• The flexibility of the ESSEC Master in Management draws students with diverse interests.
• Students gained from the Junior Consultant Experience at the ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus.
• Diversity of cohort helps build intercultural communication skills.

Abhiraj Verma, Jaanhvi Gupta, and Rahul Sharma have different career goals. Abhiraj, who graduated from Panjab University, Chandigarh, with a degree in Economics, hopes to start his own company. Jaanhvi, who holds a business degree from Symbiosis International University, is interested in luxury, and Rahul from the National Institute of Technology Silchar hopes to translate his tech degree into a career in finance.

Despite their diverse interests, all three found the ESSEC Master in Management (MiM) an ideal program to bring them closer to their goals.

Unparalleled Flexibility to Build Your Own Journey

“The program intrigued me since it is designed to help fresh graduates and individuals with little or no professional experience succeed in the workplace,” Abhiraj shares, noting that this would be especially useful for those without a business background.

The benefits accrue even for those who do, Jaanvhi says. “My undergraduate education didn’t offer me much exposure to the luxury industry, and I didn’t manage to find a role in a luxury firm, so I thought it would be better to pursue a master’s in a school that would give me the relevant experience,” she explains.

But most appealing, perhaps, was the flexibility they had to customize the curriculum based on their unique interests and career aspirations. This is seen in how the MiM offers students over 200 electives and 50 specializations, covering everything from entrepreneurship, which Abhiraj is keen on, to finance and luxury, which fit Rahul’s and Jaanvhi’s career goals, respectively.

Freedom is also found in the program’s requirement for international experience, and students can spend at least six months overseas interning, on exchange, completing a double degree program, or simply attending classes at ESSEC Business School’s campuses across the globe—giving Jaanvhi a chance to join the LVMH Chair.

In addition, professional experience is mandatory, and students can choose from apprenticeships, internships, or even starting their own businesses while studying, ticking yet another box in Abhiraj’s list.

Unique ESSEC Asia-Pacific Offerings

Notably, although students can choose to start their MiM journey in France or Singapore, Abhiraj, Jaanvhi, and Rahul, all chose the latter.

The country’s status as a global financial hub, abundance of global MNCs, and reputation as the Silicon Valley of Asia undoubtedly played a part in swaying their decision. But all three agree that the most significant pull factor was the MiM offerings exclusive to the Asia Pacific campus: The specialized tracks for fintech and entrepreneurship and the Junior Consultant Experience (JCE).

As its name suggests, the JCE is an opportunity for students to gain professional experience by acting as consultants and helping businesses solve real-world problems. Students spend the first part of the project supporting a commercial enterprise and the second, an NGO, giving them abundant professional experience to add to their portfolio.

In addition to helping businesses develop solutions, students from the 2022 cohort also attended talks from industry experts, like IBM Consulting Asia-Pacific, Eurogroup Consulting, and McKinsey & Company. They had a field trip to furniture maker Roger & Sons to learn more about the retail industry.

“The JCE really helped me understand what it is like to work as a consultant,” Jaanhvi shares, adding that this experience, coupled with the classroom projects, “really gives us a taste of what it’s like in the corporate world.”

Immersing in an International Environment

Significantly, these group projects are also a training ground for teamwork and collaboration—skills that are only enhanced by the diverse cultures of their classmates.

“I’ve had the chance to interact with students from France, Italy, Croatia, China, Spain, and more,” Rahul testifies, adding that campus life activities like the Global Village, which introduces students to different cultures, have also been an excellent platform for him to get to know his classmates better.

This, he adds, is a stark difference from his undergraduate days, when everyone came from a similar background. “At ESSEC, every person has a different experience and is eager to connect and share,” he says.

To him, Jaanvhi, and Abhiraj, it is this exposure to a diverse and intelligent cohort, when put together with the MiM’s depth, breadth, and flexibility, that makes the program equal parts challenging and enriching—perfect for helping one develop the professional skills they need, no matter their eventual career of choice.