19 December 2008

NUS Business School and HEC Paris School of Management (HEC Paris) have introduced a new Double Degree MBA (Masters in Business Administration) Programme, which builds on the schools’ 10-year collaboration in graduate student exchange and faculty cooperation. HEC Paris has, for the last three years, topped the Financial Times’ European Business School rankings.

The new NUS-HEC Paris Double Degree MBA has been designed to provide solid business training and international exposure by building on the institutions’ excellence in management education. By offering students a global business education, the programme aims to produce quality and sought-after business leaders with in-depth knowledge and expertise in the European and Asian markets. Students will benefit from being able to leverage on the institutional and alumni networks of both schools as well as the business communities in Singapore and Europe.

NUS Business School has a broad portfolio of internationally-oriented management courses, as well as seminars dedicated to business in the Asia-Pacific region, making it an ideal choice for European students who wish to undertake business studies with an Asian focus. Similarly, HEC Paris would offer valuable insight and teachings on the European business landscape.

Said Professor Bernard Yeung, Dean of NUS Business School, “The global business community is fast becoming more integrated and there is a strong demand for individuals who are cross-culturally trained, possess the necessary managerial skills and personalities needed to lead global businesses. With the NUS–HEC Paris Double Degree MBA, students will be given the best of education and experiences in Asia and Europe.”

This sentiment was shared by Professor Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC Paris. He remarked, “HEC Paris’ core belief is that those who can transcend cultural boundaries and respond to different markets are the most sought-after leaders. This Double Degree MBA provides many opportunities for high potential managers to experience global mobility, preparing them to be tomorrow’s global leaders and part of an 85,000-strong combined alumni network.”

Commencing in August 2009 at NUS Business School, the two-year double degree MBA programme requires students to undertake their first year core modules at NUS Business School, and continue with the second year optional modules at HEC Paris. The programme at HEC Paris commences in September 2009.

HEC Paris and NUS Business School’s MBA programmes have been consistently ranked in the top 10 in Europe and Asia respectively, by respected publications such as the Financial Times and EIU. In particular, both schools boast highly ranked faculty who hail from leading universities around the world and possess extensive research, teaching and consulting experience.

HEC Paris and NUS Business School are also full academic members of the esteemed CEMS Global Alliance, a strategic alliance of leading business schools and multinational companies. Academic institutions under the CEMS network are widely reputed to provide the highest standards of teaching and research. CEMS provides a platform for these institutions to tie up with its grouping of corporate partners to provide students with real-world experience and practical business skills necessary to achieve the highest level of success. NUS Business School is the first in Asia to be a full CEMS academic member.

Since 1998, HEC Paris has been recruiting students from Singapore for its Master’s, MBA and Doctorate degree programmes, with Singapore being an employment hub for HEC graduates. More than 100 HEC alumni are based here, with many at the Asian headquarters of French and European multinational companies.

Requirements of the NUS-HEC Paris Double Degree MBA Programme

Students starting the Double Degree MBA at NUS Business School are required to complete the core modules of the NUS MBA and undertake at HEC Paris, any of the five Specialised Tracks (Marketing, Finance, Strategy, Management of Innovation or Entrepreneurship) available in their first semester, as well as any of the five Professional Tracks (Entrepreneurship Project, Company Consulting Project, Individual Professional Project, Mission & Action Project or Creative Academic Project) in their second semester. While the programme will be conducted in English at both schools, French language courses at HEC Paris is a requirement for MBA students who do not have basic knowledge of the language.

Applicants should possess a Bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of 3 years’ full-time work experience and a good GMAT score. If the medium of instruction in the undergraduate study was not in English, the applicant is required to have a good TOEFL/IELTS score as well. Applicants who wish to start the programme with HEC Paris are to submit their applications to HEC Paris through www.mba.hec.edu while those who wish to start the programme with NUS are to apply through mba.nus.edu.

The fees for the Double Degree MBA course are at approximately S$88,000 (S$25,000 for NUS and €31,500 for HEC Paris). The programme also offers need- and merit-based scholarships. Deadlines for applications through NUS Business School and HEC Paris are 30 April 2009 (for the August 2009 intake) and 20 May 2009 (for the September 2009 intake) respectively.

For more information on the Double Degree MBA, please click here or visit the homepage of HEC Paris at www.mba.hec.edu.