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The IMD Full-Time MBA
The one-year full-time MBA program at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland is ranked among the top business schools in the world. The full-time MBA program, which runs January through December with a short summer break, may be shorter in length, but encompasses nearly as many hours of intensive workload as many of the top two-year programs around the globe. The program structure, topical focus, and highly impressive employment rate make IMD stand out as one of the most unique and outstanding business schools in Europe and internationally. With approximately 900 applicants vying for a mere 90 spots in the full-time MBA program, the application process into IMD is extremely competitive, and the IMD admissions board is extremely selective.
Since the school’s foundation in 1990, IMD has become known for selecting cutting-edge minds for its faculty and staff and eliminating much of the old-fashioned hierarchy that it believes can stifle creativity and focus. For this reason, faculty hierarchy is extremely limited, with no assistant professors and no tenure policies. The structure of the program follows the motto of “Real World. Real Learning.” This phrase means that everything absorbed and embraced by the student is steeped in practical experience and real-world application. Students participate in selected executive programs, hear regularly from guest speakers regarding true-to-life issues in the business realm, and team together to work on company projects to produce consulting recommendations and proposals.
The focus of the program equally makes IMD a top choice for many MBA applicants. Throughout the 11-month program, emphasis is placed on leadership and personal development. Through leadership practices, outdoor teamwork activities, and exercises to develop emotional intelligence and self-awareness, IMD cultivates students based not just on practical functionality, but also on the ability to act and lead in volatile, tumultuous settings. Additionally, students collaborate and bond with fellow classmates to learn about different languages, cultures, ethics, and gain a better understanding of different peoples’ points of view. This aspect of the IMD program, coupled with a strong emphasis on general management education, gears graduates for employment in the industrial sector – unlike many MBA programs which gear students for careers in the financial sector.
According to Businessweek, IMD graduates report an extremely high career placement rate. 91% of IMD graduates report having been offered a job within three months of graduation, compared to an 83% average across all business schools worldwide. Additionally, IMD graduates report having one of the highest starting salaries in the world among recently graduated MBAs – approximately $142,000.