Doing business in 2022 involves so much more than knowing the fundamentals of marketing, accounting, and finance. To be successful, you’ll need to know how to operate within different countries and cultures and lead teams with members from all over the world. Moreover, supply chains are now incredibly interdependent.
You’ll need to take all this into account when looking for an international business school, especially if you want to work in a multinational corporation or start a company with a global reach. Below, you’ll find a list of the seven schools with the best international business programs in the world!
Top International Business Schools
1. INSEAD
Since its foundation in 1957, INSEAD has been one of the most respected international business schools on the planet. Originally built in Fontainebleau, France as a meeting point for European businessmen, the university has since expanded to Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and San Francisco.
INSEAD is a grande école, which is a special class of French universities that offer a particularly high standard of education. Think of them as France’s version of the Ivy League.
INSEAD’s Global Executive MBA program is targeted toward those who already have or envision a career in international business. INSEAD allows a maximum of 12% of its students to come from a single country, so your colleagues will come from all over the world. You also have the option of taking this program alongside an Executive MBA from Tsinghua University in China if your interests lie in Asia.
2. London Business School
Located in one of the world’s largest commercial hubs, it’s no surprise that London Business School offers world-class international business programs. Students here are equipped both with the fundamentals of business and the ability to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
By studying for a Global Master’s in Management at London Business School, you will receive degrees from both LBS and Fudan University in Shanghai. It’s no secret that China is becoming an increasingly important player in the global economy, which is why many top business schools are immersing their students there. Chinese business culture has many particularities. Being aware of these is a massive competitive advantage.
A master’s in management is distinct from an MBA in that it welcomes students with fewer years of work experience.
Discover more: Best Countries to Study International Business Abroad
3. University of Pennsylvania
Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania is a leading school for international business programs and is the first on this list that offers undergraduate studies. The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business is a four-year bachelor’s degree that trains students in business, international relations, and a foreign language. Studying here makes you a more well-rounded professional: besides learning how to do business, you’ll be more aware of how business impacts society.
Wharton is a pioneer of the Learning Teams model, which involves leadership through persuasion rather than authority. This philosophy permeates business education here at the undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. levels. If you want to learn how to be an effective leader, there are few better schools.
4. Bocconi University
Located in Milan, Italy, Bocconi University is one of the most prestigious international business schools in continental Europe and across the globe. It offers a wide range of business programs. As an undergraduate, you can major in International Economics and Management or International Economics and Finance if you want a globally oriented-program. At the graduate level, a Master of Science in International Management would be a fantastic choice.
Bocconi graduates are some of the most employable in the world. 78.2% of Master of Science in International Management students have a job waiting for them upon graduation, while 97.9% are employed within a year.
5. HEC Paris
HEC Paris is a recognized institution for international business around the world and the second French university on this list. Like INSEAD, it is a grande école. The difference is that while INSEAD mostly caters to mid-career professionals, HEC has programs geared towards fresh graduates and those with limited work experience, such as its flagship Master in Management, which offers an international management specialization. Students who like to work with numbers can also do a Master of Science in International Finance program.
Of course, HEC also has several degrees for those with more experience, such as its Trium Global MBA program, in which students get the opportunity to study at HEC, the London School of Economics, and New York University.
At HEC, you’ll receive world-class international business education while expanding your global network.
6. London School of Economics and Political Science
The London School of Economics and Political Science, or LSE, is one of the best international business schools around the world that runs several fantastic business programs. If you’re a graduate student looking to widen your prospects, LSE has a host of partnerships with universities all around the world. You can study for double degrees at universities like Science Po, Fudan University, and Columbia University. As mentioned, LSE is one of the universities that offer the Trium Global MBA program.
If you’d rather stay in London, you can take the university’s Executive Global Master of Science in Management program.
Being primarily a social science university, LSE also offers fantastic programs in economics and international relations. Studying these subjects either as full degrees or in conjunction with a business education will help you view issues from a much broader perspective.
7. Copenhagen Business School
While Copenhagen Business School offers general international business programs, it stands out in that it gives students the option to specialize in doing business both in Asia and Europe. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, students can take specific programs in which they learn the language and culture of either a major European country or China.
Being in Denmark, one of the world’s busiest shipping hubs, it’s no surprise that Copenhagen Business School has great logistics programs. If you’re particularly interested in this area of international business, this university is perfect for you as it is among the top list of best international business schools across the globe.
We hope that this article on Best International Business Schools in the World was helpful. To know more information like this, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
