MBA applicants can get carried away with rankings. In this series, we profile amazing programs at business schools that are typically ranked outside the top 15.
With a brand new campus, dubbed “Esadecropolis” and completed in August 2012, Spain’s ESADE Business School sits in the scenic foothills of Collserola Natural Park, just outside Barcelona. The school’s full-time MBA program offers 12-, 15- and 18-month options to suit a variety of student career goals, and boasts a truly international student body, representing 48 countries.
Entrepreneurship is a particular strength of ESADE’s curriculum, which has a two-part, specialized focus integrated into the core course work. First, students are exposed to key tools and conceptual foundations for starting a business. Then, they are required to put their knowledge into practice by developing a business plan, testing the plan’s feasibility and receiving feedback. Another highlight in this area is the school’s Entrepreneurship Lab. Through the lab, students interested in starting their own company can gain access to office space at the ESADE Creapolis Accelerator, mentorship from faculty and business leaders, market research tools and potential financing through the school’s own Business Angel Network.
