6/9/13 An International MBA Programme for Scientists and Engineers

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Home > An Internati onal MBA Programme for Sci enti sts and Engi neers
March 28, 2003
Andrew Hagan
I decided to do a PhD rather than take up one of the job offers I received at the end of my chemistry
degree partly because of the broader opportunities a PhD would offer me. In a university
environment, there are numerous (free) activities and training opportunities that can extend your
experiences way beyond your particular field of study--as well as providing a wealth of networking
possibilities. I took full advantage of my extra 3 years as a student and in fact heard about my next
career move through two different branches of my network: the French Cultural Delegation in
Cambridge and a mailing for chemistry postgrads.
The Collge Des Ingnieurs ( CDI [1]) offers a management fellowship leading to an MBA. Exclusively
for science and engineering postgrads from selected universities world-wide, the 10-month
programme is based in Paris, Stuttgart, or Montreal, with classes given by industry leaders and
professors from top international business schools. Hands-on business experience is an integral
component. And what's more, unlike most MBAs, this one does not cost a fortune; in fact, there are
no fees, and a stipend is provided.
I realised that this training and qualification would complement my research background well and
could accelerate the international industry career I was aiming for. Not only would it hone my
management and business skills, improve my languages, and offer extensive experience in
European and North American business, this course is also designed for "high potentials." It is
tailored for those thought to be the future of industry, and the opportunity to create a strong group of
friends who might well develop into a very influential network was apparent and alluring.
I applied early for the January admission (there are two intakes per year--in September and January--
and I was unlikely to finish the PhD in time to start in September), so it was May when I was invited to
interview in Paris. The weather was warm and sunny, and the Seine was as majestic as ever; I was
very glad that the interview went well and that, because I chose the Paris location, I would soon have
the opportunity to appreciate Parisian beauty and elegance more and more. This choice is up to you
and does not affect how likely your application is to succeed. However, work experience placements
are harder to find in the Montreal area, and this can mean ending up in France or Germany after all.
CDI is looking for evidence of your dynamism and leadership abilities. I believe that all those
extracurricular activities I was involved in at university--serving on many committees and starting up
three new societies--really helped convince the interview panel to give me a place. Language skills
can help, but talent and drive are more important; good candidates are offered a free intensive
language course, and even those who had spoken very little French when applying managed fine
after this. The course is in July and August, or just August if your French is already at a reasonable
level. Unfortunately I could not take advantage of it; PhDs always take longer to finish than you expect.
I returned to Paris in November to attend interviews for my "mission" placement. The mission is what
pays for your time at CDI: 25 weeks with a client company that pays the college for the work you do.
With this money, the college funds the classes, travel, and accommodation when classes are abroad
(classes can be in Paris; Stuttgart; St Gallen, Switzerland; or Montreal, regardless of your "home"
base).
The choice of mission is very important, and it is one way CDI really adds value to its programme.
Once you specify which aspect of business you are most interested in, the college finds a list of
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potential clients, whom you must meet and convince of your ability to carry out their projects. It is an
interview for a consulting position and cannot be taken lightly. Equally, since you will be doing this
consultancy project for 10 months, you must ensure that you will be able to gain what you want from it.
I wanted to develop pure business skills, so I chose a project involving a variety of business functions:
finance and performance management and reporting, benchmarking, internal marketing, and market
analyses.
Of course, while not obligatory, it is helpful to add something extra to what the client has asked for by
making suggestions and taking things a step further. This makes for a client who is not merely
satisfied, but happy. This skill of thinking beyond the task at hand and taking the initiative is certainly
something that I had developed during my PhD. In carrying out my mission, I found several other skills
to be invaluable as well: conducting research, managing time, being organised, juggling many tasks
at once, and meeting the demands of several conflicting interests. Having worked in a multicultural
environment--in the form of a science research group--was also a large benefit ... but did not fully
prepare me!
The course certainly does teach you to appreciate, and fit into, other cultures. I quickly discovered,
through my mission placement, that asking people in France to go for a drink after work is anathema.
It merely leaves them suspecting that you have no life and no friends. Socialising was done mainly
around the coffee machines and at lunch--oh, those long lunches. It will be hard to forget the look of
absolute incomprehension and disgust as I ate a sandwich by my computer (saving time and money,
I reasoned). It might have been equalled only had I carried a bell and shouted, "Unclean! Unclean!"
Similarly, it was interesting to observe how fellows of different nationalities behaved when we met for
classes and socially on Thursday nights. The Northern Europeans (British, Germans, Belgians) would
go straight to the pub: "Eating is cheating/Manger c'est tricher." The Mediterraneans and French
would go home, the former reappearing, after siestas and grooming, around midnight, but the home
team simply disappeared.
One thing I wish I'd known before starting the course was the price of a beer in Paris. The high cost of
liquid refreshment can severely eat into the small bursary that is provided out of the "mission fee." (It's
certainly enough to survive on, but a loan is readily available for those who take socialising seriously.)
Since people in Parisian bars tend to sit with the same drink for hours, I had to ask: Do bar
managers charge so much because people drink so little, or vice versa? One honest Irish bartender
explained that, MBA course or no, I still had a lot to learn. It's a case of pure market forces; people will
simply pay that much!
That said, the possibility of getting an MBA without running up a mountain of debt--together with the
high-flying network, tip-top professors (from places such as Harvard and INSEAD), and mission
experience--is one of CDI's real benefits. As well, because the fellows are academically gifted (CDI
does not rely on those who can afford high fees and so sacrifices neither standards nor integrity),
classes are very quick and very intensive: One visitor from an American business school commented
that 3 weeks of work at that school was covered in 3 hours at CDI. The disadvantage to the set-up is
that all the students are scientists and engineers with little business background, so CDI offers less
opportunity to learn from others' business experience. Having said that, many professors like
teaching at CDI as they hear novel, innovative, refreshing solutions, rather than rehashed, existing
ideas from, say, the latest publication by Porter (proclaimed business and management guru).
As well as enabling you to build a network among your peers, CDI has an established network of
industry contacts (at CEO level) who are attracted to its informal events. Nonetheless, CDI is still
young and so this network is now strongest in France and Germany. It has yet to target markets in the
UK or US, which could improve awareness of its qualifications in some quarters.
CDI certainly opened as many doors for me as I'd hoped it would. Indirectly through it, I have found
myself independently consulting for a company in Lithuania and Russia. Certainly without the training
at CDI, I would not be here and would not be making a success of it. The company I work for is not
6/9/13 An International MBA Programme for Scientists and Engineers
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related to my science background, but this illustrates one very important lesson from CDI, particularly
in today's economic climate. If you limit yourself to a narrow field, you will not do yourself justice. To
get to the top, experience in all roles is essential. Many of the skills that are necessary for that and
that have helped me so far were enhanced at CDI--a very strong springboard at the start of my
international career.
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Links:
[1] http://www.cdi.fr