A lot gained in translation

Whether it's the work culture or the sun, the benefits of studying abroad last for ever

"Think global, act local" is a cliché used by many a business school graduate. But mixing with foreign MBA students isn't quite the same as becoming one yourself. "You can certainly be part of an international group of professionals if you join any full-time programme in Britain," says Peter Calladine of the Association of MBAs. "But the best way of experiencing business in another culture is to go and study abroad."

With English the language for the majority of international MBA courses, UK nationals are in a good position to choose from a large range of schools. Three in Spain – ESADE and IESE in Barcelona and Instituto de Empresa in Madrid – offer bilingual MBA programmes. At ESADE, foreign students benefit from one of its other main departments – a language school. MBA students are automatically offered Spanish classes and can take more than the standard number if they need them.

If learning another language seems like too much of a burden on top of all the other work involved in an MBA, there are plenty of choices available. Business schools in the Netherlands, where English is widely spoken and it is possible to live off campus without learning much Dutch, are popular choices for British applicants.

Living costs and fees for some continental schools compare well with those in the UK, important factors to consider when loans or savings are being used to fund an MBA. Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium receives a subsidy from the Belgian government, and charges just over €7,000 (£4,800) for its international MBA programme, accredited by the Association of MBAs. The school also stresses that it can offer foreign students an insight into the way management operates in a continental European culture – with its course in Business from the European Perspective.

In contrast, top-rated international schools such as INSEAD in France or IMD in Switzerland make no claims to offer a taste of the culture of their host country. These schools sell themselves as global centres of knowledge, along with names such as Harvard or Wharton in the United States, which have always attracted a steady stream of British high-flyers. For some applicants, the attraction lies in the kudos of a top name; others who opt for a US school do so because they offer two-year programmes and a longer time to re-assess career plans.

All the talk of long hours in front of a computer may lead MBA applicants to think that their off-duty environment won't make much difference, but British students who study abroad admit that the attractions which influenced their choice most are not always academic. In Barcelona, the lure of sunshine, accessible beaches and a café lifestyle is, according to students at ESADE, a big factor. The Theseus Institute of Management, based on a high-tech business park in the south of France undoubtedly benefits from its location, though the school's academic selling point is its emphasis on technology and management.

Alexandre Wiedmer, now working for an investment company in Paris, came from Canada to study at Theseus. "I've gained so much from the multicultural experience here, and the alumni network stretches across the world. But yes, the place also made a difference. Who wouldn't want to do their MBA while living on the French Riviera?"

MBA experience and intimate classes in the Utrecht-Bradford connection

Students at NIMBAS Graduate School of Management live in the Netherlands, but graduate with a Bradford MBA.

Fifteen years ago a Dutch academic signed an agreement with Bradford University and the first MBA course was launched at NIMBAS Graduate Management School. The school, tucked away in a renovated 16th-century building in the university district of Utrecht, now has alumni around the world, and has even expanded to Germany where it also offers MBAs awarded by Bradford University.

NIMBAS's founder, Dr Josephine BPM Borchert-Ansinger, says she chose Bradford as the academic partner for the Dutch school because, as well as having a sound reputation for management studies, it was run by like-minded people. "Bradford seemed to be extremely enterprising. The staff there had an entrepreneurial spirit and we clicked immediately."

The school offers modular, part-time and full-time MBAs, giving students the option to specialise in areas such as financial management, marketing or environmental management. One of the unusual features of NIMBAS is its policy of employing visiting faculty for its programmes. The Utrecht centre houses only a small number of permanent staff, hiring lecturers from around Europe and beyond.

The small class sizes at NIMBAS ­ the full-time MBA intake is around 50 ­ mean students get to know each other quickly. Class participation is encouraged by an assessment system which awards some marks for pre-course preparation work and team discussions. The school also supplements its core modules with a range of personal development courses, from report writing and exam techniques to team building and presentation skills.

Utrecht's canals and cobbled streets offer an attractive environment to study in, and NIMBAS is only a stone's throw from the central shopping area with its cafés and bars. Although not attached to any Dutch academic institution, NIMBAS has access to Utrecht's university facilities, and online resources are available just as they are at in Bradford. There is one piece of technology which students on the course in Bradford may not need: along with a laptop computer, NIMBAS students are advised to buy a bicycle before beginning the course.