ESADE-Georgetown Global Executive MBA beats its enrolment record and consolidates its position as a top-tier programme for international executives

The students of the 2013-2014 Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) have arrived at the classrooms of ESADE Madrid. These students are trekking across the globe to learn from faculty of the world's most prestigious business schools. Their objective is to become excellent executives with experience and a global outlook, in a world where companies see internationalisation not as an option so much as a requirement. With 45 students and a waiting list for next year, this year's GEMBA has beat its own enrolment record.

ESADE is working with Georgetown's McDonough School of Business and Walsh School of Foreign Service to improve the GEMBA year after year. As a result of these efforts, the programme is one of the world's most sought-after educational opportunities for business owners and executives. This year's GEMBA will include, for the first time, two stops in Brazil: Rio de Janeiro in addition to São Paulo. This itinerary change will give the 45 students a better chance to get to know the reality and business opportunities of this Latin American giant. This year, the GEMBA will once again be offering a specific Career Development programme. In this programme, each student will have the chance to improve his/her career path and strategy by means of personalised coaching and specialised sessions in each module.

The 2013-2014 GEMBA at ESADE
Pedro Parada, the Academic Co-director of the GEMBA and an Associate Professor at ESADE Business School, declares: "The GEMBA is much more than a training programme for international executives. It's a unique life experience that will forever change the students' approach to their profession and their vision of the world and of themselves." According to Prof. Parada, "In each of its modules, the ESADE-Georgetown GEMBA offers an immersive experience that sharpens students' business skills, leadership skills and global outlook. But more importantly, students learn to break stereotypes and pre-established roles. Their interactions with their peers and experiences in the various countries on the itinerary give them a new perspective on their lives and work."

45 students, 15 countries, 4 continents
The 45 students in this year's GEMBA recently arrived at the classrooms of ESADE Madrid after spending time at ESADE Barcelona and Georgetown University (Washington D.C.). The students hail from 15 different countries on four continents (United States, South Africa, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, France, Spain, El Salvador, Brazil, Switzerland, China, Bulgaria, Russia and Mexico). The great cultural diversity of this year's group is sure to enrich the experience for all participants.

The average age of the students is 36 years. Twenty-five percent are women – much higher than the 10% found in most other Executive MBA programmes. The students have an average of 13 years' professional experience, in a wide range of sectors: pharmaceuticals, military, aeronautics, finance, marketing, energy, construction, NGOs, education, consulting and ICTs.

They have worked for organisations such as Ikea, Alstom, Skoda, Apex, United Nations World Food Programme, United States Defense Intelligence Agency, United States Navy, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, PEPCO Holdings, IFC, African Banking Corporation and Research Triangle Institute.

45 GEMBA students in ESADE's classrooms
The GEMBA, launched in June 2008, is designed to meet the needs of executives, who increasingly demand flexible graduate-level business programmes that provide an international perspective while allowing them to continue leading companies elsewhere in the world.

The programme consists of six 12-day modules held in Washington D.C., Barcelona, Madrid, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bangalore, Shanghai, Beijing and New York. Its purpose is to immerse students in each of these highly diverse business cultures while providing them with tools for general management and a fundamentally global outlook.

This year's group completed a module in Washington D.C. last June and spent last week at ESADE Barcelona. The students recently arrived at ESADE Madrid, where they will take classes on corporate strategy, finance, economics and management. Their lecturers will include ESADE faculty members such as Javier Solana, Pedro Parada, Glòria Batllori and Xavier Mir, as well as faculty members of Georgetown's McDonough School of Business, such as Jeffrey Macher and Paul Almeida.

During their time in Barcelona and Madrid, the students also work on case studies and visit leading companies and institutions, such as Banco Santander, Banc Sabadell, Unión Fenosa, Codorníu and FC Barcelona.

In November, they will complete a module in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In February 2014, they will travel to Bangalore; in May, to Shanghai and Beijing; and next summer, to New York. Finally, the course will end where it began, at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. In total, the students will have travelled more than 40,000 km – more than the circumference of the earth.

On completion of all six modules, the students will receive a joint MBA degree from Georgetown University and ESADE Business School. The total cost of the course is approximately €115,000.

The alliance
In 2008, ESADE formed an alliance with the McDonough School of Business and the Walsh School of Foreign Service – both at Washington D.C.'s Georgetown University – to launch the Global Executive MBA. Georgetown's expertise in the field of international relations helps GEMBA students to achieve success in business by providing a global perspective and the ability to foresee the political, economic and legal dynamics that affect the global economy.