Choosing an MBA Program in Russia

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Choosing an MBA Program in Russia:
Major issues to consider
More and more MBA programs are being offered in Russia. Many are taught all in Russian, and some are delivered in a partnership format with an overseas (usually American or European) university, and often at least partly in English. Some programs are full-time, some are part time; evening and distance courses are also offered. In short, they are being designed to meet the needs of Russia's brightest entrepreneurs, who are also very busy people.

Why would you want to do your MBA in Russia? It wasn't so long ago that the mere mention of "business" and "Russia" in the same breath was almost laughable. A former command economy offering real MBA programs? Well, the fact of the matter is that not only are these courses being offered in Russia, they are already at a very respectable level. In terms of material covered, many do not differ significantly from programs in the west and yes, they too are using Harvard case studies.

To understand why you might want to consider doing your MBA in Russia, you need to look at one of the real values of any MBA program, which is the contacts you will make. In most cases, this is really what differentiates the various tiers of business schools in the west. Keeping that in mind, we offer the following suggestions:

If you plan to work only in western markets - e.g. in the US - then you will not really gain much from an MBA in Russia.
The exception to the above statement is in cases where you can get a dual MBA - meaning that you simultaneously obtain the same degree from a US or European university. In this case, there may be considerable financial savings on tuition in Russia.
If you plan to work in Russia, an MBA in Russia can quickly gain you high level contacts.
If you plan to work between cultures - maybe in Russia, maybe not, then a Russian MBA may be invaluable, but your selection of a university may be influenced by your desired company, job, sector and/or other factors. Talk with others in your desired field or write to an SRAS consultant.

source: Business Schools