Top MBA programs in Europe
siddlobo
25 August, 2009 17:26
In recent years, there has been an explosion of European MBA
programs. And with it, comes an inevitable explosion of MBA rankings as well.
While different rankings rate schools on different criteria, here are some of
the consistent top performers on most European MBA rankings.
London
Business School, UK
A consistent top performer, LBS offers a 15-21 month MBA
course at its campus in the heart of London.
It boasts of students from 120 countries, networking opportunities with over
28,000 alumni from across the globe and 34 International Exchange schools that
you can partner with during your study here. The next program starts in August
2009 and the course fee is £45,500.
Find more information about expat life in London on Easy Expat.
Insead, France
Another top pick amongst business schools, Insead boasts of
two fully-integrated campuses in France
and Singapore
and students from over 70 different nationalities. Time pressed students will
be happy to know that the MBA course is completed in a compact 10 months. It’s
probably too late to apply for the next program that begins in September 2009
but there’s another one that starts in January 2010. Tuition fees are €51,000.
HEC Paris, France
HEC Paris currently tops the FT list of European Business
Schools. It offers a highly valued 16 months MBA program that is structured
around two, eight month periods. It also offers many intensive, optional
language courses throughout the program. Tuition fees are €42,000 and as with
most other reputed MBA programs, they also offer scholarships and loans.
Find more information about expat life in Paris on Easy Expat.
IMD, Switzerland
Based in Lausanne, Switzerland,
IMD’s ‘Real world. Real learning’ approach has made it a hit amongst European
business schools. The school boasts of an international alumni consisting of
over 98 nationalities and a diverse faculty as well comprising of professors
form over 19 countries. It has been ranked as the number 1 program by Forbes,
FT and the Economist and is definitely one of the more prestigious programs
across the continent. The MBA course is fitted into a 11 months curriculum and
costs CHF 58,000 for tuition fees. The five application deadlines for the
program are February 1, April 1, June 1, August 1 and September 1.
Find more information about expat life in Switzerland on Easy Expat.
IESE
Business School, Spain
The IESE Business
School is also a topper on many
business school rankings. It was ranked number 2 in the world and number 2 in Europe
by Economist in 2008 and FT ranked it number 2 in Europe
and number 5 in the world for 2008. It boats of a multicultural faculty and
student profile. The IESE MBA is a two year program that’s conducted in its
campus in Barcelona and costs
approximately €68,000.
Find more information about expat life in Spain on Easy Expat.
Rotterdam School of Management, Netherlands
RSM offers a 12 month, full time international MBA program
that’s ranked among Europe’s top MBA programs. It boasts
of a multicultural environment with students from over 80 countries. Tuition
fees costs €36,000 and the application deadline for the next program is October 5th, 2009.
Esade Business School
The Esade Business
School offers a flexible MBA
program that allows you to customize your MBA experience. While all candidates
start at the same time, you can choose to complete the program in 12, 15 or 18
months according to your personal situation and preference. The program has
been consistently ranked within the top 10 MBA programs form across Europe
by a number of polls. The full time MBA costs €52,000 and application deadlines
occur throughout the year.
Find more information about expat life in Netherlands on Easy Expat.
ESCP Europe
This highly ranked school offers a truly European experience
with campuses spread across Paris, Berlin,
London, Madrid
and Turin. Candidates are offered
the opportunity to rotate amongst these campuses. The MBA is an 18 month full
time program and applications are accepted from February to December. The next
program starts in January 2010. Tuition fees for the 18 month program are
€42,000.
Find more information about expat life in Madrid or London or Paris on Easy Expat.
For links to recognized European MBA ranking, please click
here.
Please note that the costs mentioned above are for tuition
fees only. Depending on the duration of your course and your lifestyle, you’ll
have to also factor in living expenses, cost of books etc. Also bear in mind
that most of the descriptions above are for full time MBA programs, but most if
not all of the universities also offer part time programs.
Good luck with your
MBA.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance writer based
out of Munich
How to arrange your studies abroad? You will find the answer in our series of 5 articles:
Decide Where to Go
Determine When to Go
Language Problems and Programs
How to Pay for It
Practical Matters
Easy Expat in Dutch / EasyExpat in het Nederlands
easyexpat
20 August, 2009 16:26
After Russian
last month, we are proud to announce a new language
on EasyExpat. All our articles and
sections are available in Dutch,
beside the existing English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian
and Dutch languages. All sections including classifieds, jobs and tools are also
available in Dutch (with the exception of the forums, still in the 5
different languages which are available for posting).
Dutch is a West Germanic language spoken by over 22 million people as a native language, and over 5 million people as a second language.
Most native speakers live in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, with smaller groups of speakers in parts of France, Germany and several former Dutch colonies. It is also the parent language of several creole languages as well as of Afrikaans, one of the official languages of South Africa and the most widely understood in Namibia.
Source: Wikipedia
Thinking of doing an MBA?
siddlobo
18 August, 2009 10:27
Choosing an MBA program is always a tough decision. Here
are some things to bear in mind and choices to make before opting for your MBA.
1 year versus 2
years?
In recent times, many well recognized European Management
Schools have introduced one year programs which have offered MBA students an
alternative to the two year full time courses offered by the American
universities. Here are a couple of factors that can help you make your decision
on which program to go for.
One year programs offer the obvious cost and time savings by
cramming a more intensive curriculum into the schedule. While this is a massive
advantage for time pressed and cash strapped students, there a few downsides to
it.
Firstly, you might miss out on the time to absorb and learn
from classmates outside the classroom as the pressure to meet deadlines will be
much more intense. Another key point to factor in is for students considering a
career transition. For those planning on changing industries and /or moving to
a completely different role, a two year program will offer more opportunity to
test the water in the new field through more internship opportunities. Lastly,
a frequent complaint from students of the one year program is that there is
just too much pressure and too little time to really absorb and internalize
some of the lessons.
To recap, if you’re looking to transition into a new line
and need a bit more time to understand internalize management and build your
network, the two year program might be a better option for you.
Full time versus part
time?
Not sure whether to take the leap and opt for a full time
MBA or combine work and study and choose a part time program? Here are some
points to consider that will help you make the choice.
The biggest advantage of the part time MBA is that you can
stay at work and hence continue to earn an income. That said, a part time MBA
is not for the faint hearted. You’ll need to be focused and determined and have
the support of both, your family and colleagues. Never underestimate the toll
the part time program will take on your personal and professional life.
Weekends will need to be dedicated to study and homework and many people find
it a struggle to balance work, study and family. Also, part time courses will tend
to drag on for a longer time. Lastly, if you’re enrolling in a part time
course, make sure you opt for a recognized and reputed institution. After long
years of toil, you don’t want your degree to be undervalued simply because it was
completed on a part time basis.
On the other hand, the biggest advantage of the full time
MBA is that you can offer your study your full focus and concentration. The
biggest disadvantage however is that it requires nerves of steel to give up a
good job and take the plunge. One option to ease yourself into this decision is
to get your employer involved. Some students are sponsored by their company
which gives them the security of an income plus the time to focus on their MBA.
At the end of the day, if you can afford to take a break from work for a year
or two, the full time is definitely a better option.
GMAT versus GRE
Most business schools use GMAT (Graduate Management
Admission Test) scores as one of the tools to access eligibility for admission.
In recent times, GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is also accepted by some schools.
In general, GMAT is seen as the harder test to crack but if the school you
intend to apply to accepts GRE scores, good GRE grades can make you look better
than other students on paper.
Pursuing an MBA can be a challenging affair but well worth
it if you do it well and at a recognized institution. Good luck with your MBA.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance writer based
out of Munich
How to arrange your studies abroad? You will find the answer in our series of 5 articles:
Decide Where to Go
Determine When to Go
Language Problems and Programs
How to Pay for It
Practical Matters
Languages of the world
easyexpat
14 August, 2009 13:36
Back in March, we were talking about the most spoken languages in the world followed by an article on the endangered languages. Mandarin (with the 1.2 billion of Chinese), English and Spanish are of course topping the list of the most populars.
The language website bab.la has created a world map that shows some of the many languages of
the world, where they are spoken and how many people speak them. This
language map means you can now see the most spoken language on each
continent!
[click on the image to see it bigger]
You can order your own bigger copy of the bab.la world map HERE.
Bab.la offers translations in many different languages, ranging from
colloquial and regional expressions to more technical or field-specific
vocabulary. They also feature language quizzes for you entertainement.
INTERVIEW: Balthazar Tax Advisers, Amsterdam
easyexpat
10 August, 2009 17:59
Balthazar Tax Advisers is a Dutch and international tax consulting firm
specialised in advising expats in the Netherlands.
Company - City - Country :
Balthazar Tax Advisers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Can you talk about your project?
On our website http://www.netherlandstax.com we have provided a lot of detailed
information on tax in the Netherlands. The aim of our website is to help
expats in the Netherlands know more about the Netherlands tax system and how
they can benefit from it.
What is the status of your project?
As tax laws are changing continuously, our website has to be updated continuously. We also try to add new articles and topics as often as we can.
What is the most interesting Dutch tax rule expats should know about?
That definitely is the 30% rule. On the basis of the 30% rule expats are
eligible to a 30% tax discount.
What do expats not like about tax in the Netherlands?
That probably is the high tax rate of 52% for the income you earn in the
Netherlands in excess of EUR 55,000 (for 2009).
Why can it be helpful for expats to have a tax adviser assist them?
Having a tax adviser assist you in the Netherlands is in most cases a
sensible thing to do. A Dutch tax adviser can reduce your tax payable. He
knows which deductions and credits are available for you. He can assist you
with your tax return and create the optimal tax position.
What is your activity on the Internet?
On our website http://www.netherlandstax.com you will find a lot of information on
Dutch tax. It can serve as your tax guide in the Netherlands. We also write
articles and communicate on blogs to share our knowledge on tax in the
Netherlands to everybody that is interested.
What advantages/discounts could you offer to our readers?
We can assist expats in the Netherlands with their tax matters. Obtaining
the 30% ruling for expats and filing their tax return such that their tax
position is optimal, that is our expertise.
Contact (Email/Tel/website) :
Balthazar Tax Advisers
http://www.netherlandstax.com/
Telephone: +31 10 737 0424
Top Summer Festivals this August
siddlobo
05 August, 2009 09:22
It’s summer, it’s sizzling and it’s time to party. What
better way than with some of the hippest, funkiest and unique festivals from
all over the world this August.
San
Jose Jazz Fest, USA
7th- 9th August
One of the finest music festivals in the U. S, this festival
attracts over 1000 artists and 100,000 jazz lovers from around the world. Jazz,
blues, salsa, Latin, R&B, electronica and many other forms of contemporary
music are the order of the day. If that sounds like music to your ears, the
place to head for is San Jose.
Edinburgh International Festival, Scotland
14th August – 6th September
Concerts, opera, theatre, ballet, dance, orchestra – the
world-renown Edinburgh Festival has it all. Performances take place in six
major concert halls and theatres and a number of smaller venues as well. The
best occasion to savour the classics.
Audi- Hamilton Island Race Week, Queensland
22nd – 29th August
This is one for the regatta enthusiasts. Thousands of
sailors, their families, and friends make the annual pilgrimage to the
Australian tropics to enjoy some of the most competitive and enjoyable racing
to be had at any regatta in the world. 2008 boasted of a record fleet of 225 yachts.
Assa Abloy
Henley-on-Todd Regatta, Alice
Springs Australia
22nd August
Now here’s a weird one… this is a regatta with a difference.
Unlike other regattas, the Assa Abbloy Henley-on-Todd Regatta takes place on
the dry beds of River Todd. Teams and individuals race ‘boats’ which take on
strange forms like 'bath tubs', 'yachts' and 'oxford tubs' on the dry river
beds in outback Alice Springs. A hilarious and insane
experience and one that’s for a good cause. Proceeds are donated to charity.
Ganesh
Chaturthi, India
23rd August
This is the birthday of the famous Elephant God in Hinduism.
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of India’s
biggest festivals and is celebrated with gusto across the country. Clay idols
of the Elephant God varying from one inch to 25 feet are decorated and
worshipped. On the eleventh day, the idol is taken through the streets in a
procession before being immersed in a river or the sea.
La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain
27th August
Now this is fun. This August, head to the world’s largest
tomato fight. The action happens in Bunol, a little town in Spain
about 30 miles from the Mediterranean. On the last
Wednesday of August, the locals explode into a tomato flinging frenzy. For a
full week leading to the epic ‘batalla’, the town is filled with parades,
fireworks, food and street parties. Join in the battle frenzy.
Puck Fair, Killorglin, Ireland
10th – 12th August
This is Ireland’s
most unusual street festivals. From horse fairs to puppet shows, circus
routines to parades, you’ll find it all crammed in three days of non-stop, free
family entertainment. A great option for those looking for wholesome, family
fun.
Wine Festival, Baja California,
Mexico
7th – 23rd August
As the name suggests, this festival is for the wine lovers.
Every summer, the wineries of Baja California,
Mexico host an amazing
series of wine, food, music and cultural events throughout the region. Join in
and discover new favourites this month.
Please note that there
may be changes to the dates, events and line-ups at the festivals. For detailed
information, check the official websites.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance writer based out of Munich
Easy Expat in Russian / EasyExpat на русском языке
easyexpat
03 August, 2009 15:30
We have achieved the implementation of a new language on EasyExpat. We are now pleased to announce that all our articles and sections are available in Russian, beside the existing English, German, French, Italian and Spanish languages. All sections including classifieds, jobs and tools are also available in Russian (with the exception of the forums, still in the 5 different languages which are available for posting).
Russian language is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia/Slavic languages spoken by about 278 million people (a primary language for about 164 million and a secondary language for 114 million).
The Russian language is primarily spoken in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus, and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics of the USSR.
In Latvia, more than one-third of the population is Russian-speaking (see Russians in Latvia). Similarly, in Estonia, 68% of the population can speak Russian. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Russian remains a co-official language with Kazakh and Kyrgyz respectively. In Lithuania, 60% of the population speak Russian as a mother or secondary language. Also, more than half of the population of the Baltic states speak Russian.
A number of Russian speakers have remained in Finland, there are 33,400 Russian speakers, amounting to 0.6% of the population (the Grand Duchy of Finland was part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1918 ).
Russian is also spoken in Israel by at least 750,000 ethnic Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union (1999 census).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_language
