Most business schools today offer a variety of graduate management education degree options, MBA—delivered in part-time, full-time, executive, and online/distance degree format options to a range of specialized master’s programs. These changes in the business school market help illuminate what may be driving the shifts in who’s applying to GME programs and why application volumes on the “demand side” may be changing.

A growing share of GMAT exams is taken by individuals interested in non-MBA graduate management degrees in which a typical master’s degree candidate differs from a typical MBA candidate. Age is the greatest differentiator because younger citizens tend to exhibit the greatest interest in non-MBA master’s programs.

Women:

Chinese (65%) and Taiwanese (60%) citizens had the greatest share of exams taken by women in 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Younger Talent:

GMAT testing by those younger than 25 was the greatest among Chinese citizens (81% of exams taken).

Test Taken:

The number of takers for GMAT exam by Asian citizens transcends 100,000 in TY 2012. This reflects the interest in the pattern of the exam due to the addition of the Integrated Reasoning section. Citizens of China and India combined represent 80 percent of regional testing volume in 2012, up from 65 percent in 2008.

Score Sending Pattern:

GMAT score sending patterns for all Asian citizens, who collectively sent a total of 354,996 score reports in 2012.

• Chinese- 165,374 score report sent
• Indian- 133,557
• Taiwanese- 11,570
• South Korean- 9,735
• Japanese- 6,177

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asian Countries:

China:

In 2012, the number of test takers of GMAT has reached 58,196, 45 % higher than previous year and 234 % higher than TY 2008. The share of exams taken by women grew from 60 % to 65 %, it is the highest in the region. Younger students below 25 years of age are the major test takers and it reached 81 %.

According to the last five years testing growth, which increased the share of GMAT scores, sent to the United States. Only 32 percent of scores sent were directed to MBA programs as it decreased from 50 % in 2008. This is basically due to a younger segment of test takers which are predominately interested in specialized master’s opportunities. The Top three score sending destinations were the United States, Hong Kong and Canada.

India:

In GMAT exam, the total of 30,213 Indian citizens sat in 2012 which was nearly closed to the previous year and the share of women increasing slightly to 26 percent and the share of young examinees falling slightly to 36 percent.

Indians send score reports to business schools across several world regions, as the score report sent to the United States has fallen from 64 percent to 51 percent, due to the interest has grown for programs located in India, the United Kingdom, Singapore, France and Canada.

Education Opportunities:

Citizenship

Globally, the majority of MBA programs reported increased or steady application growth from domestic applicants. Full-time two-year MBA programs were the exception—only 42 percent of these programs reported increased (35%) or steady (7%) domestic volume. Applications from foreign citizens were a source of stable or increased volume this year across a majority of all MBA program types combined. MBA programs that reported the greatest percentage increase in foreign application volume include full-time two-year (45%), full-time one-year (47%), and online MBA (51%).

Women and management

In 2012, however, a greater percentage of MBA programs reported increased application volume from women compared with 2011, moving the percentage from 31 percent of programs reporting an increase in 2011 to 43 percent of programs in 2012. Regionally, across all MBA programs, full-time one-year MBA programs in Asia (Asia-Pacific and Central Asia) (combined) reported the greatest growth in female application volume in 2012 at 77 percent, compared with 32 percent of full-time one-year MBA programs in Europe and 47 percent in the United States. Master of accounting and Master’s programme in IT — saw an increase in the percentage of women compared with last year. While last year, 56% of applications for Master of Accounting programs were by women, this year it has surged to 59%.

While only 40% of applications for Master’s in IT were from women last year, the figure has gone up to 45% this year.

Foreign Candidate pool:

Worldwide, Indian, Chinese, and United States citizens accounted for the greatest number of foreign applicants to MBA programs for 43 percent, 27 percent, and 6 percent of MBA programs, respectively. Across all of Asia, 34 percent of MBA programs indicated that Indian citizens accounted for their greatest number of foreign applications in 2012.

Subject-wise analysis

After many years of strong application volume, only 48% of Master of Finance programmes and 39% of Master of Accounting programmes reported increased or stable application volume. This contrasts sharply, when 68% of finance master’s and 81% of accounting master’s programmes recorded rising or stable application volumes. Moreover, it is for the first time in five years that a majority of these programmes (53% of finance and 60% of accounting) have reported declining application volume.

Job opportunities:

Asia tops this year’s growth in demand charts with an increase in opportunities of 20% over the past year. The increasing emergence and recognition of the MBA in Asia has seen the number of equivalent opportunities soar. This year, the growth in the number of MBA jobs in India and China stand out in particular. The trend for Asian companies, both multinational and local, to seek out MBAs as they pursue global expansion continues and shows no sign of slowing down, with an even larger 38% rise in opportunities forecasted for the coming year.

Nowhere has growth in 2013 been larger than in China, which experienced an explosive 35% rise in MBA opportunities, moving from fifth to third position in terms of the volume of job opportunities.

Meanwhile, the huge year-on-year increases in MBA jobs in India that have taken place in the past few years continue, with a 29% increase, far in excess of last year’s 16% rise.

Elsewhere, there were notable rises in the number of jobs in Asia available to MBAs in South Korea, where the presence of big multinationals like Samsung and Hyundai has fuelled a 20% increase, and even in Japan, where companies have a history of sponsoring students to pursue MBAs at Western business schools, saw a rise in demand of 17% this year.

According to Ms. Ang, NUS Business School has seen student numbers rise as a direct result of the increasing opportunities on offer. She feels that Singapore, “is widely considered to be the gateway to Asia/ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations].”

Banks in China, along with expanding professional services and consulting sectors, have all played a large part in the overall picture. Indeed, such has been the demand for MBAs that the Chinese government has set about launching its own business schools to supplement graduates returning from schools in the US and Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

The MBA degree has always made an impact on students by its different diversions in academics, its new challenges while learning and it has given an immense knowledge of the world with its new pattern.

Job opportunities in Asian countries have increased for domestic citizens and also for foreign citizens. The trend is also changing as the year passed by all new technology coming in which increases the opportunities for new entrants.

Students are keen to their secure future which if they can get in the same country so there will be less students who will pursue their career in foreign countries. This can impact on the development and growth of the country as education is the most important sector which leads to success and it can be achieved by giving all the new talent a chance to grow and change the systems which will directly help the country.

Basically, opportunities are increasing for the students to continue their studies in their own country which will enhance the growth of the country and its education system.

Contributed by Nandita Mishra (Batch 2013, IBS Hyderabad)

To pen down the experiences at IBS Pune is truly exciting. Life here is a mixed bag of many events. The idea of coming to IBS Pune was a tough decision since I had other options in hand.

Nevertheless a new beginning flagged off after 4 years of work experience with a Pharma R&D. I was slightly scared, not about coming back and studying but of the company of students who would have been at least 5 years younger than me. This half a decade difference made me suspect that I would be akin to senior citizen sitting in a youngsters’ park.

But my perception changed as the time flew. I did not realize how time moved so fast with barely one more semester to go.

I had a rewarding time at IBS Pune. The teachers were very supportive and the subjects interesting. I would insist that my friends pursue an MBA if they get such an opportunity. The teachers here have a host of industry connections, mix with students and never hesitate to try and solve the problems of students. They take time out of their busy schedule to counsel the students. For a person like me who had never studied finance, it was not easy to understand and compete with other proficient students on the campus. The assignments given by some of the faculty, were fun and added lot to the learning, not just of the subject but for life.

A lot of events kept happening on the campus. It started off with the freshers’ party and every one of us enjoyed it thoroughly. ZEAL followed and then came the farewell. Fellow students, staff and faculty took utmost efforts to make each event a big success.

Apart from this the IBS staff too took time and effort to remind us students to adhere to the rules and regulations pertaining to punctuality, submissions and even attendance.

I cannot wait enough for Campus Recruitment to take off, get selected and utilize the golden opportunity to apply the lessons learnt here. I would cherish the remaining moments to be spent on this inspiring campus.

Contributed by Nilu Mishra (Batch 2014, IBS Pune)

It was on the evening of 28th October 2013, when Mrs. Yasaswy called and informed me about performing Gurupuja at IBS-G on the 2nd Memorial lecture of Mr. Yasaswy- Founder of the ICFAI Group of Educational Institutions and a pioneer to promote higher education in the private sector.

Prof. Satish Raina, a renowned teacher and a former Principal of SP College, Srinagar was invited as a special Guest of Honour.

When I was young, I had heard a lot about Gurupuja but never got a chance to experience that. All I knew was that Gurupuja is performed to thank the teacher who taught us and because of their efforts we are what we are today. Prof. Satish Raina arrived at IBS-G at 1:00 pm and was welcomed with a bunch of lotus flowers. The Gurupuja was performed with aarti and kirtana. The garland was prepared by all of us and offered to Prof. Satish Raina. The flower petals were placed at his feet and the faculty and staff then touched his feet and took his blessings. The same was followed by mangala- aarti. The words of the aarti means that the teacher is the one who opens our darkened eyes and fills our heart with immense knowledge. The teacher is our lord, our guru and because of him our ignorance is destroyed. While performing Gurupuja there seemed to be the deep connection between the teacher and the students. The whole process at that time soaked all of us in an ocean of gratitude. The whole act of gathering flowers and doing the puja was celebrative.

In the entire experience, it was a thanks giving ceremony remembering all the teachers in our life. In the presence of a teacher, Gurupuja is the expression of devotion and gratitude towards our teachers. Performing Gurupuja at IBS -G helped the students and faculty to unite their mind with the past experiences of their loved teachers and their untiring support from time to time.

The puja ended with the blessings of Prof. Raina and him announcing that he had experienced this for the first time at any B-School. Prof. Raina was extremely happy to experience this kind of puja being performed at any management college.

The entire experience also helped the students to understand the merit and the positive energy, for our enlightened potential to grow and become perfect by acknowledging our teachers efforts.

After Gurupuja, the memorial Lecture was delivered by the Chief Guest, Mr. M S Sahoo, Secretary, The Institute of Company Secretaries of India. Prof. R. P. Kaushik, Member Board of Governors, ICFAI, presided over the function. Mrs. Sobharani Yasaswy, President ICFAI Group was the Guest of honour.  The lecture was attended by about 125 persons consisting of faculty members, students, staff of IBS Gurgaon, researchers and industry professionals.

Prof. (Dr.) O. P. Gupta, Director, IBS-Gurgaon and the distinguished guests paid tribute to Mr. N. J. Yasaswy by offering flowers to his photograph.

Contributed by Dr.Anupama Dullo Raina (Associate Dean & Placement coordinator, IBS Gurgaon)

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

– William Arthur Ward

And I was inspired right from the word go at IBS Pune. The excellent infrastructure at the new campus adds stimulus to creativity. Being located amongst renowned companies, a corporate atmosphere looms over the campus. Every faculty here is a “Dronacharya” and undoubtedly each year the school produces not just one but quite a few “Arjuns”, who are placed across the globe.

Most notable among the magnificent hallmarks of the institute is the case study pedagogy adopted here. It has left an indelible mark on my mind. The cases, an integral part of the teaching scheme differentiates it from other business schools. The cases are so perfectly designed that while writing the end semester exams I did not recollect the bookish words to frame my answers but drew from the extensively discussed case studies.

Every subject has interesting case studies for nearly every topic. Hence college never became a laborious activity. The daily schedule was lined with case studies from different trades. The case pedagogy requires lot of research work and hence we naturally and steadily developed a habit of analysing facts instead of mere mugging or learning by rote. The discussions brought out different points of views. Also IBS Pune is marked by diversity. Students from different parts of the country contribute unique dimensions and multiple points of view to the discussion. This enabled me to recognise, appreciate and respect differences and multiple points of view.

Finally, I am reminded of the lines by Benjamin Franklin:

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Today I proudly admit that case study pedagogy at IBS campus engaged, engrossed and enabled me to learn the wonders of the world of management.

Contributed by Ameet Vishwas Phadnis (Batch 2015, IBS Pune)