Q&A: What is an international MBA and is it right for you?

More than just enhancing the international learning experience, the Rennes School of Business iMBA prepares MBA candidates for the future of work challenges by organising its academic content, study tours and corporate networking events around the unique 5 Is framework: 

 At Rennes School of Business, we organise the international MBA around the five Is:  

• Insight - You become a good leader by embodying leadership in your personal life and getting to know your sensitivities and emotional challenges. Personal development can therefore help you understand who you are and who others are, and will help you become a better manager. 

• International - Most of the student experience will be extremely international and the faculty delivering the programme come from across the world. 

• Intelligence - There is a great focus on business intelligence solutions: how to analyse data, obtaining strategic insights or solving business problems. Our statistics modules for example use a light programming language that teach applicants to flexibly work with data and analyse it. 

• Innovation - The IMBA at Rennes School of Business places a focus on managing digital innovation and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. We believe that most of the innovations that will take place in the in the world tomorrow will have a digital orientation. 

• Impact - We aim to teach people to measure their social and environmental impact in business and communicate clearly about it, thinking: what is the impact? How do I deliver it? What are some trade-offs that I have to make? 

Rennes School of Business’ international MBA programme students will benefit from a two-campus delivery. The school’s IMBA programme is based over our two French campuses in Rennes and Paris.  

One major benefit of studying an iMBA in France is the strength of its industries. France is home to leading global corporations in a variety of sectors such pharmaceuticals, construction, aerospace, defence, agriculture, you name it. The Rennes SB corporate network thus expands far beyond France's borders.  

Rennes is frequently ranked as one of France’s top three cities to live in. With its student-friendly, open-minded environment, it’s an excellent environment to lay the core foundations of your academic journey in the iMBA.  

The city is home to many start-ups and small to medium enterprises, especially in the tech sector. There are plenty of international companies, as well as companies that seek to internationalise and expand into new markets. These types of companies are happy to partner with a school like ours, because the Rennes SB iMBA students combine a deep international expertise with strong leadership in digital and sustainable transformation 

In the third term, students will study in Paris. Paris has the advantage of being home to headquarters of many large corporations which makes it easy to take advantage of job opportunities. 

Students either decide to stay in Rennes after graduating, stay in Paris, or go back to their home countries.  

The international MBA makes sure that students get all the essential skills for aspiring managers and corporate leaders.  At Rennes School of Business, assessments are firmly rooted in real world application, rather than being exam-based.  

At the beginning of each module, students undertake preparatory activities. Students are instructed to immerse themselves in the topic, through articles, videos or through an activity.  

Our different leadership modules help students build critical leadership skills and navigate cultural complexity. Their communication skills in particular are enhanced through the arts: visual arts, theatre arts and literature. By understanding how artists and writers communicate to audiences, our students gain a better knowledge of how corporate leaders can express their vision and mobilise strategic resources for growth or change. 

We use case studies throughout the modules, using both traditional case studies and working directly with business professionals who bring their own case studies to the classroom.   

Due to the practical nature of the programme, several modules use a flipped classroom approach, where students are given the theory framework to complete a project which they are graded on. In one of the marketing modules, students will create their own sustainable brand and the entire module is orientated around creating this brand.  

We really want to deliver an extensive international experience and enhance the cultural experience of Europe. There are two trips in the programme and both are included in the tuition fees.  

The first is Portugal, the other is Slovenia.  

Portugal is one of the most dynamic ecosystems in Europe in terms of tech start-ups and small to medium enterprises. Rennes School of Business has a partner institution in Lisbon that deliver seminars on the topics of digital transformation and digital innovation.  

In the afternoons, students go on corporate visits in Lisbon at firms like BMW, which have their innovation centres in the area. Some organisations let students co-operate on real projects and encourage students to talk to people in the company at the operational level. This helps them understand what the company does on a day-to-day basis, while also building valuable business connections. 

While Portugal is focused on tech, Slovenia is all about sustainable development. It's actually the third greenest country in in Europe and they have an excellent work-life balance, which is reflected in the organisations.  

In Slovenia, students will go on corporate visits with sustainable brands. For example, there is a company that aims to reduce plastic water bottle consumption by creating a glass reusable water bottle project. The big focus here is about creating the brand image.  

An MBA like ours prepares students for junior to middle management positions, advancing to senior management positions. We are preparing students for the future of work.  

Graduates are particularly well suited to careers leading digital transformation and sustainability transformation, which you will find in any industry. 

The programme is of course selective like any MBA programme, but we but we seek in particular to select students who share the iMBA values. We aim to attract people who want to contribute to a sustainable economy, who have an interest in technology as a solution for sustainable transformations. 

This is more important than students that have the highest GMAT score, because we want students to become ambassadors of the iMBA programme later on.  

When applying, students should consider how their professional background has led me to where they are and ask how the IMBA will help advance their career.  

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Taught by Rennes Business School’s international faculty of leading experts and academics, the iMBA will help you reach managerial positions across different industries.  

The programme is designed to help you think differently and understand how to thrive in rapidly changing international business environment, but you will also walk away with a diverse network of friends and colleagues.