I had an interesting conversation with someone at TIAS today and will write a short post about it. One crucial thing I had yet to notice is that although TIAS is headquartered on the Tilburg University campus, the MBA and MScBA are in Utrecht. That's a much better location for employers and perhaps a big part of the school's 100% MBA placement.

If there are any specific points you'd like me to focus on, let me know.

Hello Mr. Duncan,
Looking into the TIAS full-time MBA program and stumbled upon this post. Would you have any information on employment outcomes for TIAS MBA grads? Any insights about average salaries and the usual sectors they dive into?

Also, the dual-degree track caught my eye. What do you think of it? Have you encountered any community feedback regarding its benefits and how it might influence career paths?
During your interaction, I'm curious if you gathered any specifics about TIAS's curriculum. How unique is it, and does it contribute to the skill development of MBA students?
I'm also trying to learn more about their career services and industry connections. Are you aware of the effectiveness of these services?

I saw TIAS has a significant international representation in its staff and student crowd. Got in touch with some non-Dutch MBA alums on LinkedIn; they mentioned language isn't a big hurdle except for certain roles like consulting. What's your take on this? I get that Dutch can be useful for long-term growth, but do you reckon native fluency is imperative?

Cheers!

I don't have any non-public data: you can see the FT data with 100% placement and an average salary of $94786. I don't see the added value in the dual degree outside of some very unusual use cases, and have not heard discussion about it. Given the small cohort, there will be few [if any] people taking that option.

In a nutshell, what's really different about TIAS is return to better-located Utrecht in 2017, the long employer relationships, and the strong focus on alumni access, career coaching, and personal development that flows from the small scale of the program. There are some academic strong points, for example on ESG and CSR. The proof is in the pudding: 100% placement across a wide range of industries. However, that also reflects the high quality of the students and the gender balance: a healthy chunk gets merit-based scholarships (typically covering half the fee).

Dutch is optional for the sort of roles that their alumni are taking. It's more in the students' interests than the employers', since it increases labour mobility and creates more options. Dutch managers often won't encourage foreign professionals to learn Dutch. It's more of a factor for progression and integration.

To be honest, I hadn't delved into the FT data myself. While I searched through the school's website, I couldn't locate any employment statistics there. I appreciate your observation about ESG and CSR in TIAS's curriculum; that's an aspect I hadn't noticed before, so thank you for highlighting it.
I'm a bit disheartened though to learn that the dual degree might not hold much sway. On a broader note, considering your experience and knowledge, do you believe the TIAS program can hold its own when compared to RSM?
I'm curious about the industries or sectors that typically show a higher preference for hiring TIAS graduates. Based on your knowledge, are there specific sectors that tend to hire more from TIAS, and could you share any insights into the factors driving this trend?

RSM graduates earn 30% more, so TIAS isn't really playing in the same markets. RSM is a huge full-service school at the heart of the country's top [arguably] university; TIAS is much smaller and is a complexly structured business with dotted lines to Tilburg and Eindhoven universities.

I don't think there are any surprises about where they place. See: How to use LinkedIn to find the best school www.find-mba.com/board/33571

Beyond the financial aspects of salary packages, how would you characterize the career growth and progression of TIAS graduates? In your opinion, is TIAS a compelling choice for prospective applicants, or conversely, what factors might make someone reconsider applying to TIAS?

The financial aspects reflect non-financial aspects: they are going into less valuable roles, which has numerous generic consequences. Use the compare programmes option on the FT ranking,



TAIS benefits: smaller cohort, tighter alumni network, more attention from career services, a compact and high-tech campus, and more gender and sector diversity; unique position as a school "for business and society". Almost identical five-block structure.



RSM benefits: Better progression (in terms of career progress and pay rises), more senior cohort (hence a focus on "leadership" development rather than "career" development), more alumni, stronger brand equity, more synergy with research, and arguably stronger for ESG and CSR. Extensive international exchange programme. Almost anyone who could choose between them would choose RSM.

[Edited by Duncan on Jan 05, 2024]

I don't think there are any surprises about where they place. See: How to use LinkedIn to find the best school www.find-mba.com/board/33571

I think it's a bit overblown to talk about there being a housing crisis in the Netherlands. There's a serious housing shortage in the 40km wide strip from Haarlem to Amersfort, and in Den Haag. See this map: https://english.rekenkamer.nl/binaries/large/content/gallery/rekenkamer-english/content-afbeeldingen/2022/06/figuur-engels-woningtekort-website.jpg

There are other countries similar to the Netherlands (Belgium, Denmark and Germany). But I think you'll find the transition easier if you look for roles as close as possible to your current role, where you are a more obvious candidate. You are interested in a wide range of topics and, in a US-style two-year MBA, you would have time to explore them. However, in a one-year MBA covering the same amount of content, your time for study and exploring employment options is limited. Focus on your career goals and understanding where you might be most valuable before you decide on a country.