The Executive Assessment Blog

Business schools are becoming increasingly international. Among US programs, for example, our research shows that 37 percent of applicants are international, while among European business schools the rate is even higher at 79 percent. Overall, 58 percent of applicants say they plan to apply to schools abroad. For students, commutes that cross borders—and sometimes oceans—to get to class are not uncommon.

There are many advantages to commuting long distances. A significant one is reputation. In fact, we have found that the quality and reputation of business schools is the most important factor for applicants when they decide where to apply. If a business school has a global reputation, then a long commute may be worthwhile. Executive MBA programs are structured for students who work full-time—often offering classes only on weekends or every second or third week of the month—and that makes them especially attractive to long-distance commuters.

But commuting long distance is not always easy. If you’re considering making the world your campus, here are a few ways to make the commute easy and productive.

Joint Executive MBA programs have risen to prominence in recent years. In the latest Financial Times rankings of the world’s best EMBAs, half of the top 10 were joint programs. By pooling their resources together, business schools are able to offer students an EMBA that provides truly exceptional value.

With a joint EMBA you get a degree from not just one, but two (and sometimes even three or more) business schools. That alone is a powerful incentive to consider a joint EMBA program. Beyond that, there are many other benefits. Here’s a look at just a few of them.