The MBA program of the International Institute for Management Development, or simply IMD, is unique in the business school landscape in more than one way. Start with location: it is the only top business school in Switzerland, situated in Lausanne on the northeastern shore of Lake Geneva. The IMD campus affords students the opportunity to live near numerous Swiss-headquartered multinational companies in healthcare, finance, and technology, as well as easy access to world-class ski resorts and other outdoor activities.
Aside from the location, the IMD MBA stands out in terms of student credentials and class composition. The MBA class of 2022 averaged seven years of working experience, instead of five at most programs. The students were also drawn from a wider range of industries, with finance and consulting making up only 22% of the total. Last, but not least, IMD has the second smallest class of any top program; a mere 104 students comprised the 2022 MBA class, 101 of whom were international. Together, these statistics illustrate that while IMD attracts applicants from all backgrounds, it certainly offers a premium for those who are more seasoned, focused, and non-traditional.
This positioning on the side of experience extends to school offerings as well. IMD boasts a faculty-student ratio of one to two, allowing professors to get to know each student personally. With about 50% of students arriving with a partner, IMD offers a partners & family program that can be found in few other schools. The school also stands out when it comes to its engagement with business executives, as it is ranked second in the world by the Financial Times in executive education.
In the employment arena, IMD has earned its reputation as the “industry MBA.”. Healthcare, manufacturing and tech were the most popular sectors for the MBA class of 2020, with 29%, 18%, and 17%, respectively; consulting attracted 12% of graduates, finance 8%. 78% of the graduates found jobs in Europe, with the rest in single digit percentages across other regions. In regard to international mobility, the Financial Times ranks the program sixth in the world, ahead of all other top schools. Notable IMD alumni include Philipp Humm (Former CEO of T-Mobile USA, MBA 1985), Tarang Jain (CEO of Varroc, MBA 1987), Jay Mehta (Chairman of Mehta Group, MBA 1991) and Harsh Goenka (Chairman of RPG Group, MBA 1995).
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Large City
100
1,000
Flexible
Structured
30%
90%
10,000
110,000
680
740
Top 25
Top 5
$100,000
$175,000
