How a Master’s in Management can prepare you for international leadership opportunities

Studying a Master’s in Management (MiM) can offer a launchpad for an international career in business, helping you connect with industries, alumni, and opportunities all over the world.

In fact, 68% of applicants said that increasing opportunities for a global career was their main motivation for going to business school, in our latest Prospective Students Survey. A further 49% said gaining access to employment abroad was their main incentive.

Our research also indicates that global employers are increasingly looking to hire applicants with international business degrees. They cite common advantages including increased diversity, multi-lingual skills, and cross-cultural communication.

Studying a MiM can help you develop the key skills needed for international leadership, alongside building a diverse network and gaining exposure to wide-ranging perspectives.

The Master in Management at HEC Paris, for example, aims to help students develop their intercultural skills, preparing them for global business careers.

We spoke to Najwa Alam, a Master in Management student at HEC Paris, to find out more.

Learn in an international environment

Studying at a business school in a new city or country will expose you to new people, cultures, and ways of living—this can naturally help to develop your communication and interpersonal skills, which are essential for effective leadership.

“The program really helped me develop my international leadership skills,” explains Najwa, who is from Afghanistan (pictured). “Firstly, it helped me develop my identity, because this was the first time I was in an international environment.

“When you are coming from a developing country, you have a totally different perspective and ideas, so you learn a lot,” she adds. “In the early stages, you might be afraid to even express your ideas, but you learn to push yourself.”

In addition to navigating a new environment, learning among diverse peers helps broaden your perspective. At HEC Paris, the MiM cohort includes 40% international students, with over 50 nationalities represented.

“Being in a class of internationally diverse peers—who all have different cultures and life experiences—challenges your perspectives, assumptions, and even your communication style and the way you network,” explains Najwa.

“If you’re working with diverse people, especially in leadership, you have to be able to communicate with them. And, in order to communicate with them, you have to understand them first,” she adds.

Build your global network

Going to business school can help you build a global perspective while networking with alumni working across industries and continents. Developing a strong network can provide valuable industry insights, help you gain practical advice, and even lead to professional opportunities such as internships or job offers.

“The alumni network has been very useful, especially because you can approach alumni who graduated two years ago and also 20 years ago, so you get two different perspectives of the industry,” says Najwa.

“You have to learn how to communicate, which really helped me to navigate how I connect with people, and develop my leadership skills,” she adds.

Gain real-world experience

One of the best ways to develop your leadership skills is to apply them in a practical environment—through taking initiative, managing teams, and navigating challenges.

“The program helps you understand how businesses operate in the real world—how business itself operates, how different departments function, and how businesses work internationally,” explains Najwa.

Alongside developing their understanding of how businesses function, students at HEC Paris are encouraged to take advantage of internship opportunities by taking an optional gap year. Through applying these learnings in a real-world environment, students can further develop their international leadership skills—while gaining industry insights, refining their career goals, and developing their resumes.

In addition to internship opportunities, there are also networking events and forums which students can engage with.

“There were a lot of events happening outside of campus, which gave you the opportunity to participate and grow your international leadership skills,” explains Najwa. “I was ambassador for the peace forum in Paris, for instance, where different countries came together to discuss topics about peace, business, climate, and more.”

Studying a MiM degree can help you connect with a broad network and open yourself up to new perspectives and opportunities. Equally, through learning in an international environment, communicating with diverse peers, and applying business theory in practice, the program can help you build the skills required for international leadership.