMI and would be delighted to answer any questions which you might have. Alternatively, you can contact BMI ([email protected]) for more information.

With best wishes,

John Branch

Hi
Could anyone tell me about the job opportunities available in spain after completing an mba.

Danny,

Where are you from? Which schools are you applying to? Do you have a good knowledge of Spanish?

These cuestions are very important for giving you a better answer.

HI
I have been admitted into eada. I do have a little knowledge about spanish but its very basic.... I am currently taking classes and will finish 3 levels before comming to spain.

Danny - As someone who regularly hires MBAs in Barcelona I would be happy to share my thoughts on the job market. What areas are you focusing on post MBA? (ex. Entrepreneurial, General Mgt, Finance, Marketing, etc.)

Full Disclosure: I am participating in the FIND MBA board as an excercise to provide an illustration for a segment I am teaching of the course "What the CEO wants you to know" at BMI www.barcelonami.org One of the readings for the segment is www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40_ceo.html????? Click on Post MBA for more biographical info.

I am currently working in the finance sector and planning to specialize in finance but I wouldnt mind to explore sectors.
I Think since i have just started my career it wont be very difficult for me.