Earlier this year, the WHU MBA Program experienced its first online intake, reacting quickly to a rapidly changing situation. In response to the new status-quo, on August 29, Germany’s #1 MBA Program successfully welcomed its new students in a hybrid format. This means students had the opportunity to attend on campus or participate online via live stream.
The Full-Time MBA Program welcomed a diverse class of 49 students representing 23 different nationalities. One of the biggest attractions for many students is to work and learn alongside peers of diverse and extensive academic and professional experience, with this cohort of full-time students holding an average of six years of postgraduate work experience. Just as impressive is the incoming Part-Time MBA cohort. A testament to the growing popularity and reputation of the program is the growing class size, with an incredible 92 students. 41 percent of the new cohort are international students including 19 different nationalities.
“The new cohorts for the full-time and the part-time classes could not be more diverse when it comes to culture, academic background, and professional experience,” says MBA Program Director Gerold Gnau. “We hope that the students enjoy the benefits of this unique aspect of the program throughout their MBA journey at WHU.”
Split into two hybrid sessions to minimize contact for those attending on campus, the day started with an official greeting by Professor Dr. Jürgen Weigand, Deputy Dean of the School, Professor Dr. Martin Fassnacht, Academic Director of the MBA Program, and Gerold Gnau, Program Director MBA. “The WHU MBA Program is about three core elements: it provides you with knowledge, with a network, and with inspiration for your professional and private lives,” says Fassnacht.
After the welcome session, an overview of the many entrepreneurial activities offered as part of the WHU MBA experience followed. This includes the WHU Entrepreneurship Center, the WHU Entrepreneurship Roundtable, and the Future Leaders Fundraising Challenge – a fast-paced and transformational event which kicks off on August 31.
This weeklong exercise places the students into teams and challenges them to think strategically while instilling a sense of social responsibility. Not only do the students gain skills they will develop throughout the rest of the program, but any funds gained from the challenge also benefit charity. Since the inception of the challenge in 2016, Full-Time and Part-Time MBA students have raised around €300,000 for different charitable organizations.
The new cohort also received an introduction to other clubs to enhance their study experience such as the WHU MBA Consulting Club and the new WHU MBA Women in Business Club, which focuses on the mentoring, networking, and leadership development of women in business.
We welcome the new MBA students to the WHU community and look forward to seeing what our new students get up to during the program and beyond!