Hey everyone,

A few questions here from a prospective international student looking to do an MBA in Germany. Given my hectic work schedule I simply don't have enough time to dedicate myself to cracking to GMAt. I know this severely limits me from choosing quality MBA programs in Germany but I did find a few school out there which didn't have this requirement and seemed quite impressive and I have been accepted into their MBA programs. Could anyone give me their insight on which one to choose and reasons why ( also preferences from first to last choice):

1) GISMA, I know GISMA has received a lot of negative press due to the bankruptcy a few years back but they are up and running and have retained their AMBA accreditation. They also seem to have a good internship program and are tied with MSM ( the no 1 ranked management school in the Nethrlands) does GISMA's MBA program carry weight in the job market or would it be looked down upon / just your average MBA degree.

2) Offenburg MBA-IBC. Their program structure seemed very impressive but the location looked quite remote which makes me wonder how easy job hunting would be post graduation?

3) IUBH in Berlin. They claim to be the first private university with a 5 star rating from CHE, are accredited to FIBAA? and also have the number one ranked career service centre in all of Germany ( as per their brochure) Is their MBA well regarded?

4) Schiller University in Heidelberg. I can't seem to find too much about their MBA with a concentration in IT. Its the most expensive program of the group but is it any good?


Thanks everyone :)

I am shocked that GISMA has retained its AMBA accreditation, and I think it's a good example of why school-level accreditations like EQUIS and AACSB are stronger than programme-level accreditation. How can a training business with no academic staff seriously act like a postgraduate school of business, just flying in research-inactive lecturers from Atlanta, Hong Kong and Israel?

Offenburg is the only one of these that might credibly lead to work in Germany, but outcomes would be better if you took an MSc at a regular state-funded research university rather than a for-profit school or a Fachhochschule. If you don't have time for the GMAT, how could you possibly take an MBA?

[Edited by Duncan on Jul 26, 2015]

HI Duncan,
Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. From what I see and read Offenburg appears to offer a good program. As you mentioned, it might be better to do an an MSc. Are you saying this from the perspective that an Msc would endow me with specialist skills? If so, one of the primary reasons why I was drawn to the Offenburg MBA is because it is the only program in Germany, amongst a host of others which is very "consulting" oriented in nature and would , hopefully, train me to become a consultant. I am of the impression that a specialised MBA would serve one better in finding a job rather than seeking a broad Management course. Would you agree with train of thought?
Also, would Offenburg be considered to be a tier 1 , tier 2 or tier 3 MBA program. It's quite impossible to get a gauge of rankings in Germany. Sside from the top five business schools which are often mentioned the "others" seems to fall into a grey area with no real relevance to rankings or resource material of which program is better than the other.
Would it be same to assume that in terms of quality we could rank the four schools as 1) Offenburg MBA-IBC 2)GISMA 3) IUBH 4)Schiller
I am unable to dedicate time to the GMAT since I juggle a full time job with my own business venture. When I undertake the MBA I will no longer be engaged in full time employment and my business will be overseen by my partner.
Thanks again for taking the time out to reply :)

No, I suggest an MSc from a state university because it seems that your goal is to work in Germany but you don't want to take the gmat. That latter choice seems unwise to me. The gmat can be done in your spare time.

I suggest an MSc because placement may be better from an MSc at a respected research university than from a private Fachhochschule.

I don't agree with your point about formal specialisations. See my profile page for a link to an article on the topic.

Really can we say anything about the new GISMA? Given the horror of the firm's London campus, LSBF, I would not take the risk.

If so, one of the primary reasons why I was drawn to the Offenburg MBA is because it is the only program in Germany, amongst a host of others which is very "consulting" oriented in nature and would , hopefully, train me to become a consultant.

Well said Razors Edge thank you. However given that I have not done the gmat my options were limited to the above four as much as I would like to be a part of the Mannheim program.
Does anyone have any views on IUBH?
Also, after speaking with a few international students across Germany many of them are of a similar view point. That being, with regards to rankings. There are essentially five07 odd top top business schools in Germany that are highly ranked and looked upon favourably by employers.
If you did not graduate from any of these top five schools then an MBA in any school below it will usually elicit the same degree of respect from an employer since the ranking system/recognition falls to really quantify these schools. Hence whether you complete an MBA from GISMA or IUBH or Schiiler or EU etc they are all essentially view in the same and equal light by all employers. That you have a "qualification". What's far more important, if you are not doing an MBA form the top five in Germany, would be your command of the German language. That is far more important than choosing between which of the lower ranked schools is higher than one another.
Would people tend to agree with this?

I don't think that is quite right. either Schiller nor the EU can issue German degrees, while IUBH is a real Fachhochschule that will be known to employers in its region, and will have full-time academics, even if it is not respected more highly than a traditional university. Given the news of GISMA's bankruptcy, and the issues for students in its sister school in London, I don't see the reason to pick it when there are other MBAs at the same price from stable, non-profit schools.