Audencia Business School’s International MBA equips students with the essential skills needed for a successful global career. Associate Dean Tamim Elbasha shares what makes this Nantes program truly unique.
If you mention wanting to study in France, you’ll probably hear that speaking and understanding French is required. In truth, this isn’t the case. Business schools have long recognized that English is a global business language and have developed English-taught programs to reflect this.
For example, Audencia Business School offers a comprehensive English-taught International MBA program that is ideal for international students who want to study abroad in France. It is among the top 1% of global business schools that hold triple accreditation by AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
Tamim Elbasha, Associate Dean for Learning & Quality Development, explains the school offers various MBA programs, such as the Full-Time MBA that is “geared towards international students.” (00:21)
The one-year course in Nantes, France, aims to give students a competitive edge in the global market. The program covers essential business disciplines such as finance, marketing, and strategic management.
Audencia also offers an Executive MBA in France and Algeria, tailored for professionals with significant work experience.
These MBA programs are built to provide a rich educational experience by combining theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Nantes’ location offers numerous advantages for international students. The city has the benefits of a smaller town, fostering a close-knit community. Nantes also has excellent employment opportunities in the region. Its livability and accessibility make it suitable for students to focus on their studies and integrate into the local community.
“The advantage of Nantes is that it’s a smaller city and very liveable. It’s one of the best cities to live in France…very green, very beautiful. We’re two hours from Paris and half an hour from the seaside,” Dean Elbasha notes. (08:48)
Nantes, the sixth-biggest city in France, is known for its high quality of life and commitment to sustainability. In 2013, it was awarded the European Green Capital, highlighting its efforts to reduce air pollution and promote green spaces.
Nantes is also a major economic center in Atlantic France, thriving in the digital innovation, cultural industries, and renewable energy sectors. Major employers include Airbus and numerous innovative startups, reflecting the city’s dynamic business environment.
An MBA in France for international students naturally brings a lot of diversity. The International MBA class at Audencia attracts students from various industries and nationalities. This diversity enhances the educational experience by bringing different perspectives into classroom discussions.
The average age of participants is 34. This usually means that participants bring a lot of knowledge and work experience into the classroom, fostering an excellent platform for peer learning. With a cohort of around 20 nationalities and a small class size of around 30 students, the program fosters a rich learning environment. Students can get to know their peers and professors on a deeper level, building lifelong connections while learning from one another.
“They come from all different industries, as you could imagine, and that is very rich for the experience for the students,” Dean Elbasha says. (01:00)
Faculty members share a similar level of diversity. They bring a broad array of industry experience and connections to the courses they teach.
Audencia prepares graduates for portfolio careers. Portfolio careers are growing in popularity as professionals increasingly combine multiple roles or projects across industries, often as freelancers. This requires a broad skill set, so the curriculum provides a balanced education across subjects. The program also helps hone students’ soft skills that are applicable to various industries and job functions.
The first semester is intensive, focusing on core courses such as finance, accounting, and marketing. After the first semester, students can choose to specialize. During the second two study blocks, students can take electives and also choose to study abroad.
“After the core courses, you can focus on two or three areas… It is really very customized; we really follow the portfolio career theory. Nowadays, students will have to have core knowledge, but they would also like to specialize in two or three areas.” (02:16)
In the second part of the year, students can also complete consultancy projects with local French businesses, allowing international students to understand how French business culture works and to network with local companies.
Many MBA students aim for a career in consulting and other roles that require various skills.
A distinctive feature of the Audencia MBA program is the inclusion of consulting projects. These projects provide students with hands-on experience, allowing them to apply their knowledge to real-world business problems. Working in groups of five to six students, they tackle challenges presented by companies and develop practical solutions.
“The idea is to get the students to apply knowledge, to be exposed to different industries and different experiences, and different problems that businesses are facing nowadays,” Dean Elbasha highlights. (06:24)
Students develop essential soft and hard skills through these projects, such as effective listening, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making.
Dean Elbasha notes, “The first skill you learn is to listen to your client and to listen to other people, and listening is very important for understanding. That’s a very important skill for managers… The second thing is expressing what you understood and confirming with your client, that’s another skill you can use in consulting but also in everyday work, and the structured way to approach a problem.” (06:35)
These skills are advantageous in various managerial or business development roles in consulting and beyond. Graduates leave the program with an expansive toolkit to help them in various industries and functions.
Armed with this practical experience, graduates of Audencia’s MBA are ready for international careers.
Some stay in France for internships or jobs, while others find employment across the EU or return home with enhanced skills and international experience. Notably, 54% of graduates find work in Europe, 29% in Asia and the Pacific, and 9% in Latin America.
Regardless of where you want to work after graduation, this program prepares you for success in a global career.
