Student Stories - IMBA
What I liked from the very first was the flexibility of the program, and how easy it was to integrate myself with the curriculum and the students. There’s an atmosphere in class, where we’re working in our different groups, that makes me think we are being prepared to work well in the real world.
There’s an openness to discuss what interests us...
I am from India with a bachelor's degree in computer engineering. I chose to pursue the IMBA from ISM to get the international exposure that I had always wanted.
ISM has given me the right platform to develop my potential, showcase my talents, and voice my opinions. Moreover, the IMBA program at ISM developed my capacity to transform my knowledge...
One unique thing about ISM is the personal relationship you are able to build with the students, professors and administrative staff. Everyone uniquely cares about your success. Earning my degree at ISM gave me the opportunity to continue to develop professionally, as well as make true friends through this journey.
I started by MBA program with ISM...
I graduated in 1998 with a BSc degree in engineering in Ethiopia. 10 years after graduation, I had worked in different positions from site engineer to project manager and had been employed by several different companies. Even though I had achieved professional accomplishments at that time, my salary was not enough to cover the necessities of my family...
I started working at 21 in order to acquire a certain experience in business and management to use when it came time to found my own company. Since the very beginning of my career, I have worked alongside American companies, but I wanted to get some experience inside one of them, so I joined WRQ.
After four years there, I understood that the...
I chose to pursue the IMBA to be able to continue my professional life because at that time I was moving from the R&D segment to the international operations of a pharmaceutical company. ISM provided exactly the skills and knowledge I needed.
At ISM I was able to broaden my vision of international business and professionalize my...
The IEMBA enabled me to get into upper management. I chose ISM because I could compress the IEMBA, spend time with a wide range of people from diverse cultures and business experiences, and live in Paris (one of the most fantastic cities in the world). The MBA gave me the confidence that I could match anyone and make the cut anywhere—from there I have...
Going through ISM and the contacts that I made gave me the opportunity to get my dream job with my dream company in London. This definitely would not have happened if I had not finished my MBA at ISM.
My experience at ISM was incredible. I'd just finished my first year in Paris and was trying to decide whether to stay and enjoy the city of lights...
This last year doing the MBA at ISM was one of the best and greatest experiences for me. It exceeded all my expectations on a professional and personal level. The professors, students and staff were like a family to us. Today I look back in retrospect and appreciate the value added to my life from this enriching experience. I would definitely recommend...
My aim behind the ISM MBA program was to reach a leadership role, which I have achieved in my new position at GlassView as European Account Manager. I would have never attained this professional maturity without the diverse and rich MBA program at ISM.
ISM was a major player in my previous couple of years as it has allowed me to broaden my views...
I'm based in Nairobi, but I work with many business people in French-speaking Africa, so I decided to learn French while I pursued an Executive MBA in English and ISM has allowed me to do that. I am coming to understand French culture even as I am studying international business practices in my native English. Having studied in the UK, I do appreciate...
ISM’s International MBA program is an excellent career booster.
After my initial professional experience in academia and research, I wanted to re-orient my career towards entrepreneurship and the business world. I made contact with several institutions offering international MBA programs in Europe and North America. My discussions with ISM...
When they think about going to business school, most people think of going to America, but I spoke English and wanted to learn a new language, so I looked at Europe, and found ISM.
When they think about going to business school, most people think of going to America, but I spoke English and wanted to learn a new language, so I looked at Europe, and...
As a business owner you tend to forget about your own development as your time is mostly spend on developing others and the business in general. When I took the decision to invest in myself and do a MBA, ISM immediately appealed to me, despite the large choice of schools out there.
The small and personal community, the very international...
I saw the ISM website and I found out that the school was really everything I was looking for. It’s international, for one thing. It’s also based in Paris, which is an enormous business center. I had already lived in a couple other European countries, and I decided I wanted to know France and learn French. What I like are the seminars. You really learn...
ISM offers an incredibly open and flexible curriculum for professionals who don’t have the time to take a sabbatical from their careers. The school makes education available to a certain group of very busy people. Add to that the fact that it’s quite international and you’ll understand why I chose ISM. My experience here has been incredibly positive...
So far, I have had the opportunity to study with and learn from students and professors from six continents who come from a variety of different countries and cultures. Learning side-by-side with these individuals has already given me tools to successfully improve my global perspective and expand my network to different corners of the...
There are small class sizes so you really do get a lot of one-on-one interaction, which I think is really beneficial. All of the professors have been more than willing to accommodate assignments to make sure that your experience is very individualized to what you are looking to get out of the program.
I began my full-time MBA with ISM in April...
Since graduating from the International School of Management (ISM) with an MBA in 2012, my career journey has been marked by continuous growth and diverse experiences. My MBA at ISM provided a solid foundation in business administration, strategic thinking, and leadership. The rigorous curriculum and exposure to global business practices equipped me...
What drew you to ISM?
I was looking for a business school in Paris in which to complete a master's degree. I remember going around the city visiting the various schools. I felt really at home and welcomed by ISM — the international vibe appealed to me a lot. I wanted a school that was really cosmopolitan and ISM ticked the right boxes. I...
The full-time MBA at ISM allowed me to study in a program that was truly international, often with more than ten different nationalities in a small group of students. We received intense face-to-face classes and had the opportunity to work in international teams to develop new strategies or solve complex business tasks.
While working as a Sales...
I got in touch with business from a very young age. I have been working in the family business since I was young, and I am proud that my father involved me early in his activities. Although I have been working for the company for many years, it has also been very important to me to gain experience outside of the family business, so I started working at...
I had experience as a marketer and a team leader in a software company, but I felt my experience was limited. A manager needs a lot of skills, and some of them are learned most quickly in the classroom: that’s why I wanted an MBA. The great thing about ISM is the varied curriculum. It covers the latest topics. The case studies give you an insight into...
I selected the IEMBA program predominantly because of the flexibility it allows me in continuing to work while attending school, as well as the diversity in the course offerings which aligns well with past and present professional responsibilities.
As an American, who has lived and worked overseas for the past 15 years, I have learned how important...
What struck me about ISM’s MBA, as opposed to my BBA program, was its emphasis on professional rather than academic thinking. I wanted to know professionals in the field of export/import and get experience there. I enrolled and it was really like a dream—I got the tools I was looking for. Of course I needed to work hard, but the professors awakened in...
I enrolled at ISM because I wanted a broader and more holistic approach to international business. That’s what I found, but I learned a lot more than that: I now understand the difference between a good manager and a great one, and what it takes to really motivate people. The most striking lesson I’ve learned is about organizational change and the...
My first priority was to study an American curriculum for my MBA. Secondly I wanted to study in France. I’ve always considered France to be such a melting pot, and Paris such an international center. So I was flipping through the Economist and I saw ISM’s ad. I go to their website and I find they have so many different student profiles! That’s really...
My journey at the International School of Management started in October 2014, or rather, unofficially, in January 2014 when I started looking into going back to school to get my MBA. It had been on my “to-do list” for a few years, then in December 2013, I decided that I would take the plunge.
I wanted to upskill and boost my career. My research...
An International Executive MBA is indispensable to me as I have a degree in International Politics and, despite having gained 10 years of important work experience in Italy and abroad, in both non-profit and profit multinationals, I feel there are significant economic and managerial skills that will allow me to navigate more complex and global...
Before I started the program at ISM, I was an export manager at Alcatel. I was traveling around the world and selling their energy systems. I saw the IEMBA program as an opportunity to change and improve my position in the hierarchy. It was important to have such a degree and experience to advance my position in the company.
My time at ISM was...
At ISM, the aspect I appreciate the most is the diversity of the program: students coming from different cultures, countries and educational backgrounds. What is more, the choice of candidates is excellent. Even if it seems that we are all so different at first sight, we have something in common: the willingness and the curiosity to learn and the...
I needed an executive program with a flexible schedule that would allow me to study in Paris. I’d always felt that an MBA would really improve my ability to manage, even though it’s not a degree that ship captains usually get. It’s taught me a great deal about cross-cultural management, about handling people, and about the nuts and bolts of...
I decided to invest in earning an MBA to take my career to the next level and chose ISM in Paris. My time at ISM was a great experience and overall the best year of my life so far. As for my career development, I am now working at an international development organization called the Rural Development Institute in Seattle. The job is in line with my...
I chose ISM because of the flexibility of their Executive MBA program, which actually gives me the ability to work and at the same time do my course work.
My experience at ISM was beyond measure: the candidates from across the globe brought cross cultural and global strengths to the ISM community that enriched my experience. ISM offers the broadest...
Prior to applying to ISM, I was finishing my commitment to the US Military. As I was looking for what I wanted to do next, I realized that I wanted to go back to school and, specifically, I wanted to get my MBA. I also wanted to do what many have dreamt of: live abroad. Ten days after my exit from the military, I booked a ticket to Paris, France in...
Globalization and the fast-changing world is affecting every part of business, creating the desire to get current professional knowledge. Even if I had a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing, I understand the need to improve my business expertise constantly. It was because of this that I started my search for a school where I would not only...
The composition of the ISM MBA class is fantastic. There are people of all different ages, cultures and professional backgrounds. In my view, this provides a huge chance for everyone to gain insights into other cultures and business experiences. Furthermore, working and discussing with people from different backgrounds improves our communication...
The MBA is an American qualification, so I thought the best option would be an American school with an international environment. ISM turned out to be a place where I could learn about other cultures and peoples and discover myself in the process. I’m Irish, but it’s funny how a Kenyan friend of mine, who’s also coming from a former British colony...
If you want an International Executive MBA in an international environment while keeping your job, a program that combines academic theory with real world application, and the tools to improve your leadership and strategy skills, then the ISM International Executive MBA is the right choice and the right place to be.
Besides the fundamental courses...
At ISM each MBA seminar provides many different topics, taught by very competitive professors from all around the world. Each seminar varies from one to another, complementing each one with relevant and applicable information. All students have their favorite seminar, which normally expresses their preferences. For example, in my case, I really liked...
I was looking for an English-language MBA program when I came across ISM. I read that it was based in Paris and I knew it was perfect, because it would allow me to study close to home and give me the opportunity to learn French as well. What I find is that the school really encourages a sense of belonging. I’m part of a community here of very...
There are a number of merits you may look for when choosing a boutique business school such as ISM: reasonable pricing, accreditation, small and exclusive student body, skilled and qualified teachers.
At ISM you will find all this and some additional surprises:
- maximum flexibility through attending seminars in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai...
After 2 years with HELLA, I was nominated as Vice President Electronics - France.
The Automotive industry, in which HELLA operates, has recently been shaken by a major and global crisis. During this critical period for my company, I could draw on the skills I learned during my IEMBA studies with ISM. The lessons provided me the perfect support to...
The diversity was what made the seminars really interesting. We learned from each other how things were done differently or how cultures managed the same situations in different ways.
My experience at ISM really opened up my mind to a global level. I came from Uruguay, a small country with only 3 million inhabitants, so diversity is not seen as...
I have been working in the non-profit sector for the last 26 years. I took the ISM IEMBA program from 2005 to 2006 and finished my thesis and graduated in 2007.
It was a very good experience and it was important to attend courses in person in Paris as well as New York. I also experienced one on-line course.
One of the highlights of the program was the...
I wanted to deepen my knowledge of International Marketing and obtain an MBA diploma in a friendly, student-centered atmosphere. ISM offered me all this and more. My fellow students from all parts of the world exchange ideas, opinions, and beliefs while maintaining their focus on business and entrepreneurship. At the same time, teachers and ISM staff...
When I first started my MBA program at ISM, I was surprised by the amount of support I received from ISM staff. Literally, they had done whatever they could to provide a calm and professional environment for their students. During my MBA studies I had a real international experience in terms of both culture and profession and that was one of the main...
I would like to seize this occasion to express how very pleased I am to have been given the opportunity to be part of ISM's IEMBA program. I entered the program with nothing more than my deep will to outperform myself, and I am finishing with the feeling that I have met a family and learned more than I could have ever expected.
Thank you for...
I had already earned an MBA in Russia, but I began working for a Swiss multinational in their St. Petersburg office, and I realized I needed a more international business education. I travel eight months a year, so I needed a degree program with a certain flexibility. I knew I wanted to study in Western Europe, but London was too restricted. I...
Pursuing an MBA was my dream and I had been pursuing it since I graduated in 2000. I had been looking for schools that had global representation and fit my budget. ISM with its location, global representation and student- teacher ratio perfectly matched my requirements.
I spent a year in Paris experiencing a new culture and country while...
