The MBA program at IE University is a notable departure from the beaten tracks of graduate business education. The distinctive character of the Madrid-based institution dates back to its founding by entrepreneurs in 1973 on the premise of providing better programs to business executives. Offerings have evolved over time to include full-fledged MBA programs that emphasize innovation and student-centeredness. IE’s approach is embodied in its “Liquid Learning” philosophy, which involves dispersing knowledge in a variety of formats, locations and technologies.
The school offers two main 11-month programs, an International MBA and the first, and so far only, Tech MBA in Europe. The two programs are heavily customized and experiential; students may perform real-world projects for companies, earn a business-thematic specialty out of 11 choices, and participate in an exchange program at one of 28 business schools worldwide.
The International MBA program at IE typically has 650 participants, making it Europe’s largest. Students tend to be well-seasoned; the MBA class of 2019 averaged 7.4 years of work experience, considerably higher than other schools. Students come from all over the world, but South America is IE’s most popular feeder region; in 2019, 32% of students were from the continent.
Those interested in the IE MBA should not gloss over the school’s unique admissions policy. As an alternative to GMAT and GRE, the school offers the IEGAT test, which they developed in-house. Furthermore, IE has an explicit minimum requirement of three years of work experience from applicants, unlike in other programs.
With regard to employment, the IE MBA class of 2019 went primarily into the tech and finance sectors at 20% each, with consulting slightly behind at 17%. Latin America was the most popular destination for graduates with 29%, followed by Europe, North America, and Asia with 26%, 22%, and 17%, respectively. Notable IE alumni include Pablo Largacha (Vice President for Business Planning & Integration of Coca Cola, MBA 1993), Catalina Borrero (Senior Vice President of Santander, MBA 1995), Sebastian Mackensen (President & CEO of BMW in North America, MBA 1996), and Meinard Spenger (CEO of MASMOVIL, MBA 1999).
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