5 Advantages To Studying An MBA In The UK

What career benefits does an MBA from the UK offer? Is the experience different from other MBAs around the world? Professor David Oglethorpe, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Cranfield School of Management in the UK, outlines the advantages of undertaking your MBA in the UK.

• Gain a multinational perspective.

The UK is culturally compact. A business school in the UK typically attracts a hugely international cohort, reflecting its geographical proximity to Europe and its status as a global business hub. This year 93% of Cranfield’s MBA cohort comes from beyond the UK, hosting 18 nationalities in total.

This means your MBA education is enriched with valuable life experiences and international insights that will benefit your future career and transform your view of the world. You will work within diverse study groups, witnessing first-hand how management styles and business practices differ from one country to the next, whilst developing greater respect for other cultures, values and norms. With greater perspective and tolerance, you can gain greater independence and confidence in both your personal and professional life.

• Rapid impact. Rapid ROI.

MBAs in the UK tend to be shorter than a typical graduate programme in the US; the Cranfield MBA is only one year!

This is often a big decision factor for those looking to launch new businesses or accelerate their career quickly. The year-long course not only makes an MBA more affordable, but it means our students can return to work faster and generate that all-important return on investment faster. In addition to a significant post-MBA salary boost, this quick return to the workforce is one of the key reasons that Cranfield is in the top 20% globally for the speed of ROI for MBA students.

• Global recognition and career differentiation.

UK business schools such as Cranfield that are triple-accredited and ranked as a Financial Times Top Ten UK Business School offer global prestige that helps students stand out from the crowd, globally. For international students, a UK-based MBA establishes a foothold into a growing economy that currently offers a record number of job vacancies, additionally opening doors to the European marketplace. 

Students who study abroad in particular offer a perspective and skill set that can only be gained from overseas experiences, such as strong cross-cultural communications and a global outlook, not to mention familiarity with international standards, laws and regulations. The unique perspective you gain abroad will make you stand out to companies – at home and abroad – who are looking for employees that are well-connected, engaged and familiar with multicultural settings. 

But it’s not just about differentiation on your CV; a highly international and diverse cohort creates a highly diverse network. And we see the career benefits of this daily. Cranfield’s MBA network is recognised as the #1 alumni network in the world for its breadth and potential, and every year partnerships are formed and businesses launched here! 

• Access to more senior network

The average MBA cohort in the UK is typically a little older than in the USA. As an exclusively postgraduate university, Cranfield’s MBA candidates are particularly senior, usually ranging from 25 to 35 years old, which means the cumulative experience and in-classroom discussions are more varied and grounded in real-world application. 

• Best of both worlds for life experience.

The size and location of the UK provide an opportunity to explore both the European countryside and cities alike, and we encourage students to make the most of it! Students often come to Cranfield for the best of both worlds; to enjoy an immersive environment for self-development as well as a springboard to life experience. 

Cranfield School of Management is part of a beautiful campus in the English countryside, which allows for true focus on your personal and career development – not to mention a lower cost of living compared to city MBAs. 

However, at Cranfield students enjoy a base to find their favourite part of the UK (and Europe). Only a 30-minute train into London, we are based in the centre of the UK’s golden triangle, and on the edge of one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities. European cities can be reached in just a couple of hours (which is something we leverage at Cranfield when students travel on their International Business Assignments to locations such as Amsterdam, Paris and Madrid!)

Ultimately, a UK-based MBA can accelerate your career on an international scale, broadening your perspective personally and expanding your network professionally. Cranfield helps students to unlock their own brand of leadership, unique to their experiences and skills. 

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Cranfield School of Management is one of the oldest, most prestigious business schools in Europe, and our transformative Full-time MBA programme consistently ranks among the best in the UK. Designed with real-world impact in mind, the Cranfield MBA is for those who want to transform the way the world works and pursue their professional goals on the international stage.

Discover why Cranfield is one of the top MBAs in the UK:

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Professor David Oglethorpe is Dean of the Cranfield School of Management, a unique exclusively post-graduate university and a Financial Times Top Ten Business School in the UK. 

Cranfield is one of the oldest, most prestigious business schools in Europe, with a full-time MBA that consistently ranks amongst the best in the UK, and an alumni network ranked #1 in the world. 

Designed for real-world impact, the Cranfield MBA will empower you to pursue your professional goals on the international stage.