On 1 September 2020, the pioneering INSEAD Master in Management (MIM) class started their journey on the school's iconic Fontainebleau campus.
In the 2019 press release announcing the launch of the programme, Urs Peyer, Dean of Degree Programmes at INSEAD, said “Our current master programmes are designed for experienced global professionals – from MBAs and participants in our Executive Master in Finance, to senior executives in our Executive MBA and Executive Master in Change.
The MIM will make the INSEAD educational offering complete by equipping a new group of post-graduate, pre-experience learners with the most relevant knowledge and skills to succeed in today’s complex world and move it in new and exciting directions”.
We caught up with MIM Programme Director Thibault Séguret, himself an INSEAD MBA graduate from the class of 2012'J, to learn more about this programme.
What was the school’s motivation for launching the MIM?
INSEAD has always been at the forefront of innovation in management education, responding to market needs and developing business leaders who can navigate the dynamic landscape.
With the INSEAD MBA students having around six years of work experience and an average age of 29, we felt that the school was missing out on the talent and innovativeness of young graduates coming immediately out of university, as much as these talented individuals were missing out on INSEAD.
With the growing demand for business education at a postgraduate level, we finally felt the time was ripe
The MIM is not a new format in the market; how will the INSEAD MIM differ from other schools' offerings, and how does it fit into INSEAD's portfolio of degree programmes?
If you look at the market landscape, MIM programmes have been successfully launched and are thriving at many other top business schools.
We have been carefully observing and evaluating this trend for some time, and with the growing demand for business education at a postgraduate level, we finally felt the time was ripe.
Having said that, creating any new programme at INSEAD follows a well-thought-out and inclusive consultation process, involving faculty and the school board. We also took the time to consult recruiters to gather their feedback on what skills and knowledge MIM graduates were lacking today in the workplace, to make sure that what we want to offer is a cut above the rest.
This process led us to create a programme that answers in depth the needs of the graduate job market today, by offering a practice-oriented pedagogy and relevant skills.
The MIM programme also offers the opportunity for INSEAD Faculty to try new ways to teach a smaller batch, and to adapt to the learning style and needs of this younger generation. It is yet another opportunity for INSEAD Faculty to innovate, but also to anticipate and prepare for the learning needs of MBAs a few years down the road.
A programme that answers in depth the needs of the graduate job market today
Last but not least, this new, innovative age group will enrich INSEAD’s community as a whole, increasing the diversity across generations, which will benefit all of us. As such, we see the creation of the MIM as an extension of the school’s mission, which is to bring together people, cultures and ideas to develop responsible business leaders who transform society and businesses.
Some similarities but fundamentally different
How does the programme compare to the INSEAD MBA?
Although the INSEAD MBA and MIM programme bear some similarities (they are both full-time, and cover general business education) they are fundamentally different.
The MIM is designed for postgraduates with minimal or no work experience, who are looking to attain knowledge in general management and gain experiential learning before entering the job market and launching their career. Therefore, the INSEAD MIM curriculum is very practice-oriented, preparing graduates to be efficient and operational for their first job through simulations, workshops and group work.
The curriculum also features intensive, experiential blocks at the end of each period, where students apply their knowledge in real-life situation co-developed with recruiters. Each of these experiential blocks is designed around one or two typical post-MIM functions and will allow our students not only to gain hands-on experience but also to confirm where they want to start their career after the MIM.
The INSEAD MBA continues to be tailored for experienced professionals with around six years of work experience who are looking to make a career change, accelerate their careers, or willing to create new business ventures.
The curriculum offers a strong foundation in the business practice, and broad management skills essential for MBA candidates to succeed in the next steps of their careers. The pedagogy, centred around classroom discussions, leverages the depth of experience MBA participants have already acquired at this stage of their career.
The ideal launchpad for a global career
Both programmes are true to INSEAD’s DNA: they offer an intense, immersive experience alongside a diverse class of talented peers. They, however, differ in purpose: The MIM is the ideal launchpad for a global career, and the MBA empowers participants to accelerate and transform their global career.
The two programmes cannot substitute each other as they cater to different needs, in various stages of the students’ careers. From an admissions perspective, we have created clear line: As soon as a candidate is eligible for the MBA in terms of work experience, he or she is no longer eligible for the MIM.
Cultural fit with INSEAD’s values
What does your ideal MIM candidate look like?
We are reaching out globally to top-performing graduates from any field of study. Same as with all other programmes, we carefully examine the candidates’ cultural fit with INSEAD’s values – intellectual curiosity, creativity, open-mindedness, and a demonstrated adaptability to different cultures. Candidates also have to show their desire to evolve in a global career.
The ideal MIM candidate for INSEAD may have lived in several countries already or been exposed to different cultures. He/she is looking to expand his/her professional perspectives by acquiring general management capabilities and in-demand skills while gaining a technological edge.
MIM participants come from a wide variety of study fields for their undergraduate degrees, thus creating this diversity of thought and different perspectives in the classroom that make our INSEAD experience so valuable.
Is there anything alumni can do to support this new programme?
Absolutely! Alumni are, by far, the school’s best ambassadors. Every year, a significant number of participants join INSEAD thanks to alumni testimonies and recommendations. For this new programme, we are actively looking for young talent to join our programme, or for contacts in top undergraduate schools across the world.
If you know someone who would benefit from the Master in Management programme, feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected], and I promise to personally reach out to them.
