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EXECUTIVE MBA ROUND TABLE
Chris Jeffery
Course Director, Executive MBA Programmes
Cass Business School
How do you see the demand for Executive MBAs evolve in the coming years?
Demand is growing for the part-time Executive MBA as it is becoming a key professional and career development tool for those who want to succeed and fulfil their potential.
This is also recognised by corporates who utilise it to nurture, encourage and retain talent.
The Executive MBA enables people to progress from a technical specialism, such as Human Resources and Finance, to a senior management position that either utilises their
specialism or enables them to use their new found skills and knowledge across the business spectrum.
But above all else, the Executive MBA provides participants with the opportunity to learn new business knowledge, skills and techniques whilst putting it into practice within
their working environment.
What are the realities of juggling professional responsibilities with family commitments and academic pursuits?
The reality is that undertaking an Executive MBA is a tough challenge, but a rewarding one. It is critical that you set expectations amongst family, friends and work colleagues
and that you have their support. The first term is a steep learning curve - you have to adjust to a new way of thinking and adjust to a new work load. However, our Executives
develop coping strategies very quickly and become very efficient in managing personal, professional and study committments.
What advice would you give to candidates wishing to get their companies' support and commitment for an Executive MBA?
In today's competitive work environment people should think long and hard about why they want to do the EMBA and the benefits it has for their organisation. Those who
succeed in obtaining funding and time commitment from their organisation generally start the process months before joining as you have to have a water tight business case
and buy in from management and HR. Do your homework! Find out what your company policy is and whether they have sponsored Executives previously. Finally, remember
that you can borrow the money, you can't borrow the time! The commitment from your employer of time to study and to develop is key in order to maintain the correct
work-life study balance.
How has the course delivery of the Executive MBA evolved in past years both in modularity and use of technology to
improve student experience?
There is a change of focus from teaching to learning, along with the enhancement of skills through tailored career and personal development programmes. Also, the
development of Modular EMBA programmes, like the Cass Modular Executive MBA, has widened the opportunity for people to study in a choice of global business centres,
be it London, Paris or New York, whilst living and working in their local environment such as Europe, USA and the Middle East. Technology is an important tool to communicate
and aid learning. However, I feel it is not a replacement. The physical interaction between students, faculty and practitioners creates the best learning environment. The
Executive MBA is not just about learning the methodology or how it has been applied previously, it is about the lessons to be learnt from present situations that your peers
are experiencing.
What are the typical examples of the impact of an Executive MBA on the careers of your students?
On average, our Executives see a return on investment, in terms of a promotion or new job, within 18-24 months of commencing their studies. This is reinforced by sponsoring
companies who tell us that they see a return on investment within 18 months of their executives starting the Executive MBA. We believe that this is a result of our focus on
applied learning, professional development and career coaching for Executives.
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