2026 MBAs Abroad: Living & Learning Across Europe

SCHOOLS CENTERED AROUND A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Those conversations carry over into the classroom. At IMD Business School, Somerset Jarvis sat alongside students from 30 different nationalities. As a result, she says, every discussion or project involved “navigating different perspectives, communication styles, and expectations” more than she might have experienced in her native Canada. Jarvis’ observation fits a narrative framed by Oxford’s Elim Shanko: “Global perspectives are central rather than peripheral” at European MBA programs. That makes a huge difference over time according to SDA Bocconi’s Emma Davis.

“That international dimension shows up every day in the classroom. Even in technical subjects like accounting, the focus isn’t limited to U.S. systems: we constantly compare how different countries report, regulate, and approach financial decisions. Working through cases using euros or British pounds may seem like a small detail, but it subtly trains you to think beyond a single-market mindset. It makes the international perspective feel natural and embedded, rather than theoretical.”

These lessons become even more relevant outside the business school doors. Studying in Barcelona, Esade’s Roberta Ahlers finds the setting “provides real-world context” with all of the “innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity” around her. You’ll find a similar dynamic in Paris, where ESSEC’s Rachel KIM loves how close she is to corporate clusters like La Défense. For Anisa Norzri, studying overseas gives her a greater understanding of the why’s that preceded the how’s.

“Many of the economic, legal, and institutional systems that shape global business today originated [in the UK]. Learning in that environment gives you a deeper appreciation of why certain models exist, not just how they operate.”

THE VALUE OF TRAVEL

If anything, studying overseas reinforces the value of making friends. For Anisa Norzri, that meant getting involved. She took it upon herself to organize informal socials. She reasoned that her classmates would appreciate someone ‘taking the first step” in bringing these events to life. Beyond these ice breakers, Cambridge also hosts formal gatherings – think Hogwarts – where long dinners provided a space for MBAs to mingle with classmates…and students across campus.

“Through formals, I have had conversations with a scientist and a software engineer working in AI, which led to engaging discussions about how technical innovation translates into business applications,” Norzri adds.

Mark Twain was fond of saying that “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” And he could’ve added that travel was the perfect opportunity for students to lower their guards, connect organically, and create shared memories that will bind them for a lifetime. That was certainly true at INSEAD, says Maria Eduarda Lemgruber Ramos, when a group took a trip to San Sebastián in northwest Spain.

“Spending an entire week there together—away from campus and in a smaller city—made the experience feel much more intentional. When the trip started, I didn’t actually know many people that well, and many of us came from completely different countries and backgrounds. By the end of the week, a lot of those same people had become my closest friends. We spent our days walking around the city, going on hikes, and hopping from place-to-place trying different pintxos. Even now, we still talk daily in our trip WhatsApp group.”

MEET THE MAYOR

More formally, Roberta Ahlers notes that Esade takes pains to ensure an ever-changing mix of students among the 45 countries that comprise its MBA class. This ranges from class seating to work groups to activity teams. Beyond coming to class, Ahlers has connected with students outside her native Germany by joining the Latin America Club and Asia Club.

“We have a great community of people who are all keen to share their countries’ history, cuisine, and customs. Just to name two examples, we celebrated Diwali as a cohort and the Peruvian crew is organising a ceviche/pisco sour evening.”

Most of all, friendships are forged over basic manners. Emma Davis makes a “conscious” effort to learn and use her classmates’ names. And Sebastián Andrés Pizarro Santibáñez always looks for ways to learn everyone else’s stories. Such skills are invaluable in work and life as a whole. Just ask Aaron Zaga, who proudly goes by his “Mayor of the MBA” moniker at Warwick Business School.

“Reaching out, shaking hands, and simply asking how someone is doing comes very naturally to me. It’s how I build trust and create meaningful relationships. Beyond the classroom, I’ve found that real bonds are formed through shared experiences — playing football or tennis together, practicing sports, attending Premier League matches, or going to concerts. These extracurricular moments take friendships to another level and turn classmates into lifelong friends.”

ADVICE TO STUDENTS LOOKING TO STUDY IN EUROPE

What advice do MBAs offer to students looking to earn their degrees in Europe? Anisa Norzri counsels applicants to be flexible and explore interests they might not otherwise consider.

“Being here pushed me to look more seriously at areas such as impact investing, which I might not have explored as deeply otherwise. The ecosystem makes it easier to test new directions without needing to fully commit immediately.”

Along a similar line, Maria Eduarda Lemgruber Ramos urges prospective students to get out of their comfort zone and do something that might scare them a little.

“It’s very easy to put pressure on yourself to immediately find your group or feel completely at home, and I remember worrying about that early on,” she admits. “What I realized pretty quickly, though, is that that happens naturally once you start putting yourself in the right situations. Taking trips where you don’t know many people, sitting next to someone new in class, or saying yes to plans even when they feel slightly uncomfortable at first ended up being the moments that mattered most for me. Those experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone in a good way. Over time, those small choices really shaped my experience and helped me build meaningful connections.”

More than anything, adds Kimberlee John, embrace the truly international character of a European business school in both its academics and social dynamics.

“French graduate business programs place a strong emphasis on globalization, cross-cultural immersion, and international careers in a way that feels very lived, not theoretical. If you’re someone who wants to push yourself, step outside of your comfort zone, and grow not only as a business professional but also as a person, studying in France gives you that opportunity. It’s a fresh start that challenges you, sharpens you, and often helps you rediscover what you’re capable of doing.”

You won’t regret it, adds Khanya Modipa.

“Doing my MBA at IESE has been one of the best decisions of my life. When I reflect on who I was at the start of the program, I feel proud of how much I’ve challenged myself. Anything worthwhile requires us to push beyond fear and rise to meet our potential and I’ve been able to do that here.”

Click on the MBA student links below to learn more on how they overcome their toughest challenges in moving to Europe for business schools and the advice they’d give to candidates hoping to follow in their path. 

MBA Student	Business School	Home Country	Last Employer
Anisa Norzri	Cambridge Judge Business School	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Axiata Group
Roberta Ahlers	Esade Business School	Berlin, Germany	Rud Pedersen Public Affairs
Hannah Finger	ESCP Business School	New York City, NY, USA	TheGuarantors
Ellen Salpietro	ESMT Berlin	Brisbane, Australia	Boeing Australia
Rachel KIM	ESSEC Business School	Virginia, USA	Colle McVoy
Kimberlee John	HEC Paris	New York City, NY, USA	David Yurman
Khanya Modipa	IESE Business School	Johannesburg, South Africa	Google
Somerset Jarvis	IMD Business School	Toronto, Canada	Entuitive
Sebastián Andrés Pizarro Santibáñez	Imperial Business School	Santiago, Chile	Bridgestone
Maria Eduarda Lemgruber Ramos	INSEAD	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Boston Consulting Group
Emma Hutchinson	London Business School	Boulder, Colorado, USA	The White House (Biden-Harris Administration)
Elim Shanko	University of Oxford (Saïd)	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia / Chicago, United States	Regenerative Africa
Emma Davis	SDA Bocconi School of Management	Traverse City, MI	Catapult Learning
Aaron Zaga	Warwick Business School	Mexico City, Mexico	Seysa Internacional

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