Study international business and management in Groningen to learn about how companies operate in multiple countries and how a manager copes with different business cultures.
How can internationalization strategies take into account national differences in legal, political and economic systems and cultures? How can multinationals contribute to sustainable development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals? In today's interconnected world, it is crucial to develop the ability to think and work across borders and understand the key concepts related to international and sustainable business. In the MSc International Business and Management (IB&M), you get to delve deep into a wide range of global business concepts, including the world of cultural diversity, global strategies and cross-border management practices, learning to recognize cultural differences and how to manage them in a business setting. What’s unique about our programme is that you have the freedom to shape your own learning journey!
For those fascinated by the impact of international trends on the organizational structure of companies and what knowledge you need to develop effective international business strategies, this route is just for you. You can gain insights into effective international strategies in fast-changing and uncertain international contexts, preparing you for the dynamic global business landscape, and dealing with the impact of international environments on the strategy and organization of international business.
Dreaming of becoming a responsible leader in an international business and making a positive impact in business practice? Our courses on sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility will guide you to become a socially conscious manager. Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as your compass, you will explore crucial aspects of sustainable development, from biodiversity to climate change, poverty, inequality, and human rights.
Throughout the MSc IBM, we foster an open-minded approach to global management challenges, empowering you to sharpen your analytical and problem-solving skills. The programme further offers the opportunity to focus on either the Energy Transition and Climate Change Focus Area or the Future Prosperity and Sustainability Focus Area . You will dive into the latest theories and explore how they relate to pressing societal issues, such as sustainability and digital transformation, setting you on the path to a rewarding career as a CSR consultant, export manager, or international product manager.
During the MSc International Business and Management (IBM), students have the opportunity to do an exchange semester at one of our partner universities in England or Sweden. You can choose to spend a semester at one of these top institutions, while you are earning 30 EC (European Credits), with at least 15 EC in your chosen specialization.
These exchange options provide a fantastic opportunity to expand your knowledge, gain invaluable international experience, and enhance your academic and professional profiles.
The content of the programme was very interesting, I could learn about the latest business concepts and discuss them in class. I was amazed by the way teachers encourage critical thinking and discussion. Also, the study programme provided me with soft skills such as communication skills, interpersonal skills and time management.
In addition to that, I was able to develop hard skills such as the ability to apply critical thinking to business-related problems and develop solutions to real study cases, which are all very important in the nowadays demanding job market. I found particularly useful the X-Culture “virtual” business project in which I worked with students from other universities scattered around the world on a company case study, in which I could practice theory studied during the courses on managerial skills in multicultural settings and cultural differences.
For my Master thesis, I collaborated with a company in Groningen as I wanted my work to be of managerial utility and more practical. The project allowed me to apply state-of-art knowledge to a real case study and gain useful insights for my thesis work from it. This helped me to fill theoretical gaps and improve my critical thinking overall.
As for the city: never a dull moment in Groningen, the city has to be discovered and lived to its fullest!
I still recall the moment that I stepped into the lecture hall on my first day and that I heard a lot of different spoken languages and I met people from all over the globe.
Reflecting back on the programme, especially the combination of theory-rich lectures and international group assignments prepared me to function in a high-stress international environment that demands a wide range of skills. Moreover, being part of the IBM community helped prepare me for the job market by expanding my network.
One other thing that surprised me was that the contact with the professors was more personal when I compared it with my Bachelor, despite the fact that IB&M has many students. Both the students and the programme are international, and this was great for me since I was interested in ‘international orientation'.
Groningen as a city is the perfect mixture between a major city and a small town. This together with the high student density and good reputation of the University were the main motivators for me to move from the Randstad all the way to the North. Looking back at that decision, I can truly say that I do not regret it one bit and that Groningen started to feel as a home from the moment I set foot in the inner-city.
