Quick facts

Founded in 1988

33 CEMS Member Schools and a presence on every continent

70+ Corporate Partners and 8 Social Partners

1 289 students 76 nationalities 48/52 men/women ratio (2022/23 class)

CEMS 2021 Graduate Profile

96% are employed or continuing their studies

CEMS Alumni Profile

98% are employed or continuing their studies

49% have worked for a CEMS Corporate or Social Partner

19 000 alumni of 100+ nationalities working in 75+ countries

92% have worked outside of their home country

75% work for multinational companies

44% are working outside of their home country

98% would recommend experience to others

93% have worked outside of their home country at some point in their career

CEMS MIM Programme

The CEMS MIM programme is a joint master’s programme offered by a global alliance of CEMS member schools, Corporate Partners and Social Partners that together offer one of the top ranked master’s programmes in management globally. The programme learning objectives are organized into 5 competency categories:

Internationalism: Our graduates are knowledgeable international business practitioners, able to execute effective business decision-making in diverse contexts. This is reinforced by the international internship completed by each of our students during their year of study.

Business Embeddedness: Our graduates apply advanced management and leadership competencies developed through systematic experience of and engagement with the corporate world.

Responsible Citizenship: Our graduates champion a holistic vision of responsible business decision-making, leadership and citizenship, informed by ethical reasoning, personal integrity, and respect for social diversity.

Reflective Critical Thinking: Our graduates are confident, agile, and reflective decision-makers and problem-solvers, able to formulate and apply innovative solutions to complex business challenges.

Comprehensive Leadership: Our graduates are fully aware of their personal responsibility and accountability and of the ethical and cultural frameworks in which leadership is exerted.

The CEMS MIM programme consists of three terms: two academic terms (Term 1 & Term 2) and the internship term (Term 3). Students are required to spend at least two out of the three terms abroad to immerse themselves into different cultures and get the most out of the cross-cultural exposure to prepare for their future career.

The CEMS curriculum is complemented with exclusive and unique courses in transversal topics reflecting the most contemporary business trends, including Block Seminars, CEMS Core and Exclusive Courses, Global Citizenship Seminars, Skill Seminars, Business Projects, Elective Courses and Global Courses. They stem from the strengths and diversity of the stakeholders of our vast network as the curriculum is co-created, carefully-designed and refined by faculty academic directors from the CEMS member schools, with input from CEMS Corporate and Social Partners, as well as CEMS students and alumni.

The CEMS MIM curriculum will be discussed in more detail in the section of Principle 1: Purpose.

CEMS MIM Rankings

In the latest QS Business Master’s Ranking 2023: Management, CEMS was ranked in the top 8% globally for ‘employability’, as well as in the top 8.4% for ‘value for money’. In addition, CEMS scored well above the global average for thought leadership, alumni outcomes and diversity.

Nine CEMS member schools are ranked in the top 20 of the Financial Times Masters in Management 2022, with University of St. Gallen, HEC Paris, Rotterdam School of Management and Stockholm School of Economics achieving the top four positions.

35th Anniversary

CEMS was founded in 1988 with four member schools and a handful of Corporate Partners. Since then this management education alliance has grown to become a world leading global community.

At the start, the “E” of CEMS was a key proposition - the European management style for European schools. Yet, higher education has increasingly become a global industry in the last 20 years, with an exponential increase of the number of student enrollment in foreign universities and a parallel increase in the number of student exchange programmes. In the early 2000s, the CEMS leadership realized the importance of gradually extending the borders of the alliance and transforming it into a global one. At its 20th Anniversary back in 2008, CEMS welcomed its first three full members outside Europe, covering Australia, Brazil and Singapore. It was one of the most important steps CEMS ever made.

CEMS is now celebrating its 35th Anniversary, and CEMS is now more relevant than ever. The celebration themes for the 35th Anniversary collectively contribute to the world of CEMS and are in line with the CEMS vision as well as our commitment to PRME, including community, evolution, impact and purpose, sustainability, inspiration, responsibility, creativity, knowledge, innovation, diversity, and leadership.

The 35th Anniversary will be celebrated at the Annual Events in London hosted by the London School of Economics and Political Science in December 2023.