The top MBA in Amsterdam

The cosmopolitan city of Amsterdam lies at the very heart of Europe. It is a key logistical, political, and economic hub of Europe, serving as the headquarters for a number of major corporations. Unemployment here is typically less than 4% – lower than the European average – while the economy is vibrant and rapidly growing.

In many ways, it’s the perfect place to do an MBA in Europe. The MBA at Nyenrode Business University is the top-ranked MBA in Amsterdam, according to the Financial Times.

The course places Europe at its core, with the second part of the program focusing on five key business practices. All of these modules conclude with an immersive trip to a major European business hub, such as Paris, Milan, Madrid, Copenhagen, and Valencia.

Students will also get the chance to “Meet the CEOs” of major European companies, allowing them to understand their influence on the wider economy. With more than 70% of students staying in the Netherlands after they graduate, the Nyenrode MBA certainly has all the hallmarks of being a truly European MBA.

Career and personal development at Nyenrode

The Nyenrode Full-Time MBA puts a big focus on career and personal development. The school even has a department dedicated to it, headed up by Willem van Donge. He says their focus is on guiding students towards a career they not only thrive in but also enjoy.

“What we try to do here at Nyenrode, at the career and personal development department, is to make sure that our students are ready for their business community,” he explains. “We want to make sure, through personal development and leadership development, that they choose a career they want and can also be successful at.” (00:20)

Marlotte van Herksen is a career advisor from the same department. She works closely with Nyenrode MBA students to learn more about them: what they want to do, what they’re good at, and most importantly, what they enjoy doing. That focus on enjoying what you do is clearly a big part of the program.

“If you go on a job market and apply for a job, it’s so important to know what your motivation is and why you want to work somewhere. And it all starts with yourself first – knowing what you love doing,” Marlotte says. (00:46)

What MBA students have gained from Nyenrode

The career and personal development center at Nyenrode also provides more practical job advice to students – the kind of advice that helps you land your dream job. Two graduates of the program said that Nyenrode has given them the confidence they need to thrive in interviews.

“Today, we learned new techniques about interviewing, how to behave, what kind of questions might be asked, and what kind of questions you have to ask the company,” says Alexander. (01:09)

According to Anna, “I just feel more comfortable and prepared for the interview. I also really appreciate that we can sit in a group and play the roles of the interviewer and the person who is being interviewed.” (01:19)

Ayush, another graduate, adds, “The career and development program is really good in shaping our careers and shaping our journey after the MBA,” he says. “They help us shape our skills in our CV, as well as making sure that what we’re looking for after graduation is really a fit for us.” (01:34)

How an MBA can launch your career in Europe

If you want to launch your career in Europe, there can’t be many better places to do it than at Nyenrode.

It can offer close links to the European business community, opportunities to immerse yourself in business hubs across the continent, and a privileged position in the heart of Europe. What’s more, Amsterdam has a strong and fast-growing economy that can offer plenty of job opportunities to the right graduates. It’s also home to the headquarters of a number of major employers including Nike, Netflix, Tesla, Uber, Booking.com, and more.

However, none of that matters if you don’t have the network and career skills to connect with the rest of the continent. 

That’s why it’s so important that Nyenrode has a dedicated careers department that can help you connect those dots, grow your network, and give you the practical skills you need to land your dream job. That’s really what makes it the top MBA in Amsterdam.