The introduction week for the Class of 2016 of RSM’s International Full-time MBA programme included introductions to RSM’s Career Development Centre, the MBA student association and RSM’s I WILL movement; a welcome reception for partners, children and MBA’15 alumni; an academic workshop; tours of the campus and of Rotterdam; a drum session; and dinner with RSM’s Dean Steef van de Velde.
“The sessions presented by RSM’s Career Development Centre were very exciting and inspired us for what is to come in the year,” said South African MBA student Yolandi Krantz, who worked for DSM Nutritional Products South Africa before coming to RSM. “Ending the week with the Dean’s Dinner was fantastic and it was great finding out who our teams for the first term are.”
International network
Krantz added that she is impressed by RSM’s “incredible network of support and high-calibre lecturers” and that she is also looking forward to the MBA student clubs activities, events organised by the Career Development Centre, and the MBA Tournament in Paris.
The highly international new MBA cohort of 122 students has an average age of 29 and an average work experience of six years. In total, 97 per cent of the students in RSM’s new MBA class, of which 37 per cent is female, are international. They represent 33 nationalities including dual nationalities. There are 25 MBA students from Latin America, 31 from Asia, 8 from Africa and the Middle East, 25 from India, 12 from Central and Eastern Europe, 8 from North America, and 23 from Western Europe.
Scott Moran travelled from the USA for his RSM MBA. He said the drum session by Sewa Beats was his highlight of the week because it was “not only fun, but also quite a unique way to learn about listening, leadership, and presence.” With his 121 new classmates representing so many nationalities, Moran said he’s impressed with the sense of community. “I already feel as though I’m part of a family. We all learn from each other whether it’s in the classroom or at the grocery store or student housing. It's non-stop interaction and it's great for the mind,” he said.
Rotterdam
Moran added that he is keen to learn more about RSM’s Personal Leadership Development programme and to further explore the city. “Rotterdam is not only incredibly structured as far as architecture, it is very functional as well,” he said. “I come from the transportation industry, and I love to see the well-designed train and tram system.“
Mexican MBA student Luis Amezquita Urrecha agrees: “Rotterdam is a very modern city, very easy to move around even if you don't know the place or speak the language. People are very open and there are a lot of fun things to do,” he said.
Following the busy introduction week, the students begin building a strong foundation in business fundamentals, with an emphasis on developing analytical and critical decision-making skills. They will examine the fundamentals of global business knowledge in depth, explore their personal leadership skills, and choose electives to concentrate on business disciplines. The class will also go on an international study trip that combines lectures, company visits and team building to enhance their experience. In addition to the International Full-time MBA, RSM also offers a part-time Executive MBA and the unique Global Executive OneMBA programme.
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is a top tier European business school and ranked among the top three for research. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who carry their innovative mindset into a sustainable future thanks to a first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes. RSM also has offices in the Amsterdam Zuidas business district and in Taipei, Taiwan. www.rsm.nl
For more information on RSM or on this release, please contact Marianne Schouten, Media & Public Relations Manager for RSM, on +31 10 408 2877 or by email at mschouten@rsm.nl.
