There are probably many managers at C-level (CEO, CFO, CSO, COO etc.) who have tried to lie awake at night. Among other things, with thoughts about whether they should take 1-2 years off the calendar and invest in a full-fledged MBA. Or whether an executive education is “enough”.
– Basically, you can say that there is no standard answer. It depends on the individual. If you have one or two years where you can dedicate yourself 100 percent to an MBA, that is of course fantastic. But it is also incredibly important to be aware that an MBA is not a seal of quality in itself. This also means that it is most important that you participate in a program where you are inspired by the very best schools in the world. There are a number of advantages to choosing an executive education from a reputable school over an MBA from a more “average” university, says Steen Buchreitz Jensen, CEO of the Scandinavian Executive Institute.
» Management education at INSEAD
Checklist of theory
A classic MBA or an INSEAD MBA is based on an extensive syllabus of theories that you have to go through. In contrast, an executive education is based to a greater extent on giving the participants a new mind-set as well as some practical tools and models. Things they can take home and use directly in everyday work.
– This in no way means that our executive education, the Executive Management Programme, does not also contain theoretical teaching. But the difference is that the theories that are presented are to a very large extent theories that support the practical examples that are brought forward. In other words, it is not “theories for the sake of theories”, says Buchreitz Jensen and continues:
– And then you shouldn’t forget to mention that executive educations are of course, in terms of costs, somewhat more affordable for most people. In relation to the time consumption, an executive education is also somewhat easier to hijack. And this applies both to work colleagues, the boss and, not least, the family.
I usually say that – in addition to the total of 12 teaching days – you have to calculate between 10 and 20 hours of preparation between the modules. It’s a workload most people can handle. Especially if they have decided to give their management career an upward push.
Participants on the Executive Management Program education do not have to set aside time for, for example, exams and assignments, which are a natural part of an MBA education. They do, however, receive an education certificate from INSEAD, which can, for example, be used on the CV and LinkedIn.
Close network
If you opt for an international MBA, for example an INSEAD MBA, you have to expect that the new study mates can come from everything from Kansas and Kiev to South America and Southampton.
In other words, there is an enormous geographical spread between the participants you meet. However, this means that when you return home, you are not surrounded by other “like-minded people” in everyday life who have undergone the same education. You may have “digital” contact, but a purely physical network will not be possible to maintain.
Benefits of executive education
– One of the great advantages of the executive education we offer in collaboration with INSEAD in France is that you can get the best of both worlds: the participants you start with on the first module are all Scandinavian. And these are the same participants you go to INSEAD with on modules 2 and 3. This means that you get an international top management education. But that it does not come at the expense of the environment and the network you have when you return home. In addition, the INSEAD professors come from many different countries. This means that everyone has a relatively relaxed attitude towards having to speak English – everyone has “their own accent”. Thus, there is no requirement to be 100 percent perfect in English, concludes Steen Buchreitz Jensen.
