Tuesday, December 20, 2011

This is where I spent 2 months of my exchange studies. Only after arriving in Italy did I realize that Bocconi was one of the most renowned business schools in Europe and the top business school in Italy. The university is the "Harvard" of Italy. The President of the University, Mario Monti, recently left to take up his position as the Prime Minister of Italy to help steer Italy through the current sovereign debt crisis. Like any self-respecting MBA student, I quote the most advantageous rankings here from Forbes which puts SDA Bocconi at number 4 in the world among 1-year non-US business schools.

At Anderson, the rigor I was subjected to was more intense than I experienced at SDA Bocconi. However, the opportunities that the full-time students received in terms of campus interviews was definitely top notch within Europe. Also, the size of the class (less than 100) and the duration of the program (little more than a year) definitely contribute to the experience. It is a faster MBA and preferred by some who weigh the pros and cons of a two year versus a one year MBA.

Being exposed to a diverse class, especially from all over Europe was a great experience. Each student, many of whom were from other countries, brought their unique perspectives. It was entertaining to see a Greek and German sit next to each other and talk while their countries were locked in sovereign debt crisis.

The school has a major focus on fashion and luxury brand management. Milan is a top fashion hub in the world and the school has capitalized on this. We were exposed to such celebrity businessmen as the CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna while studying there.

Finally, the professors and classes were informative. Each professor made a lot of effort to organize their classes and materials. I definitely learned some new things including the influence of politics in business, how companies pursue innovation and development of new products.


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