US business schools witnessing weaker demand for two-year MBA Program

The global trend for the flagship qualification of the business education sector remained downbeat last year, reveals a research by GMAC. It also revealed a downfall in applications for full time two year MBA courses fell in most US B-Schools last year. 

GMAC - Graduate Management Admission Council is the owner and administrator of the GMAT admission exam.

53% B-Schools in US, running full time MBA courses have reported decline in number of applications received in 2016 while 40% ( most high ranked B-Schools) has seen growth. 

Increasing job insecurity, opportunity to study overseas or online, courses taking lesser duration and in high ranked B-Schools are some of the various reasons behind the shift in attitude of students towards business education. 

Opportunity cost is another reason, suggest experts. Its between, two year program and 1 year program also, online vs. going overseas for studies. 

While there is downfall in 2 year MBA program, 1 year MBA Program has seen a growth of 57%. Also, B-schools of Europe have received more applications than those in US. 

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India top source for MBA seekers in schools abroad

Indians top when it comes to the number of international students applying for MBA programmes in graduate schools abroad, followed by Chinese and Americans.

A 2016 report by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) that carried out a survey on application trends of 216 leading graduate business schools across the world revealed that India is now the top source of international candidates for both one-year and two-year MBA programmes.

“India has pushed China and USA to second and third positions in the international applications category ,“ the report said, adding that about 49% of schools offering full-time one-year MBA programmes showed a rise in applications submitted by international students when compared with the number of applicants under the category in 2015.

“Seventy percent of fulltime two-year MBA programmes recruit international candidates. These candi dates, especially those from China, India and the US, are also a priority for outreach and recruitment by a majority of one-year MBA and master's programmes in management and finance,“ it said.

Apart from the increase in volume of applications globally, as per the report, shared exclusively with TOI, 65% of European graduate business programmes recorded an increase in applications. Oneyear MBA, executive MBA, and online MBA programmes too have grown in popularity .“46% of US programmes and 41% of programmes in East and Southeast Asia grew their application volumes as well,“ it said. On the other hand, fulltime two-year course, parttime, and flexible MBA programmes worldwide are indicating declines this year.

“With the creation of tailored business courses like the Master's in Data Analytics, the demand for business schools is growing,“ GMAC CEO Sangeet Chowfla said.

Source : TOI

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Summer Business Plan by Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina

Entrepreneurship has never been so big. In fact, economies across the globe are relying on entrepreneurs who can innovate, create, lead and expand firms into successful and ethical operations. Also, to be successful in global markets, one needs a good understanding of financial models today. 

With this in mind, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, is introducing the Summer Business Immersion programme, which aims to develop the next generation of business leaders. 


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The programme is open to undergraduate students from across the world, currently enrolled in a university. While 30-40 students from across the world and the US are going to be part of this programme, it aims to provide knowledge pertinent to the development of the next generation of successful and responsible business leaders, be it entrepreneurs, investment bankers, security analysts, consultants or general business executives. 

Students will participate in an entrepreneurship and business planning class, as well as a financial modelling class taught by Kenan-Flagler instructors. In addition, explains Jayashankar M Swaminathan, director, UNC Centre for International Business Education and Research, Kenan-Flagler Business School, “they will learn from academics and business leaders in a series of lectures and company visits as part of the business insights.” 

As to the strengths of the modules, Swaminathan says the class will include meetings with real and serial entrepreneurs, along with team work, to develop a business plan for students’ own ventures, and practice of presentation skills to make a business pitch. He further adds, “The financial modelling class develops skills in designing and constructing financial models for analysing a variety of decisions — problems facing today’s financial managers and professionals. The finance class takes place in Kenan-Flagler’s state-of-the art Capital Markets Lab.” 

The lab provides a real-world setting for students to use information and complex analytical tools to manage assets and add value for future clients. Finally, the programme consists of field trips to industries. 

What is it that the school is looking for in students? “We are looking for motivated and dynamic students with an interest in entrepreneurship and a drive to become future leaders. Students need to be able to work in teams and enjoy hands-on, experiential learning,” says Swaminathan. 

Upon successful completion of the programme, students will receive UNC credit (six US credit hours) and a UNC transcript. Cost of the programme will come to $5,900 (approx) and housing costs will amount to $855 (approx).

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 

• Students need to be currently enrolled as undergraduates in good standing at their home university 
• Have a minimum equivalency of a grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4 point scale; equivalent to a B average). For international grade conversion, go to www.wes.org/gradeconversionguide 
• Have completed basic courses in corporate finance and financial accounting 
• Be proficient in computer spreadsheet (Excel) use 
• Be fluent in spoken and written English (proven by your TOEFL or IELTS score) 

WHEN TO APPLY 

The 2013 application and instructions will be posted on www.ciber.unc.edu/summerbusines simmersion

Source - TOI

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Planning The Time Line For Foregin Education

Flexible curricula, diverse classrooms fend student-campuses make the US one of the favorite academic destinations for Indian students. The US undergraduate admissions policy is based on a multifaceted assessment of student capabilities—academic record extracurricular activities, leadership potential, standardized tests, letters of recommendation and application essays. 


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However together an application portfolio for admission to one of the American universities at the UG level can be daunting. But these applications can be successfully tackled with careful planning, and interested students should design a strategy centered on the time they have at hand.
If you have another year to go until your class XII board examinations, now is the time to start researching colleges based on the undergraduate experience you seek. Mull over what it is you want to study, and how much financial assistance you need. Also consider factors such as a liberal arts and sciences programmes, campus size and location, student population and diversity, and student to faculty ratio. In the final analysis, all of these details will colour and define your experience of studying abroad. Compile a preliminary shortlist of about 15 colleges, which you can later pare down to seven or eight after receiving your tests scores.

TEST SCORES
Most universities will require you to submit scores from the SAT1 or ACT2 standardized test, and the TOEFL3, which measures English language proficiency. Depending on the test requirements of your shortlisted colleges, you may also need to write subject specific SAT II tests. These tests should ideally be taken between May and October, which will allow you ample margin to retake a test if you wish to improve your score.
From August to November you will have to request letters of recommendation, get transcripts attested, work on application essays, and obtain financial statements, to name a few. The earlier you start getting acquainted with the various aspects of your applications (including the logistical), the better equipped you will be to meet your mid-December to early-January deadlines. Ultimately, an early finish will translate into a well-deserved holiday before your examinations and admission offers roll in.
You may want to drive the early start to maximum advantage—attend college fairs, connect with admissions officers, and most importantly, get familiar with the application process. You can even start an application on www.commonapp.org just to get a feel of the application process. If your family can afford it, you could go college shopping in the summer, or even attend a summer program at a US university.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS
If you are in class XII right now, then too the basic admission requirements and procedures remain unchanged. But options as to your immediate course of action vary. Check the following websites for more information (www.collegeboard.com; www.act.org; www.ets.org/toefl).

SPRING ADMISSIONS
You can apply to a few universities that have rolling admissions policies. These are institutions which accept applications all year round, subject to availability of seats. Most US universities also have a spring intake of students, though this number is substantially smaller than their corresponding fall intake.
When admitted, students start their college career in the semester starting January or February, as opposed to their classmates who began the previous September. If you wish to apply for the spring session, deadlines will be around May and June.

GAP YEAR
Another option is the gap year, which gives you a chance to take a break from formal education, and explore other avenues through which you may gain both knowledge and perspective. During their gap year, students have been known to teach, take up social service, travel, learn a new language, complete a diploma programme, intern with an organization, or take the AP tests to enhance their knowledge of a subject. Students attending college after a gap year often return to their studies rejuvenated, with a better idea of what they wish to study and why, and this focus is reflected in higher achievement levels as well.
No matter where you find yourself on the timeline, remember US undergraduate admissions are rigorous because they are holistic. This means that the time between now and when you send in your applications does matter. If spent gainfully, it will certainly boost your profile and chances of admission.
Source - TOI

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MBA vs Specialist Masters

A new study of prospective MBA students suggests growing interest in specialist Masters and less interest in the MBA. The ‘2010 Tomorrow’s MBA’ study found that only 4% of Indian respondents would definitely consider a specialist Masters rather than an MBA. In the same study in 2011, repeated by CarringtonCrisp, European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and Association of Business Schools (ABS), 14% of Indians said they would consider a specialist Masters, and across the world it was as high as 28%. At the same time, GMAC reported that applications for Master of Finance programmes rose by 83%, Master in Management by 69% and Master of Accounting by 51%. So why the rising interest in specialist Masters?

MBA vs Specialist Masters
Part of the answer lies in the problems of the MBA rather than the attraction of the specialist Masters. The MBA jobs market has tightened in recent years, especially with declining recruitment in the financial sector. Where recruitment has continued relatively strongly, it has tended to be concentrated at the top MBA schools.
From the other side a specialist Masters will often provide skills in a specific field, making a graduate well suited to a particular career and, more importantly, a particular vacancy.
The second part of the equation is cost. It’s not unheard of for an MBA at a top school to cost over £100,000 and possibly as much as double this figure once income foregone from giving up a job is taken into account. Getting a return on such an investment again requires a highly paid job and will still take several years to break even.
A specialist Masters degree has lower fees than an MBA at the same school. It may also be quicker to complete than an MBA. Even with a lower paid job on graduation, the sums add
up, offering a quicker return on investment for the individual.

Admissions & Cost
Then there is the question of admissions. Getting on to an MBA degree may be harder than a specialist Masters, and there are likely to be fewer places. Combine the issue of admissions and costs, and a prospective student might decide that they had a better chance of getting on to a Masters programme at a school with a stronger reputation and at a lower cost than they would when applying for an MBA at a lesser ranked school.
For new undergraduates the Masters degree can also offer a way to differentiate themselves in the labour market. In many countries the number of undergraduates has grown significantly in recent years, while jobs markets have not been strong. A one-year Masters offers a useful tool to distinguish an undergraduate in the job market, more so when most MBA degrees require work experience of several years.
Maybe these Masters students will decide in a few years that they still need an MBA to make the next step up the corporate ladder. For now, they are increasingly thinking about studying finance, accounting, marketing and international management as a specialist Masters.

FACT SHEET
In 2009 and 2010, 1 in 5 or less of the respondents said they would definitely consider a specialist Masters as an alternative to an MBA; in 2011, 28% said they would definitely consider a specialist Masters and a further 23% said this would be a possibility The study of specialist subjects such as Logistics or Taxation look attractive as a Masters rather than within an MBA, being cheaper and often quicker to complete A further consequence of the growing popularity of the pre-experience Masters programme may be that graduates of these programmes perceive less value in completing an MBA at a later stage in their careers Styles of learning are also changing with a moveaway from the traditional academic terms-office hours; such a traditional approach is the preferred choice of only 18% of the sample. The most popular style of study is blended learning, chosen by 27%, representing a combination of e-learning and face-to-face

Source: Tomorrow’s MBA 2012

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Off-beat Courses at Top B-Schools

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore -


PROGRAMME: Learnings from Sports
DURATION: Two Days
STARTING IN: March 2012


Growth opportunities: 

HELPS senior managers deal with different managerial skills and handle groups, which is part of their job.


Class Strength:
THE enrollment has started, and IIM-B and TENVIC have approached different companies. They expect at least 25-30 senior managers. If it succeeds, it will be a twice-a-year or three times-ayear feature.


Objective:
TO give participants an exposure to innovative concepts altruistic mentoring, performance-based leadership, managing the ups and downs of the game, cross-training, and equipping them with skills beyond their role. There will be classroom discussions, interactive sessions, panel discussions where industry experts and sports personalities from corporate India will be facilitators.


Main Content :
LEARNING from others, integrating with the environment and improving management


Genesis :
THE programme took shape when two IIM-B alumni, who work for cricketer Anil Kumbleowned sports company TENVIC, suggested using sports to hone leadership skills as one of their executive management programmes. This had been done in the US before but never in India. Participants will be guided on leadership, how to manage multiple layers, deal with being the “captain” of a team or even “just an executive,” and coping with new job opportunities. 


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Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar.

PROGRAMME: Three-Continent Master of Global Management.
DURATION: 12 months
STARTED IN: September 2011
Content:
THE Euro 40,000 programme, a result of a partnership between XIM, Bhubaneswar, Antwerp Management School, Belgium and Fordham Graduate School of Business, New York, has been structured to draw upon the strengths of each country. For India, it is bottomof-the-pyramid and social entrepreneurship; for New York, it is finance and innovation and for Antwerp, it is marketing in a multicultural society. 

Objective:
CREATE global managers in the true sense of the term.

Targets:
HIGH-potential recent university graduates. The current batch consists of 16 students from Europe, two from the US, two from China, one from Indonesia, Turkey and India respectively.

Job Opportunities :
ALL three institutes offer career services, and almost all the roles are in general management. 

Compensation :
STILL early to say as the first batch is yet to be placed. But in India, it is likely to start at Rs 12 lakh onwards, and will be more in the other countries.


Genesis:
THE idea was born when the deans of these institutes met. They felt real global managers are born when students immerse themselves in the local culture and business, and imbibe the experience of three continents.


Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management, Shillong
PROGRAMME: Executive post graduate programme in international business.
DURATION: 12 months.
STARTED IN: April 2011.


Objective:
PRODUCE leaders who can handle the current market turbulence and dynamic corporate environment effectively.


Job Opportunities:
STRATEGIC roles and senior positions in companies operating in emerging markets with a focus on India and China.


Content:
THE programme focuses on leadership skills essential for senior management positions. The curriculum is adapted from best practices from Asian countries. It is a blend of basic management courses and specialized modules. Another aspect is the training under Mystique Management and Mind Mapping through outdoor learning camps.


Targets:
PROFESSIONALS with atleast three years’ work experience, preferably internationally. IIM-S has entered into an MoU with Ocean University of China to start this programme, which involves a six-month stay and internship in China.


Compensation:ANNUAL salary could range between $36,000 and $1,20,000

IIM Ranchi
PROGRAMME: Certificate course on ‘Barefoot Manager’
DURATION: 15 days
STARTING IN: July 2012


Targets :
MICRO entrepreneurs and panchayat officials. The video-based programme will impart management concepts to even illiterate people. While higher education takes people away from their villages, this one encourages people to stay back.


Class Strength :
THE target enrolment for 2012-13 is 1,500 Content EVALUATING business opportunities, consumer-oriented business philosophy, product design, distribution, promotion, pricing, accounting, sustainable consumption and production, ethics and society.


Job Opportunities:
SELF-employment Plans IIM-R is getting voluntary organizations, micro-finance companies and the government to help roll out the programme. There are plans to make this certificate mandatory for benefits from the government or micro loans from banks.

Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta
PROGRAMME : PG Programme for Executives on Visionary Leadership for Manufacturing DURATION: 1 year
STARTED IN: August 27, 2007


Objectives:
Provide skill-based training to transform mid-level managers in the Indian manufacturing industry into visionary leaders.


Content:
36 weeks’ classroom interaction, case studies, tutorials, laboratory sessions, project work at IIM-C, IIT-M and IIT-K Eight weeks’ internship in industry Three to four weeks’ industry visits in India and abroad.


Genesis :
THE programme is based on a partnership between IIM-C, IIT-K, IIT-M and CII. The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council plays a catalytic role, with support from Japan International Cooperation Agency.


Job Opportunities:
STUDENTS of the first four batches have been placed in leading Indian companies.

Source - ET

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US B-Schools Spice Up Essay Questions

In an effort to better determine which applicants will best fit in on campus, business schools are turning to nontraditional MBA admissions essay questions. 

The purpose is to garner information beyond the usual résumé, work experience, and leadership potential featured in the rest of the application. And it doesn’t hurt that these more personal questions call for more interesting and creative responses that capture the attention of the admissions committee members reading them.


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Each business school has crafted its own unique question. The majority of these nontraditional essay questions are meant to unearth personal characteristics, style, and attitude as a means of understanding the type of contribution an applicant would make to his or her class and the campus community.

 
MUD AND FIRE
Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business asks applicants to share either something that is surprising about them or their proudest moment. 

One of the most memorable responses came from someone who participated in the ‘Warrior Dash’, an extreme 5K run that has participants crawling through mud and leaping over fire. 

Many use these essays to discuss family, often to convey their gratitude to their parents for helping them grow into the person they are today, says James Frick, director of MBA admissions.

The admissions committee at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business keeps its interest piqued with a question asking applicants to describe themselves to future classmates in 100 words or less. “We want to see how people present themselves in a quick snapshot,” says Soojin Kwon Koh, director of admissions. A successful response was one in which the applicant defined himself as though he were an entry in the dictionary. “I really like this question,” she adds. “When I’m doing a final review of applications, this is the one I turn to because it gives you a sense of how applicants view themselves.”

 
JOY AND PASSION
Asking a specific question about life — what brings you the greatest joy — is how the admissions committee at the UC, Berkeley Haas School of Business seeks to understand the personality of applicants better. In its first year, this question has acquired mixed responses, says Stephanie Fujii, director of admissions at Haas. The most successful applicants, she adds, share their authentic selves through the essay.
While many applicants feel overwhelmed by such questions, administrators say there are benefits for the applicants, as well. “Applicants often feel as though their profile is typical. Questions like this help them set themselves apart,” says Isser Gallogly, assistant dean of MBA admissions at Stern.

 
Source - BusinessWeek

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World Best Business Schools

Adoption of opening norms by the countries of the world has given tremendous opportunities to be shared in the global brain bazaar. Both United States and the European union are the best stakeholders in the brain bazaar. They have their comparative advantage in the field of technology over the globe undoubtedly. But this may not be the sufficient condition for the present world where cost comparison is the driving force. This can be justified keeping in view following statistics by ANS.America's National Statistics shows that, cost of employing one chemist or engineer in USA is equivalent to 5 chemists in china and 11 engineers in India.
Presently both India and China produce more than a million engineering graduate students a year in comparison to 170,000 from US and Europe. Though in the field of manufacturing quantity of brains, the Asian Giants are front-runners but about the quality they are some how failed due to some structural rigidities.
As the market has become more knowledge based so the need of the hour is to manufacture accordingly.
Here in this section we are trying to provide the information on the top manufacturers in the Global Brain Bazaar.
This section covers various business schools, international presence, courses offered, duration of the programme, facilities to the students and the location of the institute.

Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Norway

Nanyang Business School, Singapore

National University of Singapore Faculty of Business Administration, Singapore

Chung-Ang University College of Business Administration, South Korea

International Graduate School Of Management, Spain

University of St.Gallen, Institute of Management, Switzerland

London Business School, UK

Birkbeck College, University of London

Harvard Business School, US

Kelley School of Business, UK

Australian Graduate Schools of Management

Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MSGM)

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology - Business

Sydney School of Finance and Economics (University of Technology)

Vienna University of Economics (Vienna)

Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School

School of Business Administration (Dalhousie University)

Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Business Administration

Copenhagen Business School (Denmark)

Estonian Business School (Estonia)

Swedish School of Economics and Business Information (Finland)

Paris Graduate School of Management (France)

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (India)

Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business (Ireland)

Graduate School of International Management, International University of Japan

Netherlands Business School, Nijenrode University

Delhi School Of Economics (India)

Source - http://www.economywatch.com/business-schools/

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Executive Post Graduate Programme in International Business - The First Sino-Indian MBA Program With Global Focus by IIM Shillong

Executive Post Graduate Programme in International Business :-

 
The Executive Post Graduate Programme (PGPEx) in International Business is an intensive one year programme designed to enhance skills and capabilities essential for responsible positions at senior management  at the global level   with six month stay and internship  in China.


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Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIM Shillong) announces a unique Sino-Indian International Post Graduate Programme for Executive in International Business with a Global Focus - an intensive one year post-graduate programme designed to enhance skills and capabilities essential for responsible positions for senior management at the global level.  

Salient Features:·       

• Study Abroad for 6 months·       
• Global Internship and Training·       
• Foreign Language Lab (FLL) for six languages·      
• Integrated Eastern and Western management approach through Equilibrium Thinking (ET), First Discipline (FD), Potential Performance Programming (PPP), and outdoor workshops in exotic locations in north east and south India.·      
• Moulding global managers through Mystique Management and Mind Mapping (4Ms) principles·
• Diploma jointly awarded by IIM Shillong and Ocean University of China (OUC), Qingdao·       
• Program globally marketed by First Discipline Inc USA

 Distinctive Features of the Programme :-

 
Thought, Action and Leadership form the key drivers for the PGPEx course. This translates into distinctive features offered in this course.

Leading and Managing Global Organizations :-

Participants of this programme will develop leadership and managerial skills that are critical to effective global managers. They will also explore the impact of cultural differences on personal and organizational effectiveness by imparting the knowledge from 4Ms (Mystique Management and Mind Mapping) and FD framework.

Fusion of Western and Eastern Management Philosophies :-

The West has taught us how to organize efficiently using technological innovations like information technology and biotechnology in a market economy. The east however advocates a holistic approach with respect to human happiness through a balanced view of environmental protection and distribution of purchasing power to avoid the disaster implied in the Western model. We should certainly work towards higher standards of living with a drastic reduction of people living below the poverty line. But at the same time we may not strive to catch up worth the standard of living in Europe of America since that is unlikely to be sustainable due to environmental degradation. By following this principle, participants of PGPEx will learn to align operations strategy with overall business strategy, with emphasis on process analysis and supply chain management. They will learn concepts and tools needed to design, plan, drive and control service and manufacturing operations in a global economy during the course of the study while undertaking projects in the enabling company.

Innovative Content :

Adding a few global courses to an existing MBA curriculum isn’t enough to establish leadership in global business education. That’s why we designed PGPEx from scratch, with equal input from Indian and Chinese management with global outlook under Asian management philosophy. The PGPEx curriculum incorporates best business practices and issues affecting each world region with focus on India and China. No culture or perspective dominates, which provides the participants with a broad and balanced worldview.  Each participant will learn to analyze problems, think strategically, and build great organizations. Plus, they will develop leadership skills, with emphasis on working with multicultural global teams.

Focus on Emerging Markets:-

Emerging markets are at the core of the PGPEx, with intensive study and analysis of the context of a country achieved through experiential study tours in the BRICS countries. This is based on the conviction that growth in the future will come from the emerging economies, which require special focus and understanding.

Access to IIM Shillong Resources:-

The advantage of doing a course at IIM Shillong lies in having access all the e-resources of the Institute including knowledge management center and virtual lab.

Diversity:

With diversity as a stated objective, the composition of the PGPEx batch will ensure a group of participants with wide-ranging skills, backgrounds, global exposures and international project experiences, such that learning  through global  peer group exchange and knowledge sharing is likely to be  one of the most beneficial aspects of this programme.

Global by Design:

Core courses were designed by key faculty members from Sino Indian business schools. They worked together to incorporate perspectives and best practices from region in the EMEs. Participants of PGPEx will learn to analyze problems, think strategically, and build global organizations. Plus, they will develop teaming skills and cultural awareness required for global career success.

COURSE STRUCTURE

I) In India (Duration: 6 months) : (all courses will be offered under Sustainable management platform)

• Global Business Management and Strategy
• Global Operation and Supply Chain Management
• Global Leadership and Change Management
• Global Marketing Management and Research
• Global Accounting and Finance Management

II) Foundation courses

• Basic course in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Thai (Foreign language Lab ( FLL) : only Six languages will be offered under major and minor language platform)
• Basic course in First Discipline (FD) with Potential Performance Programming (PPP), Equilibrium Thinking(ET) and Sustainable Global Leadership (SGL) outdoor workshops in exotic locations in NE and South India
• Basic course in Global Corporate and Social Etiquette (GCSE).

III) In China (Fushan campus-residential: duration: 6 months)

Stage-1:  Foundation Courses: Chinese culture, basic Chinese, Taiji.

Stage 2:-

• Business internship and case study
• Chinese businesses and foreign invested business in China.

Programme Eligibility:-

The participants who desire to opt this course must have work experience of 3 years in the executive position with a bachelor degree.
Admission is through Interview (Preliminary and Main) Maximum intake is limited to 45.
All participants should submit the application form electronically and must provide the acknowledgement slip at the time of interview.
All original education and experience certificate with a set of self-attested Xerox copy and two color PP size photographs of the candidate must be submitted to at the time of Interview.

Programme Duration

The programme is designed for a period of  12 months  which will be spread across  6 months in Indian and China . First 6 months will be in India and the next 6 months in China (Fushan campus).

Programme Fee

INR 12 lakh or USD 25,000
This fee includes tuition fee and accommodation in India and China only.  The candidate has to bear the cost of food, Visa fee, Entry fee and  Air/Surface  travel connected with this program. The cost of such heads of expenditure is expected to be in the range of  INR 2 to 5 lakhs or  USD 4,000 to 10,000.

Important Dates -

Last date of Receiving the e-form: February 29, 2012 at 5pm

Date and Place of interview:

• Bangalore - March 05-06 , 2012
• Mumbai - March 08-09, 2012
• Kolkata and Delhi - March 05 - 06, 2012

Publication of Final list of selected candidates for the programme   : On or before March12, 2012

First Acceptance of the admission offer  :  March  15, 2012
Second   Acceptance of the admission offer  : March 26, 2012
Third  Acceptance of the admission offer  :   March 30 , 2012

Acceptance fee:  INR  One lakh or USD 10,000/-

To enhance the diversity and learning experience, the programme aims to enroll through reservation upto 50% overseas candidates.

For overseas candidates the option of physical/virtual interview will be made available– the procedure(s) will be intimated in due course of time.

The online application link will be made available from 00 hrs of 15th February 2012 to 1700 hrs of 29th February 2012.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply well ahead of the due date. The Institute will not be responsible for any technical glitches that may occur during last minute application.


For further information visit http://www.iimshillong.in/pgpex


Source - www.iimshillong.in

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Should I get an MBA, duel degrees, or choose a concentration? So many options

Selecting a business school that meets your professional objective is not easy - and it can be further complicated if you think that you might like to pursue a dual degree or concentration! The MBA typically offers skills and knowledge in general management that help professionals take on new responsibilities and open up new opportunities for advancement.

Joint degree programs are designed to allow students with strong interest in two professional areas to study for two graduate degrees at the same time. These intensive programs generally require that a candidate fulfill all of the first-year foundation requirements of both degree programs. The benefit comes as you complete your elective coursework, where certain courses can be applied to both degree requirements. Typically, joint degree programs reduce, by one year, the time required if you were to complete the two degrees separately. For example, at Georgetown, an MBA coupled with another two-year graduate program would take 3 years to complete. An MBA with a Juris Doctor (law degree) would take 4 years. An MBA with a medical degree (MD) would last 5 years.

Another option is to choose a concentration. This can be done during the two-year MBA program without additional time. A concentration focuses elective course work on a specific functional area. A concentration, major, or focus (they all mean the same thing) is a good idea for people who know they are going to focus their career in a specific direction and want to build a stronger skill base in that area.

Dual degree - fad or fabulous?

Thomas Schroeder

Director Business Development

Australian Graduate School of Management

Over the last couple of years business schools have seen a proliferation of dual (joint) degrees at their campuses. A dual degree is usually a combination of a traditional MBA with another Masters degree in an entirely different discipline like law, medicine, engineering, or information technology. These programs typically require admission by both faculties.

 Prospective candidates should consider a few things choosing this option. One often cited advantage is that dual degrees usually take less time to complete compared to studying two different masters degree independently. However, this comes at a cost in the form of increased tuition and more time than the MBA alone. The workload for dual programs tend to be even more demanding than the MBA program alone. Juggling requirements for two degrees implies trade-offs concerning choice of electives and summer internship options. These programs tend to require a tight curriculum with limited flexibility. According to recruiters, actual work experience in the field may be as valuable as an additional degree. But for candidates who know exactly what field they want to work in after their studies, a dual degree can offer a competitive advantage and an important point of differentiation on their resume.

The dual degree option offers definite pros and cons. It is yet another reason why it is so important for MBA candidates to be clear about their career goals before choosing among the different options

Broadening the learning and adding skills

Charmaine Courtis, Executive Director

Students Services and Relations

Schulich School of Business

York University

In the early '70s the Schulich School of Business launched its first joint program between the business school and the law school. This four-year, full time MBA/LLB program allowed entrants to complete the two degrees in a reduced time period. Students are required to complete first year in each of the programs and then combining course work from both programs during the remaining two years of study. The joint program gives graduates added support in career direction and choice. By completing the two programs simultaneously they demonstrate to future employers a capacity for multiple lines of thinking, problem solving and framing. These graduates are highly sought after and are extremely successful.

A different kind of dual degree permits a student to earn two MBA degrees from two business schools. The student spends the first year of the MBA in a prominent MBA degree program and the second year at Schulich where the student has over 20 different specializations to choose from. The dual degree reduces the financial pressures for the international student who wishes to have a North American experience as they only have to budget for one year abroad. For many, this is a high value-added proposition. Additionally, these graduates have the full benefit of both schools with placement opportunities internationally. The graduates become alumni of each school. By studying in two different environments they also have learned to be adaptable, and have developed different analytical and problem solving skills. These graduates are truly the leaders of tomorrow. This option makes the MBA degree truly transnational.

 By -

Monica Gray, Director of Admissions

McDonough School of Business

Georgetown University

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GMAT - Gateway to MBA Abroad

The dream of abroad study and achieving an MBA degree is far reaching. For an Indian, it is not just confined within the Indian business schools but there is a huge chunk of MBA aspirants who want to study abroad from an international business school such as Harvard Business School, Stanford University or Wharton Business School for an international MBA degree. With the Foreign Education Provider’s Bill, the dream has been even more kindled. And the most sought after way to guarantee your admission in an international business school for international MBA is taking Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). This article of MBAUniverse.com will be talking about the most popular entrance exam for the international MBA i.e. GMAT.

The GMAT :-
The Graduate Management Aptitude Test or GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test. The GMAT exam is owned and administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), an association of the leading graduate business schools around the world.
The basic trait of the Computer Adaptive Test is that, the difficulty level and marks of the questions will depend on your performance in the previous question. For e.g. if you answer the first question correctly, the next question will be of a higher difficulty level and the marks will be higher as well and it will continue in this way. But if you answer the questions incorrectly, the next question will be easier and the marks will be lower. “Each test taker sees a unique set of questions, and those questions are based on the response to the previous question. Once you answer a question, you can’t go back and change your answer,” says QS Network.
The score of GMAT is accepted for the MBA programs in the international business schools in USA and other English speaking countries. According to Wikipedia, the fee for GMAT exam as of December 2009 was USD 250 worldwide. In general the test takes four hours to complete. The maximum score that can be achieved from taking GMAT Exam is 800. The test score remains valid for five years from the time GMAT Exam has been taken.

The GMAT pattern:-
GMAT is structured in three sections, Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability and Analytical Writing Assessment which is separately presented. In GMAT, you don’t have the choice to attempt the questions according to your preference of sections. The first section that appears in the test is Analytical Writing Assessment. Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability sections follow respectively.
QS Network mentions that, “The writing section is composed of two essays, one that asks the test taker to analyze an issue and the other to analyze an argument.  The Quantitative Ability section requires higher order math skills and includes data sufficiency and problem solving questions. The Verbal Ability section features questions involving reading comprehension and critical reasoning.”

The scoring system of GMAT:-
While calculating the score for your performance in the GMAT exam, only the scores of Quantitative Ability and Verbal Ability sections are considered. The score for the Analytical Writing Ability is exclusive. The scoring system maintains a complicated algorithm. “The examinee can make a silly mistake and answer incorrectly and the computer will recognize that item as an anomaly. If the examinee misses the first question his score will not necessarily fall in the bottom half of the range. Also, questions left blank (that is, those not reached) hurt the examinee more than questions answered incorrectly,” mentions Wikipedia.
QS Network mentions that the range of scores in GMAT is from 200 to 800. Verbal Ability and Quantitative Ability Section scores range from 0 to 60. Analytical Writing Assessment scores range from 0 to six and represent the average of the ratings from the two GMAT essays. The essays are scored differently from the Verbal Ability and Quantitative Ability sections and are not included in the total score.
Most of the international business schools do not mention any cut off GMAT score as such. According to information available in the media, the average score required for abroad study at the top international business schools range of upper 600s and lower 700s. “It may be possible to overcome a low test score with impressive real world accomplishments, good undergraduate performance, outstanding references and/or connections, particularly strong application essays, or coming from an under represented group,” Wikipedia says.

Registration for GMAT:-
According to QS Network, There are 468 test centres that offer the computer adaptive format GMAT exam in over 110 countries across the world. The GMAT exam is available at least 250 days a year and, in most locations, is offered six days a week.

Preparation and planning for GMAT Exam:-
Advance preparation is very necessary for taking GMAT successfully. “The amount of time needed varies among individuals and many students start 12 weeks in advance devoting several hours each week to exam preparation.  Students also find that reviewing and preparing one section of the test at a time works best,” QS Network suggests.
They also mention that for extensive preparation, you can buy the Official Guide for GMAT Review 12th Edition, The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review and the Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review. “You can also access to an online tool called GMAT Focus Diagnostic Test; it is designed to help you get ready for the quantitative ability section of the exam, using real retired GMAT questions, testing your strengths and weaknesses to help you study more efficiently and effectively,” says QS Network.
You can practice essay writing with a web based essay writing tool called GMAT Write. “Each practice essay is scored in real time with the same automated essay-scoring engine used by the official GMAT exam.  After completing the essays feedback is immediate showing how you would most likely score on the writing exams and more importantly how you might improve,” QS Network adds.

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