Regional Focus
europe
Why the Bologna
Accord will result in
more MBAs in Europe
By David Williams.
Watch out, the Bologna generation is about to come of age,
and it is going to transform the market for european MBAs.
I
n 2010, the European Higher Education see that there are as many as 20,500 full time government restrictions were lifted, allowing
Area (EHEA) is due to come into MBA places in North America, against a them to offer their own MBAs. The MBA in
existence. Its aim is to make higher combined population of 337 million in the US Europe is not therefore embedded to anything
education degrees much more compatible, and Canada, which is a ratio of 61 places per like the depth it is in the USA.
comparable and portable among the 46 million people. Whilst there are only 10,700 A second key factor in the disparity is the
countries signed up to it. Known colloquially full time MBA places in the European Union age of undergraduates coming out of
as the Bologna Accord, after the city in which & Switzerland against a combined population universities. Quacquarelli says: “In the US, it is
the original declaration of intent was signed of 468 million,* which is a ratio of 23 full time the norm to graduate out of a first degree in
in 1999, the creation of the EHEA has MBA places per million people.” At a recent order to work for a short while before going on
harmonized the very many divergent leadership conference hosted by IESE business to take a postgraduate qualification such as an
national systems of MBA.” In continental
higher education. In E u r o p e ,
order to do this it has
“In terms of the penetration of the MBA the
undergraduate degrees
adopted a single three- have traditionally
cycle structure that is
disparity between Europe and North America
lasted much longer,
based on the Anglo- often six or seven years.
Saxon model of
bachelor, masters and
is staggering, suggesting there is still significant
A small proportion of
graduates go on to do
doctoral degrees.
For the first time,
room for growth in MBA numbers in Europe.”
a masters, but the
length of study
hundreds of thousands discouraged people
of European students from going to the
will have the same choice that UK, school in Barcelona, the IESE Dean, Jordi workplace and then returning to education to
Commonwealth and North American students Canals agreed with this hypothesis. “The MBA do an MBA. As evidence of this, the difference
have always had – whether to leave higher in Europe is still at an early stage of development between the average age of MBA participants.
education after a three- or four-year bachelor and Bologna can be the stimulus for a rapid In the US it’s 26.5 and in Europe it’s 29.5.
degree, or stay on for a masters, perhaps expansion in take up.” “Finally there is the attitude of employers,”
returning after a few years to do a post- says Quacquarelli. “In the US, an MBA is
experience qualification such as the MBA. History almost regarded as a first degree is in Europe;
According to Nunzio Quacquarelli, A key factor explaining the current disparity as a prerequisite for employment at a certain
director of QS World MBA Tour and editor of between the two regions is history. The North level. MBA recruitment schemes in the US are
topmba.com, the effect on the European MBA American MBA was instituted at the end of the more akin to graduate recruitment schemes in
market could be profound: “In terms of the nineteenth century. But it wasn’t until the Europe, both in terms of their volume and the
penetration of the MBA the disparity between 1950s and 60s that private European schools qualification-based requirement for entry. In
Europe and North America is staggering, such as INSEAD, IMD, Cranfield, and the Europe, high volume MBA recruitment is still
suggesting there is still significant room for London and Manchester business schools in its early stages, and although the MBA has
growth in MBA numbers in Europe.” began to offer their own versions. European become a well-established qualification among
Quacquarelli explains, “If you look at the universities had to wait until the 70s and 80s employers, there are still relatively few
QS Top MBA Career Guide statistics, you can (and in Germany’s case the 90s) before recruitment schemes which are dedicated to
98 TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com
TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com 99
MBA_SPR09_pp_052-155.indd 99 17/2/09 15:27:04
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