Going Global? Don’t Leave Without Your MIM Degree
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Contents
03 The Demand for Global
05 What is a MIM?
06 What is the value of a MIM?
07 What distinguishes a CEMS MIM?
10 What companies say
12 Conclusion
02
The Demand for Global
In an ever-changing and fast-paced working world, competition is high and graduates are pushing the boundaries of knowledge to learn more, and set themselves apart. Due to this wave of postgraduate options and opportunities, it is becoming increasingly clear that an undergraduate degree may no longer be enough to secure success. Often, undergraduate programmes miss out on the critical learning required to succeed in an economy where country borders are no longer barriers, but opportunities.
international education will be at a disadvantage in their careers and will lack the skills to thrive in the global workplace. As options to travel open up across global enterprises, those candidates with the language skills and familiarity to adjust to new and often challenging environments have an advantage.
universities and from across a wide range of courses – both undergraduate and postgraduate – they struggle to find the right talent. How do we solve this? How do we bridge the gap?
According to the Association of International Educators, future graduates who don’t have an
However, in the complex world of job-seekers and trainee applicants, these graduates are hard to find. In a global survey of over 1,200 hiring executives, graduates, and students by Universum, almost half of HR managers say they have a difficult time finding good global candidates. Although they have access to graduates from top
Firstly, it is important to understand what HR managers are looking for. HR managers say they place importance on the ability of new hires to communicate in multiple languages. Eighty-seven per cent say language skills are ‘important’ or ‘very important’. They value candidates who have the ability to embrace the challenges of working in another country, and almost half say that the geographic mobility of a potential employee is a strong advantage in the early stages of their career.
92%
Nearly half
87%
of undergraduates say they are interested in working abroad.
of HR Managers say they have a difficult time finding good global candidates.
of HR Managers say language skills are ‘important’ or ‘very important.
The challenge HR managers face in finding quality candidates is not because undergraduates are reluctant to leave their home country; to the contrary, the Universum study shows that 92 per cent of undergraduates say they are interested in working abroad. However, to do this, they need to be exposed to postgraduate options that will equip them for a career overseas. More than theoretical knowledge, they need a postgraduate education that emphasises practical learning and cultural understanding, and therefore results in a winning combination for both graduates and their future employers.
Nearly half
of HR Managers say that the geographic mobility of a potential employee is a strong advantage in the early stages of their career.
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What is a MIM?
Well known in Europe and growing in popularity around the world, a Master in International Management (MIM) is a postgraduate degree focused on expanding students’ skills to succeed in a global workplace. In a one- or two-year programme, international management students gain the insight from graduate coursework in business
management. They focus on topics such as international business, leadership, languages and culture to ensure they succeed as managers in a global economy. Through this training, MIM graduates develop the language skills and the geographic mobility so highly sought after by HR professionals.
In quality MIM programmes, the students learn how multinational companies operate. Often a practical component is incorporated into the students’ learning so they gain firsthand experience of applying their classroom knowledge in the real world of international businesses.
Most MIM students typically enter the programme within a year of earning their undergraduate degree, and so they tend to be younger than MBA students who usually have more professional work experience.
They gain first-hand
experience
of applying their classroom knowledge in the real world of international businesses.
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What is the value of a MIM?
An MIM is an attractive option for people seeking an advanced degree, as most programmes are open to undergraduates from all disciplines, not just business. This makes it more accessible and widens the net of graduates who can apply, and who will emerge with the impressive skills and experience that HR managers are looking for. The knowledge gained through a good MIM programme has a huge impact on the successful transition from the students’ studies to their
international careers. MIM graduates are able to onboard quickly with their new employers, which results in a reduction in time and resources for the organisations. The value of recruiting a candidate with an MIM is reflected in the responses to the Universum survey. Over half of HR managers say the main drivers for career growth include working outside one’s comfort zone, gaining broad experience and networking. In a global context, the HR managers share the biggest challenges of working abroad
include understanding new cultures, dealing with culture shock, handling the language skills and communication issues, and building new relationships. The MIM programme addresses those career drivers and criteria HR managers seek. Surveyed alumni say the top benefits of the CEMS MIM programme include (1) international network, international approach, (2) study abroad, (3) well-recognized degree and (4) improved language skills.
The MIM programme develops in students
the skills
and experiences HR managers seek in global employees.
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What distinguishes a CEMS MIM?
Universum conducted a deep-dive analysis of one of the rising stars in this category, the CEMS MIM. Employers say they appreciate that the CEMS MIM programme takes students out of their comfort zones, raises their education to the next level, and combines practical, real-life experience with quality teaching. Surveyed CEMS MIM alums have worked abroad an average of 4.8 years and have lived in two or three countries. And this success isn’t limited to alumni with a significant work history, as 79% of alumni with less than five years of working experience say they already have worked abroad. They say the programme gave them critical international experience, built up their personal network and improved their
career opportunities. Ninety-five per cent of students who earned their CEMS MIM in 2015 were employed within three months of graduation. The CEMS MIM programme isn’t offered at a single location or a single school, it’s a collaborative programme bridging the academic and corporate world. It involves 30 academic partners in 29 countries, more than 70 corporates and seven social (non-profit) partners around the globe. The academic partners and their corporate and social counterparts shape the curriculum. Together, they actively contribute to the strategic orientation and management of the alliance. They engage directly with the MIM students through business projects, skills seminars and more, while
also being responsible for recruiting CEMS students and alumni. As a result of the CEMS MIM programme, students are prepared to tackle the biggest workplace challenges when working abroad. Although every CEMS student lives in at least two countries, they are exposed to several additional cultures throughout their experience working with such an international cohort. In the 2016–17 academic year alone, 1 264 MIM students representing 70 nationalities studied together across the globe. While all CEMS MIM graduates speak at least three languages, 30 per cent speak four or more at a good to excellent level. CEMS graduates also have access to a global network of more than 12.000 alumni working in 75 countries.
Together,
academic, corporate and social partners shape the curriculum of the MIM and actively contribute to the strategic orientation and management of the CEMS Global Alliance.
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95
%
of students who earned their CEMS MIM in 2015 were employed within three months of graduation.
088
3+
languages
While all CEMS MIM graduates speak at least three languages, 30% speak four or more at a good-to-excellent level.
099
Gender Balance The CEMS MIM program boasts a balanced 51% male to 49% male female ratio.
51
%
49
%
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What companies say
HR managers report that CEMS’s international approach leads to strong graduates who are highly qualified top performers with extensive knowledge in global businesses. For companies concerned with improving gender diversity in their management ranks, the MIM allows them to draw from a more diverse talent pool. The CEMS
MIM programme boasts a balanced 51 per cent male to 49 per cent female ratio.
Bertrand De Laleu explains that today’s global economy enlarges the scope of what’s needed for successful hires: “CEMS stands for multicultural skills. With English, you have just half of it,” he says. “Now it’s also about Sao Paulo, Lagos, and Mumbai … CEMS students are more prepared than their peers.”
Angie Sung says the international experience of the graduates is “best in class.” As she says, “For companies with a global footprint that’s an important attribute and makes a CEMS MIM degree powerful.”
BERTRAND DE LALEU, GLOBAL VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, L’OREAL
Executives on the CEMS Corporate Partner Committee say that the key differentiators of the CEMS MIM graduates include: 1/a truly international profile and the ability
ANGIE SUNG, REGIONAL TALENT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND HR BUSINESS PARTNER ENERGY ASIA, HILTI
to interact and work in an open and cross-cultural environment coupled with 2/excellent language skills, 3/natural leadership abilities, 4/ entrepreneurial spirit, 5/coupled with a highly collaborative spirit. The executives also underline CEMS graduates’ ability to integrate quickly in a corporate environment.
“I had the chance to be in contact with lots of different companies during skill seminars and the like. Companies know of CEMS and are actively recruiting students.”
“One of the best things about CEMS is the global network that one person can create as we support each other, notifying about career opportunities and mentoring.”
CEMS ALUM WORKING AT MCKINSEY IN SWITZERLAND
CEMS ALUM WORKING AT GOOGLE IN IRELAND
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Conclusion
As the effect of existing markets and the impact of emerging markets grow, students who recognise the value of an MIM degree will be prepared to handle and adapt to the challenges of the increasingly complex global economy. They emerge from the programme to
become employees who can onboard quickly, adapt to their environment and contribute significantly to the company’s goals. With their practical experience and exposure to multiple cultures and
languages, these graduates have gone through the test drive – they know what it’s like to work, live and thrive in different cultures personally and professionally. MIM graduates are qualified talent prepared to thrive in an uncertain world.
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