International motivation is listed as one of the criteria for being admitted into the INSEAD MBA programme. But what does it actually mean? How do you actually prove such a thing? International motivation is one of the things I like to talk about, as it is key to the mission of INSEAD, bringing together people, cultures and ideas to develop responsible leaders who transform business and society.

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A Bellifontain is an inhabitant of Fontainebleau, the small French town where INSEAD is located, and part of the MBA experience is about adjusting to life here – not exactly French life, but Bellifontain life, which is a very particular subset of the French culture. As the seasons change, let’s say you are an authentic Bellifontain when: You complain that there is nothing to do in Fontainebleau, but your schedule is always full.

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The project to run and track our collective progress via an app first started as an effort to keep the GEMBA19 cohort together when physically apart, and to help get us into better shape (fit body, fit mind). We also wanted to showcase our diversity and lastly, but most importantly, to be a force for good. 

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1. Do your homework. Check out the school and the programme curriculum on the website and be prepared to explain why you chose INSEAD, why this programme interests you, and how it can help you to achieve your career goals. Make a checklist of key features and dates so you don’t get it mixed up with another institution and end up talking to Stanford about INSEAD’s campus in Singapore! Choose the information you will post on your own social media profile wisely. You have checked out their website, chances are they will check out your profile too.

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I couldn’t have asked for a better P4/5 break!

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Reminiscences from a bicycle trip through the forest of Fontainebleau

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Coming from a background in science and start-ups, many of my MBA programme options felt like a strong departure from the unfamiliar mind-expanding experiences, on-the-job learning, and team-building challenges of start-ups into a world of conservatism, risk management, and generally-accepted best practices—except for INSEAD.

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I’m no stranger to live music nights. When I lived in Hong Kong (where I grew up and also worked before INSEAD), I used to volunteer for Sofar Sounds Hong Kong, a global movement based on secret gigs built to promote live music in intimate settings.

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With the end of the valuation exam, we approached the end of P1. I am now taking a break in Prague, thoughtfully, calmly, and hopefully. Overall, P1 life was fast and intensive, and I have three specific reflections: Firstly, academic intelligence. Although INSEAD is known as a school where students like to have fun, they demonstrate high levels of academic intelligence thanks to the standards and requirements of the courses.

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Since I hail from a non-business background, my main goal in pursuing a business school education was to gain finance and other hard skills, so as to become a general manager within the pharmaceutical industry, my current work area.

• Read more about Gaining Hard Lessons From INSEAD’s “Soft” Leadership Programme