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Written by Paola Roldan - IMBA Student - United States
- IMBA Student Blog
The Historical Evolution of Business Education
The roots of traditional graduate-level business education can be traced back to the early 1800s in Europe. Originally meant to teach skills in management and other various competencies in business administration, business schools have kept their reputation throughout most of history as being seen as the “golden ticket,” the key source of career advancement.
Of course, nothing has ever prospered without the challenges of a rapidly changing world. The needs and desires of students in 1819 are much different than the ones of professionals in today’s landscape, and with the business world becoming increasingly globalized, business schools have had to learn to adapt to these needs.
Let’s look at some of the ways the world of business schools is changing.
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Written by Paola Roldan - IMBA Student - United States
- IMBA Student Blog
How often have you started a graduate school course by being asked to describe the current quality of your mind?
This was the question I was asked, along with twelve other students, at the beginning of a three-day leadership retreat hosted by the International School of Management.
About a two-hour drive from Paris, we entered Champignelles in the northern Burgundy (a.k.a. Bourgogne) region of France – a stark contrast from the bustling beauty that is Paris. The bus zipped past 19th-century homes and fields of green and eventually brought us to Campus MaNa.
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Written by Marius Kouvahe - IMBA Student - Togo
- IMBA Student Blog
2020 was an interesting (for lack of a better word) year. No two years are ever the same, but most of us would certainly agree that the last year of the previous decade has turned our lives upside down on many accounts. Personal lives have been greatly affected with millions of people mourning the passing of loved ones due to the deadly Covid-19. Lockdowns imposed in many countries across the world have tested – and continue to test – our resilience and mental health. Professionally, things have taken a dramatic and, perhaps, permanent turn for most industries.
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Written by Pankti Gala - IMBA Student - United States
- IMBA Student Blog
I joined ISM’s IMBA program in July 2020, intending to move to Paris in January 2021, start classes in person, and have the robust MBA experience abroad that I’d always imagined. However, COVID-19 had other plans for me as the second wave started in France and classes remained online through winter 2021 and beyond. I was torn and not sure if I should bite the bullet and head over to France anyway, or if I should spend some more time in the United States and wait for the vaccine.
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Written by Julian Kunz - IMBA Student - Germany
- IMBA Student Blog
During this difficult time living through a pandemic on an unprecedented scale, everyone is facing day-to-day issues with handling everyday life, getting tasks done, and preventing procrastination. The motivation that usually comes from the anticipation of certain things like meeting with friends for dinner in a restaurant or weekend trips is impossible in the current situation. Even watching your favorite club's soccer game, a date in a bar, vacation planning, or strolling through shops in the city center, which used to be a festive highlight in weekly planning, are hardly possible. Habits and regular daily routines can often become obstacles in adapting to changes and new things.
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Written by Keira Rakoff - IMBA Student - USA
- IMBA Student Blog
It’s hard to believe that I came to France one year ago, in September 2017, to start my studies at ISM. So many incredible changes have happened since then, many because of my experience as an IMBA student at ISM. The most rewarding experience has been the friends I have made and the people I have met in my year here.
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Written by Keira Rakoff - IMBA Student - USA
- IMBA Student Blog
When I tell people I studied in France, one of the first questions they ask is, “How was it living there?” And that is a valid question, as it’s extremely different living in Paris as a student than traveling there for vacation or visiting as a tourist. I would say the experience of living in Paris is far better than just coming to visit for a week or two.
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Written by Keira Rakoff - IMBA Student - USA
- IMBA Student Blog
It’s hard to believe that almost an entire year at ISM has come to an end! All my courses in Paris are over, and soon my ISM classmates and I will be embarking on two weeks of classes in New York City. This year has been such an incredible experience, and I am sure New York will be as well. But now, with classes ending soon, it’s time to think about my thesis. As IMBA students, we get another year to find a topic, research for it, write our thesis and present a draft to ISM. And then (probably) multiple revisions from there. It can feel like an intimidating process for many students; it certainly does for me!
