Want an MBA without leaving your job? Based in Berlin, ESMT’s Part-time MBA in Business Innovation is made with students like you in mind. With a blended approach, you learn both online around your working schedule and in-person with 12 residencies and two residential weeks.
ESMT’s Part-time Business Innovation MBA is a 24-month course designed for students who are currently working. The aim of the program is to help candidates accelerate their careers, enhance their expertise, and build a solid network. Most students are part of corporations or startups and use the program to jump to the next stage in their careers.
The course is made up of seven modules that focus on business innovation, leadership, and general management, with each module including two on-campus residencies. These weekend-long residencies and the two residential weeks that focus on international study trips combine with the online classes for a blended MBA approach. As Rebecca Loades, Director of Career Accelerator Programs, says, “Blended means you’ve got [75] percent of your studies online and [25] percent is in-person.” (00:07)
The program begins with foundational courses that will act as a base for more advanced studies. Rebecca says, “The focus of the program is business innovation. However, before we can get you transforming and innovating your business, we need to make certain that everyone is on the same page.” (01:47) To that end, students cover MBA-level accounting, finance, economics, and more. This is an essential part of the course that opens new avenues for candidates who normally specialize in one area.
From this base, you’ll then focus on business innovation itself. Rebecca summarized the second section of the program: “This is where you’re looking at different forms of leadership. This is where you’re looking at how you can start to change, to innovate, to disrupt your business.” (02:13)
Finally, in the capstone project, you apply everything you’ve learned to address an issue you’re facing at work. Employers can even play a role in the course. As Rebecca tells us, “Ideally, they will be giving you some thorny business issue that they are struggling with and asking you to actually solve it.” (02:53)
In the Part-time MBA in Business Innovation, you’ll mainly study online. This is a great bonus for ESMT Berlin students who are working as there is no commute and they can schedule their studies around other commitments, be that family or work. However, it has a great advantage over fully online courses by adding face-to-face contact time. Rebecca explains, “The part-time program really does combine the best of both worlds. So, you are studying online on the world’s most innovative learning platform but then you also get to benefit from [face-to-face] learning from [faculty and your classmates].” (01:08)
Residencies are a real stand-out feature that offer an in-person balance to the online format. Students get to work in teams, learn from each other, and attend events that bring the cohort closer together. On the aim of the residencies, Rebecca adds, “This is an opportunity for you to come together to do group work, to meet with faculty, to come here to our beautiful campus or to the offices.” (00:59)
Therefore, the blended format is ideal for students working during an MBA. It combines the freedom that’s intrinsic to online learning with a melting pot of perspectives and networking opportunities during the residencies.
The German government is committed to companies offering professional training to their staff. Named Bildungsurlaub (educational leave), the initiative permits employees time off from work to pursue relevant educational opportunities.
ESMT’S Part-time Business Innovation MBA capitalizes on this opportunity. Rebecca tells us, “Our program is perfectly suited to fit with that so you’re not eating into your holiday and your employer is not having you too long out of the office.” (00:38) Over the 24-month program, you’ll only be away from the office for 28 days in total.
When you’re working during an MBA, you can immediately transfer everything you learn on the course to your company. You’ll bring fresh ideas and actionable solutions, so the program is an easy sell to your employer.
As Rebecca puts it, “You get to solve a problem that your employer is facing. To me, that’s kind of a win for all parties.” (03:04) With this approach, the Part-time MBA in Business Innovation is inherently relevant to your career and intricately designed around a working schedule.
Another distinctive aspect of ESMT Berlin’s Part-time MBA in Business Innovation is its diverse cohorts. It welcomes candidates from a vast spread of different industries, functions, nationalities, and backgrounds. This adds another dimension to the learning experience – a concentrated representation of experienced minds from all areas of business. Describing the cohort, Rebecca says, “Our students have an average of about nine years of work experience. Think about how much experience is embedded in that classroom.” (01:29)
With fully online courses, it is unlikely for students to meet their peers face-to-face. However, ESMT Berlin’s blended MBA format puts you in contact with your classmates to learn a range of new perspectives. Through group work during your residency weeks and the one-week international exchange opportunities at one of over 30 partner schools, ESMT Berlin promotes expanding your standard way of thinking and bringing what you’ve learned back to your company.
Clearly, ESMT Berlin’s Part-time MBA in Business Innovation was purpose-built for the working demographic. With a forward-thinking curriculum, flexible schedule, and networking opportunities, it offers a solid path for plateauing professionals to take that next step.
