INSEAD IMD_One Year MBA Program Comparison【转】

Best One Year MBA Program in the world
IMD vs INSEAD MBA: Comparison based on Size, Ranking, Class Profile, Curriculum, Post MBA Jobs & Exchange Programs

IMD and INSEAD MBA programs seem to be different tier programs but both MBAs are often shortlisted by aspirants who are planning to get into a top program in Europe. Let us look at eleven factors and compare the MBA programs.

1) Size

The primary difference between the two programs is the class size. IMD is targeted for a select few with just 90 students selected every year for the Full-time MBA Program. INSEAD Full-time MBA, on the other hand has over 1000 students.

2) Location

IMD’s Campus is located in Lausanne, a French speaking City in Switzerland. It is just 62km from Geneva, one of the Financial Centers in the world. The largest employment opportunity in Lausanne is for the services sector, followed by Manufacturing and Processed Goods sector. INSEAD on the other hand has a three-campus structure: Fontainebleau (Main Campus), Singapore and Abu Dhabi. With this structure, students can leverage the strengths of each of the locations – Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

3) Ranking

When you compare the average rank from three major rankings: Financial Times Global MBA Ranking, The Economist Full-time MBA Ranking, and BusinessWeek Global MBA Ranking, INSEAD MBA program is ranked 9th against IMD’s 12th position. The only ranking where IMD Full-time MBA program has ranked better than INSEAD is with The Economist.

4) Incoming Class Profile

The Small Class size of IMD is represented by 46 nationalities with Average Experience of 7 Years and Average GMAT Score of 670. INSEAD attracts less experienced candidates. The latest class had an average experience of 5 Years and Average GMAT Score of 703. The 1000-sized class however has better diversity in nationalities, represented by 83 nationalities.

The Majority of the INSEAD MBA Class has a background in Engineering (32%) and Business (23%). IMD MBA program has an interesting mix of Functional Backgrounds: Marketing & Sales - 19%, General management - 14%, Business, Strategy and Planning - 13% and Project Management - 12%. Unlike other major Business Schools, IMD Business Schools attracts candidates from Marketing, Sales and Project Management roles.

5) Curriculum

In INSEAD, the program is divided into five periods, from which the first half covers core courses. They include Organisational Behavior, Data and Management, Corporate Financial Policy, Marketing Management, Managerial Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Markets and Valuation, Prices and Markets, Uncertainty, Process and Operations Management, and Strategy.

From third period onwards, students can choose electives from the following areas: Accounting & Control, Decision Sciences, Economics & Political Science, Entrepreneurship & Family Enterprise, Finance, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Strategy, and Technology and Operations Management.

IMD has integrated a unique mix of streams – regular classes, projects, personal learning, and leadership Stream. The regular classes cover the core courses and train students to handle growth, change, and uncertainty. The projects give students hands on experience in Entrepreneurship or Consulting. The personal learning plan allows students to pick up electives according to post-MBA goals. The leadership stream is integrated across the course, giving students the experience of working effectively within and with teams, handling tough Business environment and learning how to influence individuals and teams across organizations.

6) Teaching Methodology

In INSEAD, students are divided into groups of 5 to 6 based on age, experience, gender, nationality, and background, making the group a mix of diverse students. This type of grouping gives each student the opportunity to learn from a wide range of experiences. There is no single tool for learning. The faculty utilizes case studies, project work, study tours, simulations and role-plays for teaching.

IMD stresses on action learning where students are encouraged to use the knowledge attained during the course to develop a plan of action, execute it, and observe the results. The tangible outputs from the action are used to build new skills and update the knowledge already attained through the class lectures. Team based learning is also encouraged. With just 90 students, small team based learning can be much more personal and engaging.

7) Exchange Programs

INSEAD MBA Students first have to pick one campus in France, Singapore, or Abu Dhabi as their home campus and then bid to get entry into exchange with Wharton or Kellogg. Students in the December Intake will have additional seats in Wharton for the exchange program. The three-campus structure allows students to learn various modules across campuses in Fontainebleau, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.

IMD however does not offer an exchange program as such but the International Consulting project, The Discovery Expedition and Asia Trek allows students to solve real problems across the globe. The previous international project and travel destinations were Singapore, India, South Africa, Kenya, Argentina, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

8) Internships

For INSEAD January Intakes, there is a 6-Week Summer Internship opportunity. Companies who are interested in INSEAD MBA students create special projects to align with the student’s schedule. Because the 6-Week Internship can be at a Global location, the work-visa requirement has to be met for International students. IMD MBA program does not have Internship opportunity.

9) Post MBA Salary

Even though location, class profile, and learning methods play a big role in selecting one school over the other, MBA aspirants often pick their school based on post-MBA Salary. The Average Salary for IMD MBA students was