The TRIUM Global Executive MBA is a joint program run by NYU Stern, HEC Paris, and the London School of Economics. Since launching in 2001, it has consistently been ranked as one of the top EMBAs in the world. We spoke to the program’s Executive Director to learn about the TRIUM EMBA, including its growing popularity and return on investment.
A quick look at the latest Financial Times Executive MBA Ranking reveals that joint EMBA programs now dominate the top 10. Typically run by two or more business schools, joint EMBAs provide students with greater insights into the global economy than a single school can offer. Their dominance of EMBA rankings makes sense in the context of a world that is more globalized than ever before.
One of the pioneering joint programs is the TRIUM EMBA. It was launched in 2001 by three leading business schools: NYU Stern, HEC Paris, and the London School of Economics. Since then it has consistently been ranked as one of the top executive MBA programs in the world. According to Elizabeth O’Neill, the Executive Director of the program, the key to its success has been collaboration.
“In its simplest terms, a joint MBA program is where two or more schools come together to develop, establish, and deliver a program. I think it’s really about the collaboration between the different institutions,” she says. (00:20)
“The decision [to collaborate] really stemmed from the desire to deliver something that was greater than the sum of its parts,” Elizabeth adds. “So each of these three schools in our case – and I’m sure this applies to others – are well-established in their own right. But the power of coming together and complementing what other schools bring to the table is really something unique.” (00:54)
A joint EMBA program isn’t simply an executive MBA studied in multiple locations. Each school brings its own perspectives, expertise, and knowledge to the program, which gives students genuine insights into different markets. Elizabeth goes on to explain the unique selling points of each institution.
“We go in-depth when we’re at the LSE on analyzing business through the geopolitical and socio-economic lens, and that’s a unique, immersive experience. I think it’s so important for addressing today’s complex global challenges and this interconnected world,” she says. “NYU Stern is known as a financial powerhouse. That’s where we do the deeper dive into most of our financial topics – corporate finance, valuation…that’s primarily what NYU brings to the table, although we also do strategy and some of our ESG topics.” (06:03)
On HEC Paris, Elizabeth says, “HEC Paris is a powerhouse in their own right on strategy: strategic marketing and corporate strategy. They’ve also really put a stake in the ground when it comes to entrepreneurship. Station F, based in Paris, is a big part of that initiative.” (07:04)
Besides these three schools, TRIUM EMBA students also study modules in Shanghai and San Francisco. The module in Shanghai looks at Asia’s growing place in the global economy. Two weeks in Silicon Valley provides students with unrivaled insights into one of the world’s most innovative business regions.
Very few programs in the world can match the ambition and reach of the TRIUM EMBA. That means the admissions criteria are different from a typical executive MBA program.
“We really target the most senior cohort we can,” Elizabeth explains. “We have an average age of 40 and 15 years of [work] experience. That is at least a couple of years higher than [the] standard across executive MBA programs.” (07:55)
These strict criteria, coupled with the global outlook of the program, attract a highly diverse cohort. The opportunity to hear so many international perspectives is invaluable.
“Typically there are 60 students in any starting TRIUM cohort,” Elizabeth tells us. “Within that 60 you’ll see 25-30 different nationalities. That’s 25-30 different experiences and points of view that are brought into the classroom debate. It’s pretty phenomenal when you see all of this at work in this ecosystem.” (08:43)
With a price tag of over $185,000, the TRIUM EMBA doesn’t come cheap. But it’s the price you have to pay for a world-class education, and ultimately it’s an investment in yourself. Elizabeth says that organizations are also starting to recognize the value of investing in their personnel.
“They might be looking for this education and this network and this knowledge to allow them to pivot outside of their current space. But we also see a steady commitment from organizations that want to develop and retain their top talent. This is a key way of doing that,” Elizabeth states. (10:19)
Although the TRIUM EMBA is a long-term investment, organizations and individuals can see immediate benefits from the program.
“I think what those organizations get by way of benefit is an immediate application of skills and knowledge…there is an applied sense of everything. We talk about a thousand years of knowledge in the classroom – and then that translates back to the organization,” Elizabeth says. “[Also], you have a way to tap into a global leadership network that you might not [get] as an organization. And I think an organization can leverage that really quickly.” (10:48)
It’s easy to see why joint Executive MBA programs such as the TRIUM EMBA now dominate the rankings. They offer students the worldwide network, multiple market knowledge, and industry expertise that single-school programs struggle to match. A joint EMBA is a big investment, but their growing popularity suggests it is a wise one.
