International MBA Exchanges

Fact Sheet 2022-23

The Edinburgh MBA

Successful businesses in the future will be those which can confidently and capably steer a path through a world
characterised by intense competition, rapid technological development, economic turbulence and increasing resource
insecurity. Businesses need leaders who can think and act strategically in this volatile environment, managing the
risk and challenges involved, but also spotting and seizing opportunities for efficiency, innovation and new business
models. Businesses also need leaders who will act responsibly in delivering value to all stakeholders. The Edinburgh
MBA prepares students to progress with confidence into leadership roles in this new world.

The Edinburgh MBA is designed to deepen students’ understanding of how businesses and markets work, how
value is created through innovation and marketing, how strategies are crafted, how businesses are financed, how
performance is measured, how value is delivered efficiently and effectively, and how organisations should be
governed, managed and led through change. We aim to instil a passion for innovation and entrepreneurial action to
help students lead in the growth or creation of new business opportunities. We help develop students’ ability to think
strategically and beyond disciplinary silos. Successful leadership also requires accomplished interpersonal skills to
bring about change in organisations. Through coaching and skills training, we work with students to understand their
leadership strengths and weaknesses and we provide support for improvement.
The Edinburgh MBA has a number of distinctive features:

 Strategic Leadership: A new approach to leadership, emphasising a proactive, entrepreneurial and responsible
way of thinking and acting.
 Innovation: Focussing on innovation to help challenge your assumptions about business models and to explore
new business ideas.
 Expertise: Access to world-class faculty, particularly from Centres of Excellence in Strategic Leadership,
Finance, Entrepreneurship, Climate Change, Innovation, Marketing and Operations.
 Application: Extensive opportunities to apply theory in practice, through consultancy projects with external
organisations.
 Influence: Stretch your influencing capability through training in higher-order skills: public speaking, negotiation,
facilitation, consulting, crisis communication and media management.
 International Network: Study alongside colleagues from more than 20 countries.
 Business Practitioners: Access an extensive range of practitioner experts. Each year, the Business School and our
societies host talks by over 180 senior business practitioners.

Why Study in Edinburgh?

 A city for heritage: The University of Edinburgh is one of the oldest in the UK. Granted its Royal Charter in
1583 the University has been the seed-bed for some of the world’s most distinguished thinkers.
 A city for business: Edinburgh is the second largest financial centre in the UK with a thriving and diverse
economy.
 A city for culture: Edinburgh has an incredibly energetic and diverse cultural life. Apart from the renowned
Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe Festival — the largest arts festival in the world — a host of smaller
eclectic events run throughout the year. There are dozens of museums, galleries, theatres and cinemas.
 A city for sightseeing: Edinburgh is a spectacular city, regarded as one of the most beautiful and friendly in the
world. If you want amazing scenery, a short train journey will take you to some of the most beautiful beaches in
Europe and the most stunning mountainous landscapes.
 A city for students: Edinburgh gives students all they could want at an affordable price, with the cost of living
lower than in London. Edinburgh’s compact size also means you can travel around easily, cheaply and safely.

Our Exchange Partners include*:

 Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), Sydney, Australia

 Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, Canada
 Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Beijing, China
 Aalto University School of Business, Helsinki, Finland
 ESSEC Business School, Paris, France
 HKUST Business School, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
 IPADE Business School, Universidad Panamaericana, Mexico City/Monterrey, Mexico
 Escuela de Alta Direction y Administration (EADA), Barcelona, Spain
 Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Illinois, USA
 McCombs School of Business, University of Austin, Texas, USA

*Not all partners exchange in every year depending on availability and balance of exchange
Our MBA Programme Exchange Periods
Students from our exchange partners are welcome to join us for the following study periods. All courses are worth 10
University of Edinburgh credits (5 ECTS) unless otherwise stated.

Courses are generally taught in a hybrid mode, with some pre-recorded materials and readings being made available,
with smaller class, interactive tutorials taking place in the classroom. Students should expect to be in the classroom
most days of the week at some point depending on the courses selected.

Semester 1 – 12th of September - 20th of December (depending on course selection)

Nomination by 20th of July and student application by 29th of July (or earlier if visa is required)

 Accounting
 Organising for Effectiveness
 Strategic Marketing
 Understanding Economies

We also require students attending in Semester 1 to participate in our Building High Performing Teams programme
(non-credited) at the start of the semester and to complete any work required in advance of that. This is a fun and
engaging programme which will be of value throughout the exchange.

Strategic Leadership and Professional Development are one year courses and only available if a student attends for the
full year which is unusual on an MBA Exchange. Students are welcome to attend classes for these courses on a non-
credit basis however they must commit to attending all activities for the duration of their exchange in advance of their
arrival.

Semester 2a: 16th of January – mid May 2023

Nomination by 18th October. Student application by 30 November, or earlier if a student visa is required

The following courses are generally taught in one week blocks from January unless otherwise stated. Please note
that the dates given are indicative and should be confirmed with the MBA team on application. Some courses
may be mutually exclusive due to timetabling. All courses should be expected to have assignment dates following
the end of the course which are submitted electronically.

 Operations Improvement - 16th of January for one week

 Finance 23rd January – 16th of March
 Strategic HRM 23rd January – 16th of March
 Business Transformation in the Digital Age 17th of March – 24th of March
 Financial Analysis 3rd of April for one week

Semester 2b: Mid-May to mid June 2023

Nomination by 18th October. Student application by 30 November, earlier if a student visa is required

Courses Available:
The following courses are taught in one week blocks. Dates given are indicative only and should be confirmed on
application. We do not permit more than 2 courses back to back due to the workload involved.

 Financial Analysis – 3rd April

 Global Strategy 24th April
 Data Analytics for Leaders – 1st of May
 New Venture Creation and the Entrepreneurial Process 8th of May

 Negotiations 22nd of May

 Marketing Communications and Branding 29th of May
 Financial Aspects of Mergers and Acquisitions 29th of May
 Supply Chain Management – 5th of June
 Business Strategy for Environmentally-Suitable Futures 12th of June
We can accept applications the span across Semesters 2a and 2b, depending on the course selection.

Please note: The range of courses, particularly the elective options, may vary from year to year. Please contact
us using the details below for confirmation of courses available.

Class Profile
Typically the programme features students from over 20 different countries with an average of 6.5 years’ work
experience. The average class size is 60 students for core courses and smaller groups for option courses.

Eligibility
MBA students nominated for exchange by their parent institutions will usually be accepted by the University of
Edinburgh Business School if they meet our standard minimum entry requirements.

Students from programmes not taught in English are required to submit proof of English proficiency: TOEFL 600,
TOEFL computer-based 250, TOEFL Internet-based 100 or IELTS 7.0. If students require a student visa to attend the
exchange, confirmation of English proficiency may also be required for that.

Selecting Courses
All classes are taught in English and are generally designed to be 5 ECTS, comprising a minimum of 20 class hours and
a total of 100 hours of effort. Exchange students generally take between 3 and 5 courses in a semester.

Practical Information
Most Edinburgh MBA students choose to find their own accommodation, but the
University’s Accommodation Service can help exchange students secure University
Accommodation Accommodation if available. Please note that the Accommodation Service do not
(on campus or private) provide any guarantee of accommodation for single semester exchanges. For more
information please refer to the Accommodation Services website
http://www.accom.ed.ac.uk/for-students/private-housing/

Students usually live within walking distance of the School or a short bus ride away.
Transportation The City has excellent bus services, but parking is very difficult. Allow £10-15 per
week for bus travel within Edinburgh.
A large selection of restaurants, cafés and supermarkets for all budgets are
Meals
available near the school. Allow £50-£60 per week.
Reading materials Lecture handouts and case studies will be provided electronically but students
should expect to purchase one or two textbooks per course.

Visa Information and Tuition

Information about visas is available from the UK Border Agency: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-
visas-and-immigration
Tuition is paid at the home institution. No further tuition payments are required.

Applying
The UK Border Agency requires the University to submit certain information before a student visa can be issued.
Therefore ALL exchange students must use the application form provided and provide an up to date CV (résumé).

University of Edinburgh International Student Centre Website

http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/international/student-life/isc

Contact Information
Sarah Yaxley, MBA Experience Officer
University of Edinburgh Business School
29 Buccleuch Place
Edinburgh, EH8 9JS
sarah.yaxley@ed.ac.uk / +44 (0) 131 651 5971