When it comes to the English speaking part of Europe, is there anywhere in particular where it would make more sense to study an MBA? I.e., anywhere where they are more valued and where the prospects are better? I'm particularly interested in Ireland as a destination and they have solid schools such as UCD & TCD, but if it makes a lot more sense to aim for the UK instead, given its market, then I'm willing to reconsider.

[Edited by joeypats on Jul 29, 2024]

I would read through these posts: https://find-mba.com/board?keyword=Ireland%20UK

I compared the FT-ranked schools in Ireland and the UK and sorted them by % employed within three months. Higher is better. The Irish schools are at the bottom (the numbers in brackets are the percentage of graduates responding to the FT survey).

School Name Employed at three months (%)
Warwick Business School 95 (85)
University of Cambridge: Judge 94 (90)
Imperial College Business School 93 (98)
London Business School 90 (99)
University of Edinburgh Business School 90 (88)
Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) 90 (82)
University of Oxford: Saïd 87 (90)
Durham University Business School 86 (84)
Alliance Manchester Business School 86 (81)
Cranfield School of Management 84 (93)
Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Business School 84 (100)
University College Dublin: Smurfit 80 (100)

This is about the schools, not the market. The Irish market has many benefits, including lower unemployment and less MBA-level talent competing for roles. However, there is little domestic competition forcing the Irish schools to improve. The FT data show that, on average, FT-ranked British schools have more international faculty, a higher level of career services, better 'aims achieved' and higher student quality (reflected by the much faster student progression and faster salary growth).

Thanks so much Duncan! This is really interesting and useful. So, basically, getting an MBA in Ireland and staying there can be a very good career choice, but not if you're planning on relocating, whereas getting one in the UK will open all sorts of doors internationally.

I guess your commitment to the destination here plays a huge role then. Although the difference in employment is not huge, there's still clearly a pattern to keep in mind.

I think the difference in employment is notable between the FT-ranked schools. The best Irish schools are worse than the worst British schools.

It's interesting to deeply examine the data provided by FT rankings. Many of the tier 2 and tier 3 schools in Europe provide respectable outcomes for their graduates. I've stalked a few message boards on more trafficked websites, and many applicants focused on US schools speak poorly of European programs. However, if you are open to non MBB consulting and super high-end finance, many of these schools offer a solid return for their students.

I think US schools typically have a few advantages: no language barrier; stronger relationships with alumni and employers; better careers services; a more open and mature hiring market for MBAs. US versus European lifestyles are different and many people would not "downgrade" from one to the other. Higher US salaries get spent on things a European might not want to buy: aircon, a suburban detached, cars for every family member, private healthcare, costly education; a militarised and disfunctional political culture etc.

As someone who has lived in both societies, I understand the intuition that the other lifestyle is considered a "downgrade" to each one another. It's really about discovering your own personal lifestyle preferences.

How would you assess the benefits and drawbacks of programs in Canada and Australia? Both of those societies are closer to America in their business culture and education, but neither pay comparably to American wages. Unfortunately, both of those countries suffer from a meaningfully higher cost of living than the States. The ROI of programs in Canada and Australia seem difficult to justify. Alternatively, they seem to share the non-economic advantages that you listed above.

Exactly, it's all about fit. Canada might have disadvantages but it's really open to foreign talent in a way that the US is not.