An integral part of an MBA program at GSB Mainz is at least a one-week study visit to one of GSB Mainz’s renowned international partner universities. Due to the very different destinations with their specific socio-cultural, political and social characteristics, all study abroad weeks have a very different character. In addition to complementing the study programme in Mainz in terms of subject matter, the aim of each study abroad period anchored in the curriculum is in particular to deepen and broaden the participants’ intercultural skills and international experience and to develop an understanding of the challenges of a globalized economy
For the Executive MBA, GSB Mainz cooperates with different partner universities. These are Tongji University in Shanghai and the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin. The stays abroad are offered in regular rotation so that Executive MBA participants have the opportunity to take part in all three stays abroad.
For the MBA, the study abroad weeks alternate annually between the SGH Warsaw School of Economics in Warsaw and the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) in Bergen. Here too, participants can complete both study visits.
Austin is the capital of Texas and one of the most exciting, demographically and economically fastest growing cities in the USA. The economic structure is as modern as it gets. High-tech and Austin seem to have become synonymous. In the middle of Austin lies one of the largest and best universities in America, the University of Texas at Austin, founded in 1883. Its campus stretches over 145 hectares of generously developed, richly treed, park-like grounds, where progress and tradition come together.
The McCombs School of Business is a jewel of the University of Texas. It is one of the leading business schools in the United States, has over 40 years of experience as an organizer of continuing education courses and offers one of the most renowned Executive MBA programs in the USA and thus in the world. This is why GSB Mainz cooperates with it.
The participants of the Executive MBA program at GSB Mainz benefit from the cooperation in several ways, indirectly by the fact that the academic management is in regular dialogue with the McCombs School of Business on curricular and methodological issues and directly by the fact that the participants of the Executive MBA program have the opportunity to complete a one-week study visit to the McCombs School of Business in Austin as part of their studies at GSB Mainz. There they are offered the “Leadership in a Global Environment” teaching program, which has been specially modeled for them. Visits to international companies round off the program.
The state-run Tongji University with its 55,000 students does justice to the importance of the city. It is one of China’s top universities and is being systematically developed into one of the best universities in the world. Its School of Economics and Management is one of the top five Chinese business schools. Tongji University has German origins and can look back on a long tradition of Chinese-German cooperation.
It was therefore no coincidence that the Chinese-German University College (CDHK) was founded in 1998 as a joint institution of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Tongji University. The CDHK has developed into the most successful academic exchange project between the two countries. Chinese and German lecturers offer outstanding engineering and economics Master’s degree courses in close, practical cooperation with international companies (30 endowed chairs).
Other top German universities also cooperate with Tongji University and the CDHK. GSB Mainz is offered the one-week “Understanding China!” program at Tongji University. Thematically differentiated courses introduce the participants of the Executive MBA course to the cultural, social, political and economic circumstances and characteristics of the world’s fastest-growing economy. Company visits complement the teaching program. China cannot be experienced more vividly and authentically in just a few days.
Warsaw is the capital and also the largest city in Poland. With almost two million inhabitants, Warsaw is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe – the growth boom is visible everywhere. It is the largest university and research center in the country and has a large number of highly qualified scientific staff in this field.
As Poland’s most important academic center, Warsaw brings together almost 300,000 national and international students. Warsaw also offers its residents and tourists a wide range of leisure activities.
One of the most important universities in Warsaw is the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH). SGH is the oldest and most renowned university for economics and management in Poland. Its history dates back to 1906. Its mission is to continuously educate economists and business leaders.
The SGH is famous for its tradition, the flexible adaptation of its programs to the needs of students, its adequate level of education and its successful graduates. Johannes Gutenberg University and SGH have a long-standing relationship. This relationship forms the basis for the cooperation between GSB Mainz and SGH. For participants in the MBA program, SGH offers a tailor-made study week with courses focusing on marketing and sales. In addition to the academic program with courses at SGH and company visits, participants acquire intercultural skills.
Bergen is Norway’s second largest city with just under 290,000 inhabitants. It lies at the heart of the Norwegian fish and aquaculture industry and is the center of the Norwegian shipping industry. Bergen is also one of the hubs for the oil and gas industry. The picturesque city is the gateway to the fjords and stretches across a labyrinth of fjord shores, forests and islands. The largest city on the west coast attracts numerous students and tourists to Norway every year. Bergen is home to several universities and colleges with around 34,000 national and international students.
NHH Norwegian School of Economics is the first choice among Norwegian students and the leading business school in Norway. Founded in 1936, it has around 3,500 full-time students and 400 staff. NHH is celebrated for its long tradition, its educational standards, the success of its graduates and its active student association. It organizes several events of national importance.
The Norwegian School of Management has a strong international network and cooperates with 190 institutions in more than 50 countries around the globe.NHH offers a tailor-made study week for participants of our Young Professional MBA courses with modules on marketing and innovation. In addition to the academic program, participants have the opportunity to gain insights into Nordic leadership and intercultural experiences.
In order to offer participants in the MBA degree programs as much insight as possible into the economic systems of other countries and the cultural differences in entrepreneurial activity, GSB is constantly striving to expand its international cooperation. For the Executive MBA degree program in 2025, for example, it will include a study visit to the Vietnamese-German University (VGU) in Ho Chi Minh City in its curriculum for the first time.
The VGU was founded in 2008 as a Vietnamese-German cooperation with the special participation of the state of Hesse and is to be strategically developed into the leading research-oriented German university in Southeast Asia by 2030. To this end, it draws on the German university model, which is funded by academic freedom, the unity of research and teaching and institutional autonomy. In particular, VGU covers the subject areas of smart engineering, information technology, natural sciences, economics and business administration, whereby VGU is characterized by strong interdisciplinary cooperation. It offers academic training up to doctorate level.
VGU is home to 17,000 students from a wide range of nations at two locations. The larger campus is located in Binh Duong province. Another campus was opened directly in Ho Chi Minh City. This is where the courses for participants in the Executive MBA degree program take place. The academic program in Ho Chi Minh City is offered under the title “Experience Southeast Asia – Understanding the intercultural differences between Germany and Southeast Asia “. In addition to courses designed to shed light on the Vietnamese economy, the program includes company visits, cultural activities and guest lectures. The overall aim is to create an intercultural understanding of the country, but also of the entire region of Southeast Asia.
