Regional focus
russia
different countries, what makes Tour and QS World ExecMBA Tour in Moscow and
companies successful and how St. Petersburg. Not more than 200-250 of them will
one can manage them actually leave the country to do an MBA abroad.
correctly.” “The rest is exactly the audience that progressive/
advanced Russian business schools should target -
Studying at home those candidates interested in developing their careers
As always with business needs, through business education, who speak English and
in a market economy times understand what it takes to get an MBA degree, having
change fast. Russian businesses, done the initial research.”
and therefore their potential
employees, Galina continues, Big four
are coming to acknowledge As an employer, Movchan is more cautious, believing
the MBA’s benefits: “When that the business community will invest in educating
people around me first heard potential leaders themselves. “We now expect a new
I’d been accepted to Chicago, sort of school to emerge – Skolkovo is an example.
they asked why on earth I Here businessmen got together to create a school
would need an MBA. The aimed at teaching their potential employees – they are
next day they would approach ready to invest, facing a serious deficit of qualified
me and ask how they could managers in the country.
apply too!” “Of course, logistics and cost are also serious
Zoya Zaitseva, QS World factors. For thousands of students, studying in Moscow
MBA Tour Global Operations is easier than flying to Europe or America. No doubt,
Manager and an expert in the should there be a school of high quality in Moscow,
Russian MBA field, says more many students would reconsider their choice.”
Business centre in Moscow
Russians are looking to study Russia, along with China, India and Brazil
Explosion within the country but that state involvement is (known as the BRIC nations) are the ‘big four’
The explosion of wealth generation in Russia during complicating matters: “The cost of a year abroad, countries with the most tremendous business potential.
the 1990s produced many famous examples of out of business is too high, so professionals might Harnessing this will require business schools of the
oligarchs making vast amounts of money. According prefer Executive MBA or local schools which give highest quality within each nation as well as excellent
to charitable onlookers, this was achieved by cleverly an opportunity to combine work and study instead graduates bringing international experience to the
manipulating the rules and regulations of the newly of full-time programs abroad. There are some good country from overseas. If the level of such education
developed Russian market economy. However programs in Russia - and not necessarily in Moscow is raised to meet the obvious demand, and opportunities
legitimately this money was generated, business - but there is still a lot of bureaucracy and are increased for Russians to get the MBAs required to
flourished and a new generation of educated leaders conservatism in the official system. State accredited take the economy to the next level, the future looks
became a necessity to manage the boom. programs cannot react fast enough to market needs very bright indeed.
Vardanyan witnessed this first-hand. “Many introducing new courses and writing relevant cases, And not only for the locals, but also for the
people successful in the 1990s were self-made. They so sometimes candidates end up with a selection of international business people who want to do business
realized that with the economy growing, the lack of executive education courses from different providers, with Russians and/or in Russia, but know nothing
managerial talent was a big obstacle for development rather than a proper MBA.” about the country. Business education in English by
of their business. Good managers were hard to find.
They were forced either to hire foreigners or Russians
who had been to study abroad and then returned.” “The MBA, already well-known in the west as the standard-bearer of general
The MBA, already well-known in the west as
management education, was barely developed within Russia itself until
the standard-bearer of general management
education, was barely developed within Russia itself recently. This in itself was a major influence in forcing ambitious young
until recently. This in itself was a major influence in
business leaders, knowing the needs of Russian employers, to study overseas.”
forcing ambitious young business leaders, knowing
the needs of Russian employers, to study overseas.
Indeed in the QS World MBA Tour Applicant
Surveys of 2005-2008, an average of only eight per At the forefront of Russian business education local business schools will give them a chance to
cent of Russians said that they would consider are progressive schools such as The Graduate School understand the famous “Russian soul” better, gain the
studying an MBA in their home country. of Management St. Petersburg State University and connections they can benefit from and develop the
One example is Galina Petrova, winner of the Skolkovo. As president of Skolkovo, Vardanyan immensely beneficial network.
QS Chicago GSB 2008 scholarship from the QS appreciates the market for Russians to be educated However, this will take more than the
World MBA Tour. She chose to study abroad to at home. “Business education will play a significant investment of a small number of quality business
benefit from the teaching style, as well as the clear role in Russia’s transition economy [and this] is not schools. Rather it requires a wholesale adjustment in
benefits an overseas experience brings. “I had a an easy task. By establishing Skolkovo, we want to already existing business education programs across
passion for business; while most Russian universities help these talented people learn to make decisions the country as Russia throws off the shackles of
taught economics in academic fashion, I aspired to in an uncertain and risky environment.” decades of command economics.
learn as much as possible about different sides of “The demand is there,” says Zaitseva. “Every year
business – how it is done in different industries, in nearly 3,000 people register for the QS World MBA

TopMBA CAreer Guide www.topmba.com 43
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