The MSc in International Business Management by EDHEC Online: a career accelerator

Joris Geerdens and Inès Hagelin have (at least) two things in common: they hold dual nationality (Joris is Belgian and German, while Inès is French and Swedish) and they have both just joined thefirst EDHEC Online MSc in International Business Management. Over the next year, they will be taking this degree course (Master’s level) 100% online and in English. Talking to them gave us a chance to learn about the expectations of a new generation of students looking for intercultural experiences against the backdrop of today’s job market.

Continuity of studies

Joris has been living in the Netherlands for three years and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Management from the Arteveldehogeschool in Ghent. He joined the working world in Sales Business Development but after a few years felt he was entering a “transition phase”. He began thinking about pursuing his studies but didn’t know where to start looking. “I couldn’t find any course that really caught my interest. Most of them were very expensive for little added value.” And so he focused on courses held in person in the Netherlands and Belgium, but didn’t find the content very convincing. “Nor could I find many good options online, although that was obviously the most suitable path due to COVID (this was in April-May, and the epidemic looked set to last).”

Inès holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (BBA) from emlyon, after which she headed off to spend 6 months in Shenzhen on an intensive Mandarin course, but the COVID pandemic gave her no choice but to return to France. “During the lockdown, I thought a bit more about my future. I tried to find work, but the prevailing circumstances and the lack of financial resources in companies made it difficult. So I started looking at the Master’s courses available.” The international dimension held obvious appeal for her: “I lived in Indonesia for 4 years during my childhood, and as soon as I had the opportunity to travel abroad later in life, I seized it. I did my first 6-month internship in London and followed that up immediately with 6 months in China. I love working with people from different cultures. I find the interactions much more interesting in an international environment.”

Varied and tangible content

The two millennials were taken in by the general education provided by the MSc in International Business Management. “I wasn’t looking to specialise so I wouldn’t be hemmed in. What’s more, the subjects being taught are ones I particularly enjoy – finance, strategy and business development,” Inès tells us. That also became a benchmark in Joris’s search for the right programme. “I started to look for a specialised and online programme. However, the credibility of a lot of universities, even in the UK, was not as good as I expected.” And being able to have the diploma recognised in Belgium was a key factor in his final choice. Another advantage he mentioned, beyond the soft skills – “missing in a lot of other degrees that I was looking for” – he knew he would acquire, was the career development that the partnerships in place would offer or "the network you can build and the job opportunities you can get from it". He also highlights the tangible aspect of the consultancy project that is part of the course: “You're not just writing a thesis about a given subject, you achieve something you can really use into business."

A programme aligned with career objectives 

In logistical terms, Inès was hoping to acquire an academic foundation without a mandatory internship, as she had already done one on her previous course. “I wanted to enter the active working world. It was one of the only master’s that corresponded to a kind of BBA and didn’t insist on several years’ work experience.” She would like to get her first job in the luxury sector. “After Mont Blanc, I moved towards wines and spirits. Recruiters often tend to place us in categories, and that’s why I wanted to broaden my spectrum.” The decision to pursue one’s studies combined with job-hunting is also a rejection of routine. Joris is keen to optimise his time management, essential in these stormy times on the job market: "I don't want to waste time. I can continue my studies while getting one more year of professional experience".

We welcome the two of them to the EDHEC Alumni community!

To take up the Alumni discount (25% off your MSc in International Business Management), contact Margaux Demailly-Brion, International Admissions Manager.

All the EDHEC Online offers are available on the official website online.edhec.edu.