Do you dream of traveling the world? Immersing yourself in other cultures, foods, languages, and customs? Those driven both by their career and by their love of new experiences are the perfect candidates for emlyon business school’s International MBA (IMBA) program !

Matteo Pedriglieri, the IMBA Recruitment Manager, is charged with helping interested candidates from their first inquiry, to obtaining their visa, to officially welcoming them on campus in Lyon, France. He describes his role as, “presenting the school and the program to all interested individuals and answering their questions and guiding them through the whole application process.” Matteo actively hosts informational webinars, is active on LinkedIn with all things related to the program and its participants, and is doing all of this while also guiding applicants individually through all of the documentation necessary and preparing them for their Admission Interview. “I want to understand their career goals, why they want to earn their MBA and effectively if this is the right program to most adequately fit with their unique profile, needs, and expectations,” Matteo says. This Fall, Matteo is excited to be able to travel once more to multiple global destinations to meet prospective students at various school fairs, “the chance to interact in person is an opportunity that I encourage people not to miss as it adds an element of ‘human relationship’ that is not possible over video conference calls.” As part of emlyon business school’s Confluence 2025 Plan, the institution set its sights to become “one of the leading Global Business Universities in Europe” seeking continued expansion on an international scale, which means seeking out international participants for its programs. “I personally will kick-off my fall tour in LATAM, but I have other colleagues that will be in places like Montreal, London, Paris, Istanbul, Beirut, Dubai, and in Africa and India to recruit for our campuses in those regions.” (Keep reading for a list of Matteo’s LATAM Fall-tour dates & registration.) At this point, you may be asking yourself, “So why would someone choose to enroll in the International MBA at emlyon business school?” Matteo is no stranger to this question and was happy to tell us what response he likes to share with candidates, “emlyon is one of the top 20 business school in Europe and its real differentiating factor is the entrepreneurship DNA of the school. This combined with the flexibility of IMBA electives, opportunities to go abroad for exchanges and/or internships, hands-on projects throughout the year, and of course, the city of Lyon, make it stand-out against other MBA programs. The MBA is a life-changing year, and choosing to embark on this journey in Lyon, France, an extremely internationally city, (with almost 30,000 global students each year) access for easy travel around Europe, a lot of events and activities to do, and a rich history and reputation for the best gastronomy in the world, participants open-up the possibility for amazing things to happen both personally and professionally.” emlyon is excited to have welcomed its most recent cohort this September, and Matteo and his fellow faculty members are looking forward to their upcoming salons and the opportunities to help enrich the lives of more young professionals through the International MBA program. IMBA Fall 2022 Tour Schedule below, or meet personally to chat with Matteo here. Oct. 29: Sao Paulo, Brazil ➝ Register here

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the personal lives of our International MBA students? How they adapt to a new city, new language, new culture, and to each other? We want to give you a real look into their lives here in Lyon; how they’re living and studying in the 3rd largest city in France, and how they find being in a cohort with 19 different nationalities!

Meet our students! “Hello! My name is Vipin, and I am from India. I have extensive professional experience in the Indian offshored-and-outsourced financial services and consulting industry where I’ve worked with various financial institutions (such as IBs, PEs, and VCs) and helped them throughout their investment life cycle.” “I’m Yi and I come from Henan, China where I worked in Human Resources and administration services.” “Hi, my name is Cristian and I come from Colombia (no Colubmbia—it is better if I clarify!) with a varied professional background of 12 years across different industries such as logistics, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals.” What has been your favorite parts of living in Lyon? Vipin: It has been a mix of a few things. I really like and enjoy Lyonnaise food, and I have been to a lot of restaurants here, including French, Lebanese, Chinese, and Indian… every time I visit, I’m met with good food and taste. The cathedral and basilica offer an enriching experience to understand cultural aspects, and I don’t feel that I cannot communicate in French (given my limited French proficiency) since the culture is very people-oriented and welcoming. Moreover, I have had a few chances to enjoy the nightlife in the center of Lyon and I felt at home after visiting some of the bars! Yi: My favorite part of Lyon is the bazaar in the old city center. The colorful, fresh fruit and vegetables, the bustling crowds, the kind and friendly elderly people, all allow me to experience the real local citizen life and French customs in a profound way. Cristian: Lyon is known as the capital of gastronomy and I love this aspect as well as the beautiful views and cathedrals, among other things. The most beautiful place for me is Vieux Lyon, “Old Lyon.” There, you can find Terre Adélice’s, in my opinion one of the best ice cream shops in Lyon and (probably in France)! Eating ice cream while walking in Vieux Lyon on a sunny Sunday afternoon is a pleasure that costs less than 8 euros, but one that you will remember for life. I can also recommend some great restaurants if you’re interested! What has been your favorite memory or experience thus far? Vipin: Lyon has a lot to offer in terms of outings and has a balanced mix of social and cultural life. One of my favorite memories in Lyon is the Diwali celebration that we had with people from different nationalities; a great example of the cultural immersion we experience in the IMBA program. Not only did these classmates enjoy the festival with Indians, but they also equally participated to ensure that everything was properly arranged to have a celebrate the holiday! This included prayers, lightening diyas, and sharing native sweets and savories with everyone. Yi: My favorite memory is about the bus. I need to take the bus to school almost every weekday and the bus drivers in Lyon are kind and friendly. Even when I forget my money and bus pass, they don't coldly refuse to let me on the bus, they still warmly let me take the bus, which is the epitome of French fraternity and love. Cristian: For me, it was spent at home with fellow classmates that today I consider to be my friends. We gathered to bake ginger cookies, watch Christmas movies, and eat together. I will indeed have this memory for the rest of my life. Thankfully, these three IMBA participants are having similar experiences to their fellow alumni—it’s hard to not fall in love with Lyon! If you’re interested in learning more about the IMBA or about how to apply for our next September intake, contact the IMBA Recruitment Manager or check-out the program website!

We’ve heard from our three current International MBA students on what they enjoy about the city of Lyon itself, we thought we’d ask them a bit more about their living situations and their actual expenses during their 11-month program.

What are your living arrangements in Lyon? Vipin: Before moving to begin my studies at emlyon business school, my thought was to stay near to the school so that I can avoid (or reduce) my travel and living expenses. To that end, I choose a shared living space (a 7-minute walk from the school) which is great because since I spend most of my time at school and at home, I feel very comfortable living here. However, while it saves my efforts on monthly costs, I need to take a couple of buses and metros to reach the city center. Yi: In a foreign country, my roommates bring me a spiritual companionship and warmth. We can talk to each other about our new lives in France, the experiences we are all having, and we can explore the fascinating aspects of Europe together. Cristian: I decided to stay in Lyon rather than near the school in Ecully to have a more immersive experience. I don’t mind commuting the 30 minutes each morning and afternoon as long as I can have the best of both worlds. Finding a flat to share is more challenging because you need to coordinate individual interests and how these interests align, but I was pretty lucky in this process because instead of finding the flat and the person to share it with, the person and the flat found me. How do you find the cost of living? Vipin: On a comparative basis, for example compared to living in Paris, the cost of living in Lyon is low. The rentals are about 40% cheaper in Lyon than in Paris. Besides, the living expenses (monthly bills, outings, and groceries) are cheaper in Lyon than in Paris. On an absolute basis, I believe the cost of living in Lyon is fair. Given I am not currently working and using my savings, I am conscious about my expenses and the balance between costs and my immersion in the French culture. My expenses are in the range of 600-650 euros per month which includes rentals (after adjusting for CAF), groceries, outings, and eating out and the overall cost remains under my predefined budget. Living in a shared flat near the school also has helped me to save money as my rental covers the internet, electricity, hearing, and other maintenance charges. Yi: The cost of living in Lyon is higher when compared to China. For accommodation, in Lyon I live in a studio in a university student flat of 18 square meters for 500€ per month, whereas in a large Chinese city of equal size, you can rent a two-room flat for the same price. For food, a kilo of tomatoes costs 2€ and an egg costs 0.50€ in Lyon, for reference. Cristian: Like Vipin, using Paris as a reference, I consider the cost of living in Lyon to be fair. Now, considering that I am here as a student and using my savings (in Colombian pesos) to fund my quest, it is expensive to adjust the current currency exchange rate. However, a rental price of less than 550€ per month with all the utility bills included is a huge win. Eating out is not a financially wise decision for me if I consider that the fluctuations in the currency exchange rate, but I found that eating out in restaurants is not nearly as expensive as compared to Paris, and the gastronomic offers in Lyon are vast which is a great advantage to finding high-quality places at an affordable price. Also, LIDL and some occasional markets are the best ideas to shop for groceries affordably. Once renting and groceries are covered, 90% or more of the costs are covered. One good piece of advice is to get in touch with previous cohort students and ask them about renting prices, especially if the apartment is eligible for the CAF benefit, the type of social life they managed to have to live in those places, and access to exciting places in the city. What is one piece of advice that you would give to future IMBA students? Vipin: Even having started the program with extensive professional experiences, the IMBA at emlyon has helped me so far to refresh many aspects such as strategy and design thinking. It also prepares you to better understand how to comprehend the ever-changing business environment from different perspectives, while providing you with the necessary international exposure and experiences. Nonetheless, to reap all such benefits, you need to be open-minded about learning. The school provides you with some meaningful tools and you have to put those tools to use. The school will also help you build a network with alumni and industry, but you have to make an effort to build your network and to find job opportunities. Work hard, acquire new skills, and most importantly, Network, network, and network! Yi: My advice is very traditional: learn the theory of the textbook carefully, arm yourself with practical activities, and keep your feet on the ground while never forgetting where you came from. Cristian: Do the level-up pre-courses as disciplined as possible, take notes, and the more you can know those concepts by heart, the better. It will give you more free time and likely allow you to be on time for many assignments. Also, prepare your apps, notebooks, or computers to have a knowledge management system (Knowledge Hub. Book: Building a second brain). I’ve been using Notion + Anki + GoodNotes to help me manage all the knowledge that the program delivers. Spaced repetition and Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid are handy frameworks to help you study and understand new or forgotten concepts much better, too. Finally, check your calendar and list your assignments and deadlines for the upcoming 3 months. This will help you in planning ahead the many deliverables you must submit and delivering them with high quality. Oh, and start working on building your network from day one! Although there are some differences compared to students’ home countries in terms of the cost of living, life in Lyon is quite affordable and moderately priced! With so much to do, see, experience and eat, as well as air and rail transportation at your fingertips, it’s no surprise why our emlyon students love this location! If you’re interested in learning more about the IMBA or about how to apply for our next September intake, contact the IMBA Recruitment Manager or check-out the program website.

There are many alluring aspects to emlyon’s IMBA program, such as the location in beautiful Lyon, France, the global alumni network, and the travel opportunities. But another huge asset to the program, one that these students can attest to, is the ability to live in a diverse cohort made up of driven young professionals from around the globe. This year’s cohort is a mixture of 19 different nationalities! Perhaps you’re wondering how so many different backgrounds and cultures can successfully comingle? Let’s find out!

What do you enjoy most about being in a culturally diverse cohort? Vipin: I really like interacting with people from different cultures and nationalities to learn their perspectives on different things. This is also visible in the group work or in the outings we have together. We also enjoy and share our local food with each other! Yi: What I like most is the respect people have for each other in human interactions. I’ve also fallen in love with the people-oriented philosophy of the social culture here in Lyon; buses and private cars give way to pedestrians, for example, and this allows me to experience the classical politeness and elegance of the French people. Cristian: What probably enriches me the most is the cohort’s heterogeneity, different mindsets, and ways to see the same problem, solution, situation, or whatever, with a different perspective. It also helps to have a more precise and open point of view because it pushes you out of your comfort zone to discover new things. Lyon is also incredible; it is easily a city where anyone could make their life and be happy, which is a massive extra for the program. Do you often spend time with your fellow classmates? Vipin: Since we have a 5-day class schedule, most of my time is spent with other students in the cohort which can be divided into two parts – work-related and leisure. The work-related time includes discussions on projects and subjects, brainstorming on projects, group assignment, and group studies, as well as discussion on various activities for the club I represent. On the leisure side, we go out quite often. We have gone out for movies, celebrated Halloween in a club with our Program Director, and although the type of activity and frequency varies, fun remains at the core of it all. Yi: I spend a lot of time with my classmates. We go around the old downtown area of Lyon (Vieux Lyon), we shop together, we watch films together, we go to the Christmas market together, we go to restaurants to taste and feel the food of Lyon together too. There are events like this every week or two. Cristian: Since we are almost the whole week together during classes, we spend a lot of time together. But we also spend time in outings usually to relax and enjoy ourselves. The most frequent activities are things like watching sporting events (ex: UFC fights and soccer matches), celebrating birthdays, practicing French, dancing, sharing meals together and even traveling to other cities or countries together on holidays. Have you or will you be traveling anywhere fun with your classmates? Vipin: I had already visited 8 European countries before joining the IMBA program, but I have always enjoyed an opportunity to sneak out of my busy schedule and travel. I had a great opportunity to travel to Amsterdam for 4 days with seven other members of my cohort in November 2022, and I found that this city offers a different and unique experience and has something for everyone. I really enjoyed the food, weather, canal, museums, and landscape there. I also traveled to Vienna and Norway during our 2-week winter holiday break. It was very refreshing and rejuvenating to take a break from coursework and to mentally prepare for the new year. I also managed to accomplish one more item on my wish list by ticking off the box, “see the Northern Lights”! Yi: I have not ad the opportunity to travel with my classmates thus far, but we are planning a trip to visit Switzerland and the Swiss Alps! This is a place I’ve been yearning for five years; I witnessed the charm of skiing in the Alps from a song by the singer Ed Sheeran where the snowy mountains of Switzerland gave me a glimpse of my future self and of an exciting future to look forward to. Cristian: I was in Paris when my classmates went to Amsterdam, but we are planning upcoming trips to Germany, Strasbourg, and Milan! These IMBA students all came together united by their shared experiences of starting an MBA and a new chapter of their lives in a new city, a new country, and a new culture. They’ve successfully found ways in which to successfully work together or projects and in professional settings, as well as ways in which to bond and form friendships outside of the classroom. If you’re interested in learning more about the IMBA or about how to apply for our next September intake, contact the IMBA Recruitment Manager or check-out the program website!

Over January and February 2023, a diverse four-strong team of emlyon business school IMBA students were tasked with performing a strategic analysis and expansion proposal for the renowned Accor hotel group. Pooling together a broad range of skills from various working backgrounds, the students embarked on a project that would teach them as much about themselves as the business case in hand.

Vipin Chugh (India), Philippe Saadallah (Lebanon), Davi Torres (Brazil) and Sarah Xu (China) began the project with a wealth of experience covering many of the bases that their project would entail, namely Economics, Project Management, Strategy, Project Engineering, Marketing, M&A, and Leadership. For team member Sarah, diversity was crucial when the case study was in its infancy and roles had to be defined: “we brought to the table a lot of different skills. Given that we were going to have to adopt a back to the drawing board approach, being able to cover so many areas when starting our analysis of Accor from many perspectives was a real asset”. A field in transition The initial project brief involved analysing the current strategy of the Accor group in terms of HR, finance, marketing, and strategy, to name a few angles. With expert professors to call upon for guidance when needed, the team examined Accor’s current strategy in the face of changing industry dynamics and competitors, with particular focus given to the group’s performance in light of this ever-evolving business landscape. For Vipin, whilst the project was wide-ranging, the goal was clear and precise: “we pooled our various cultures and experiences together to ensure that we delivered something of value to Accor. To achieve this, no-one worked in isolation. We were a diversified team with one common goal”. The case of India From an overall analysis came a conscious decision to home in on a particular region in order to make the team’s eventual proposal as concrete and relevant as possible. Philippe explains the thinking behind choosing India as the focal point: “we had already identified the IMEAT (India, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey) zone, having already looked at the bigger picture including performance in the US and Europe. The goal was to make recommendations either of expansion in areas where Accor is already very present or suggest implantation in new regions. We opted for the latter”. As the team heard from the Senior Vice-President during the presentation phase of the project in February, Accor has India very much in mind for its investment and expansion strategy. To begin with, however, the team had to hone their understanding of the group’s overall strategy, examine various KPIs, and then propose a strategic update. Challenging team dynamics When transitioning from the bigger picture early in their analysis to specific study of a chosen region, the team gave considerable thought to the consumer perspective and in so doing challenged one another’s views on a suggested future strategy for Accor. For Davi, this proved a very healthy example of stepping outside of one’s comfort zone: “*I come from a generalist professional and educational background. It was therefore a challenge for me to move from a general overview on the company to getting specific. Our proposal needed this specificity so that we could make concrete, industry-relevant recommendations. To achieve this, we had to question ourselves and one another within the group to reach a general consensus on the way forward for Accor in India*”. The success of the team’s proposal is born out by their succeeding in reaching a shortlist of 3 projects to be presented in front of Accor. A learning experience As well as honing the students’ knowledge of the industry, Accor’s current strategy and performance, and potentials windows of opportunity for improvement, the project was also one of self-discovery. For Vipin the challenge lay in how to rationalise their investigations: “we started out with a relatively unstructured case and, slowly but surely, had to piece our analysis together to suggest a concrete solution”. For Sarah, respect within the team was vital to their success: “to mount a collective proposal, mutual respect and support among team members needs to be fostered. Our blend of different cultures and backgrounds was a resource to be tapped into and certainly boosted our chances of success”. For Philippe, the main learning curve was in the process: “knowing where to start and how and what to prioritise was key to successful project management and teamwork. Getting a clear and agreed roadmap in place early on made for smoother work all the way through to the final presentation”. And finally, Davi, who especially appreciated the very real nature of the initiative: “not for the first time as part of my IMBA studies, theory and practice dovetailed perfectly. By applying knowledge and experience, we came up with an idea that could provide Accor with a gateway into doing more business in India”. -> Discover more about the IMBA program

Studying abroad in France will give you the opportunity to work with people from all over the world, expanding your global network and broadening your professional and personal horizons.

Sorel Signe is a graduate of emlyon's International MBA (IMBA) program, a career-orientated, practical, international programme with opportunities to apply your knowledge in real life situations. The 11-month program is aimed at individuals with a minimum of three years' professional work experience. Participants can discover the management styles of other European countries and explore their culture. We spoke to Sorel about his experience in the IMBA at emlyon and how it has helped his career: Can you give us an overview of your career so far? Before starting the International MBA program I was working as a mechanical engineer for more than eight years. I worked in the oil and gas industry for five years in operations, as a project manager, supply chain manager, sales manager and regional sales manager. Before this, I worked in the construction industry as a project manager, managing the contracts of hospitals and airports and as a consultant in several consulting projects for the improvement of competitiveness of industries. While studying for my IMBA, I worked on an Entrepreneurial Leadership Project (ELP) with ABB France. Since completing my International MBA program at emlyon, I've been working as a customer success manager in the EV (electric vehicle) charging industry. What inspired you to pursue an IMBA at emlyon and how did your career change after completing the program? Before starting my IMBA, I was managing teams and using leadership skills, but I hadn't been formally trained. At some points I felt I was missing the theoretical knowledge. This helped me in my decision to pursue an IMBA. I chose the IMBA program because it was an international program and I was looking to make connections with people from all over the world. I was looking to gain insight about how business is handled in other regions of the world. How did emlyon's IMBA help you develop your leadership skills? The IMBA at emlyon is a challenging program. You have just one year to complete it, whereas some other business schools will give you two years. This makes the program very very fast-paced where you have a lot of activities to complete in a short amount of time. This intensive environment helps you to gain a lot of skills, including time management, relationship building and the ability to quickly adapt to new situations. What advice would you give to prospective students considering an IMBA at emlyon? You'll never be able to fully prepare yourself as there will always be surprises. I come from an engineering background and what shocked me about the IMBA is there is no ‘one solution fits all'. You'll find solutions that work for your context and for your company. My advice is to just be yourself, know your strengths and weaknesses, and find areas where you want to improve. The IMBA will do the rest. How have you leveraged the networking opportunities that your IMBA programme provided to further your career goals? A large draw of this International MBA program is the networking opportunities you'll have. In my cohort, there were 20 people of 10 nationalities. The network you build will be very broad. There will be people from different backgrounds with different experiences. There were opportunities to do exchanges with other MBA programs, and you'll also have the opportunities to do exchanges with other universities. There is also an alumni platform at emlyon of more than 15,000 IMBA alumni across the world. The school invites alumni to speak to students about their careers so far, what they've achieved and how they've reached their current positions. While studying for my IMBA, I was thinking about different career paths. The fact that I was able to network with these alumni gave me insight into what it's like to work in those industries and in those specific roles. How did the programme equip you with the skills necessary to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing international business environment? As I mentioned before, the IMBA is a very challenging program. You're challenged not only by the teachers but also by your classmates. At the end of the program you'll be able to easily jump from one subject to another. For example, you might have a class about supply chain, then an hour later you'll have a class about digital transformation and you'll need to be able to deliver a good result on both. It helps you to be really agile and innovative. Business today is challenged by many disruptions: wars, pandemics, digital transformations, etc. The IMBA helps you build the skills to be able to change the world and help navigate this business environment. How have you applied the concepts and theories you have learned in your IMBA programme to real-world business situations? The IMBA is not a theoretical program. It's not about formula and calculation. It's practical from beginning to end. One of the tenants of the degree is having the ability to launch your own entrepreneurial project. You'll create your own startup: all the marketing materials, the websites, etc. You'll be designing everything that you need for your invented business. I think this is one of the best parts of the program. At the end of the program you can even choose to continue working on your start-up and launch it as a for-profit business targeting real customers. Alternatively, you can take part in the entrepreneurial research project where you'll be presented with a real business case study currently challenging a business and you'll have to act as a consultant to provide a solution. During your project you'll have the support of the school's resources. In this research project, you'll be in direct touch with the business world. You can apply all the skills you've learned during the program to deliver real-world solutions. The company I was working with on my project was so satisfied by the work that I delivered with my classmates last year that they have asked to have the next cohort of IMBA students work on another case study for them! Looking back on your IMBA experience, what were some of the most memorable and rewarding moments? As part of the program we visited several companies around the world. For example, while in Germany we visited several businesses and it was great to see how sustainability is changing the business mindset in Germany and how they're launching new sustainable businesses there. Our program is mainly about driving positive changes in the world, so to see that this is already happening gives you energy and shows you that it's possible to make the world a better place to live. This article was written by Chloe Lane on June 9, 2023 for TOPUNIVERSITIES --> Discover more about the IMBA program

Learn five tips and tricks on how to ace your MBA application and get into your dream school.

Pursuing an MBA is a significant step towards advancing your career and gaining a global perspective in business management. However, the MBA application process can be highly competitive, requiring careful preparation to build a compelling application.

BusinessBecause spoke to Cristian Giraldo, a current International MBA student at emlyon business school IMBA in Lyon, to learn more about the application process and his tips for future candidates.

Before diving into the MBA application process, it’s best to research potential universities and their respective programs.

Cristian explains how thorough research will allow you to find the right school, and help you curate the best application possible.

"I looked at the Financial Times, Economist, and QS rankings, and used information, like [fees], the average salary of the post-MBA graduate, and the percentage of students employed three months after finishing the MBA," he says.

His research led him to the emlyon IMBA, ranked third for Global MBA in France—and a top 20-school globally for new career opportunities—according to The Economist, with 86% landing a job within three months of graduation.

When selecting a business school, it’s important to determine whether the university's programs, teaching methods, resources and values align with your academic and career goals. This research will help you identify the universities that resonate with your aspirations.

"I downloaded all the brochures; checked the criteria, the requirements, and the intakes. And once I had the index, and all the criteria, I planned my application."

Preparing for the MBA application requires a holistic approach to your personal goals, and allowing time to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses—and to work on improving them.

This involves prepping for the various aspects of the application, including the GMAT and the IELTS English-language test, which Cristian had to sit as a native Colombian.

Cristian studied for the GMAT using online resources, including the GMAT club.

"GMAT club is free for any student that wants to prepare for business school. You get the preparation, the books, and a huge database. It's about more than just the resources and quantities. It's about preparing effectively."

Once completed, Cristian supplied his scores to emlyon. 

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4 - Showcase substantial experience Just as with MBA programs, the MBA typically requires students to have a few years’ work experience. During an application, it’s important therefore to share your professional achievements, emphasizing leadership roles, projects, and—especially for the emlyon MBA—international exposure. As a part of the application process, emlyon requires that candidates take a business scenario-based digital test to showcase their managerial and leadership skills. "The digital test examines your managerial skills in stressful situations," Cristian explains. "You are receiving emails and calls, and you have to handle different stakeholders simultaneously." For Cristian, this exemplified how important it is to apply to an MBA with the relevant experience, and not before you have built up a strong professional skillset. "If you didn't have previous experience of managing people or working in stressful situations for a company in the corporate world, the test would be very tough," he says. 5 - Be specific about why you want to join the program One of an MBA application's most critical aspects is articulating why you want to join the program. For this, it’s best to avoid generic statements and focus on specific aspects of the program that appeal to you. During the digital test for emlyon, there are four questions that candidates have to answer within a set time that focus on these specifics. Cristian says: "The four questions in the test were: ‘Why me?’; ‘Why an MBA?’; ‘What are my long-term goals after the MBA?’; and, ‘How is this MBA going to help me to achieve them?’" The questions are designed to show how much thought you've given the program, and are your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the specific course. Additionally, when answering, you can explain how the program will bridge any knowledge- or skill-gaps, and can contribute to your long-term career vision. "It's a well-designed screening process to check that the candidate has the right motivations to apply,” says Cristian. "Before applying, I questioned if the school was the right-fit for me, and if I was going to get the best out of the program. In my case, it was clear. So, my advice is: before you apply, take your time to reflect on why you want to not only study an MBA, but this specific MBA." This article was written by Laura Wise, working for Business Because

As well as acing the tests, to stand out in the MBA application process, it’s crucial to showcase how your personal and professional goals align with the university's values and the program.

This is particularly important in the application essays that allow candidates to illustrate their uniqueness to the school.

Cristian (pictured) was aided in these essays by emlyon's MBA program recruiter. He reached out to Cristian after he downloaded the brochure, and stayed in contact with him all through his application journey. "Throughout the process, the recruiter planned frequent meetings with me and replied to any question I had," Cristian says. Cristian completed three essays to explain why he wanted to do MBA, why at emlyon, and to describe his future professional pathway. He used these essays to show how the MBA program would complement his existing skills and experiences, and help him to achieve his long-term career aspirations. He conveyed his commitment and motivation to the program. 

International MBA graduate

Carla Tur Mel Lo

Carla Tur Mel Lo studied and traveled around the world in search of her ideal career path. It wasn’t until she started her International MBA that she discovered her passion for sustainability. Now, after gaining a rich network and skillset at emlyon business school’s International MBA (IMBA), she is working in her dream job as a sustainability project manager for companies across Europe. Find out how Carla harnessed the transferable skills she gained during her studies to embark a global career in sustainability.

Read also :

Find out how Haobo Jiang discovered a passion for innovation at the emlyon International MBA

Whether you want to be your own boss, or you have a great idea for a startup, becoming an entrepreneur is a popular career path for business school grads. Entrepreneurship is a popular post-business school career goal and a sought-after part of the MBA curriculum. In 2023, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Prospective Students Survey found that almost half of business school applicants felt entrepreneurship and innovation was a curricula essential. For Haobo Jiang, his International MBA from emlyon business school not only fueled his passion for entrepreneurship but also served as the launching pad for his own successful business venture. We caught up with Haobo to find out how his International MBA helped him get there. Discovering MBA entrepreneurship After 13 years working across various sectors including IT engineering, finance, and supply chain management at appliance company Groupe SEB, Haobo decided it was time for a change. “I had a general vision of the business world, but I lacked an understanding of core business elements”, he explains. “I realized it would be a good thing to have an MBA to complete that piece of the puzzle.” With emlyon, located across the street from his place of work, Haobo got the perfect opportunity to find that missing piece of his puzzle. Despite having no prior plans to launch a startup, as soon as Haobo joined emlyon he quickly became interested in MBA entrepreneurship. The small class sizes gave him the ability to connect with his cohort and access personal support that developed his interest in the area. “Our team took the "entrepreneurship" course quite seriously, and we had a great teacher who inspired a lot of ideas. That was the start of everything.” Gaining experience in MBA entrepreneurship The emlyon International MBA prioritizes innovative thinking and places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship. One of the MBA classes Haobo took, named Fundamentals of New Ventures, is a dynamic and involved course, which works with students to develop their ideas from the conception of a problem to pitching a fully-fledged idea. A freelance professor, Benjamin-Samuel Ewenczyk, teaches this class and brings his own experience as a successful entrepreneurship. Ben founded 4 Hour Startup, which creates, teaches, and helps implement resources about lean startup methodology and lean prototyping. He also launched a vintage clothes brand with a past student, so he had many business lessons to impart to budding emlyon MBA entrepreneurs. His class teaches students how to establish small, achievable ideas, then workshop the concepts and, finally, pitch a complete idea. “The class is a small accelerator. The idea is to teach the students about the fundamentals and push them to work on what's important at that stage”, Ben says. He adds that the key is for students to discover the most important part of a business idea. “At the end of the day, what you want is to do something that’s useful, and that’s solving a problem for your users.” Throughout Haobo’s time at emlyon, especially on his entrepreneurship course, collaboration with his fellow students helped him develop his entrepreneurial mindset and skills. “At first, we didn't realize we were making mistakes. And then when we shared the results, not only with the teacher, but also with other groups, you realize that there are better ways of doing things”, he says. Launching a business after an MBA At the end of the semester, many of Ben’s students have strong ideas that morph into viable solutions. Haobo’s initial business idea came about from thinking about ways to teach Chinese in French schools. He went through various versions and mistakes before the idea became a solid foundation for a startup. “That project evolved and matured a lot. Its origin was a very different version.” Haobo describes the thorough process he went through to find the right version of his idea. “I submitted the proposal to my colleagues, to explore how things are going in the French education system. Then step by step, we met people who are working in the field, such as educational officials, parents, and students". “Somehow we got to a conclusion about how we can contribute to make things better”, he explains. This conclusion formed the basis of his business, Rivière Yuan EdTech. Haobo realized that teachers had too many balls to juggle, including class preparation, dedicated time with students, and reporting to superiors and parents. He proposed an end-to-end process that invested in generative AI, helping students prepare more efficiently, more readily interact with the students during class, and transform preparation into exercises. “Finally, since everything is tracked with the platform we’ve created, we give teachers some really easy to use models for the basic reporting purpose.” Haobo still feels supported by the emlyon International MBA through the network he cultivated there and the support he received. “You get very experienced professionals—not only professors but entrepreneurs themselves—who spend some time with you, who can listen and help you succeed as an MBA entrepreneur”, he concludes. This article was written by Laura Wise on November 27 for Business Because sponsored by emlyon business school Discover more about the International MBA programs International MBA Full Time International MBA Part Time

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