Programme Podcast: Recent Episodes
RSM MBA
In this episode, I speak with Pascal Chabaneix and Rodrigo Quintanilla Gonzalez (FTMBA ’26) about their Full-time MBA journey, the learning experiences that shaped them, and the unexpected moments that pushed them further than they imagined.Before starting the programme, Pascal moved to the Netherlands with his wife to settle into a new environment. “Arriving in December 2024 helped us get to know the country and the new life we were expecting to have,” he shares. Rodrigo reflects on how much he has grown during the programme, especially after the Living Management Project: “You don’t realize how much you’ve been growing until you face the world.” We also dive into one of the most memorable experiences of their year: the MBAT. With 1,800 participants from MBA programmes across Europe, the event required months of preparation. Listen to the full conversation and their inspiring stories!
In todays podcast I chat with Ritika and Ashley as they are getting closer to graduation. During their Full-time MBA experience, they have learned what leadership looks like for them on a personal level. We also discuss their motivation to do an MBA and what they were looking for when embarking on this journey. Ritika shares: “I realised I am in my comfort zone, and I need to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. This pushed me to look for other jobs and then I landed in E-commerce. I loved it. But I knew there had to be something more.” Ashley shares: “I have always been someone who needs change. I’d rather move than stand still. Every time I hit a wall in life, I asked myself “what can I change and do to get out of this situation?”Listen to the full podcast to hear about their journey and looking forward to life after the Full-time MBA!
And of course, I’m also building the hard skills - like accounting and business - which are priceless. You learn the language by doing the course.”Listen to the full interview to hear more about Dircki’s journey, insights, and advice!
In today’s podcast episode I talk to Charles Mangwiro, one of our Full-time MBA students (Class of 2026). We chat about his background in investment management, insurance, and Fintech after which we dive into his FTMBA journey. During the MBA Charles learned to be more intentional about his work every day. The Personal Leadership Development component of the Full-time MBA programme raised his awareness on looking beyond the tasks. “I was more task oriented. Personal Leadership Development made me more aware that empathy is part of leadership.”When looking back on the highlights, he shares a few. “The Living Management Project, where we had to go to actual businesses and solve actual challenges and cases was a big highlight. We also had the opportunity to go to London for the study trip. All of that was inspirational and insightful.”Listen to the full episode to learn more about the MBA journey, and his advice if you’re on the fence!
In this episode I sit down with Hannah Foster, Recruitment and Admissions Manager at RSM. She shares what the admissions process looks like for the Full-time MBA and we debunk misunderstandings one may have about this process. ‘It is an important decision, so you do want to put your best foot forward, but don’t overthink the process. It’s not too intensive,’ says Hannah. And as a cherry on top we also dive into the new ‘MBA student for a day’ experience that we now offer.‘The MBA Student for a day experience is a more complete programme that aims to give you the full experience of what a day in the life might be like for you as a student here.’ Listen to the full interview to learn more about this great opportunity!
In this episode, Ana Muraro was looking forward to and preparing for her Executive MBA Class of ’25 graduation. Now, she’s officially an alumna and has joined a powerful global network of over 50,000 alumni.In this episode, Ana reflects on:•Her very first week of the EMBA journey•The impact of the Personal Leadership Development component•How SDGs resonated with her - and came to life during the South Africa study trip🎧Her advice is invaluable if you’re considering an Executive MBA.
In this episode Shilpika Basu, one of our Executive MBA students who joined the programme earlier this year, reflects on her EMBA journey so far:“Finance was always such a dry subject for me - but during the MBA, I had the most fun and camaraderie in accounting classes with Dennis Jullens. The lively discussions and banter made learning so much more engaging, and he was such an amazing person to learn finance from."Listen to the full episode to hear more about Shilpika’s EMBA experience, highlights of the programme so far and her advice!
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ginelle van Tartwijk, Philanthropy Advisor at ABN AMRO MeesPierson and proud alumna of RSM’s Full-time MBA Class of 2024.Originally from the US, Ginelle moved to the Netherlands with an efficiency mindset – determined to fully dedicate herself to the MBA journey. During our conversation, she reflected on the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in her studies at RSM:“The SDGs are a very big component of what we talk about in class, what we try to focus on, and what we take with us as we graduate.”The SDG that resonates most with her? SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.“I always come back to that one as being most important, because ultimately we have to work together to achieve the other goals. It’s difficult to do it alone - and I see that both in my work and in the big philanthropists I follow.”For more insights and to hear her full MBA story, listen to the full interview!
During the Global Executive MBA at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM), participants can choose a unique track: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). It’s designed for future CEOs who want to lead an existing company, rather than start one from scratch.In this episode, we speak with Leonardo Palú, a recent graduate from the Global Executive MBA Class of 2025. Leonardo took a bold step by launching a search fund in Brazil – a courageous career pivot that marks the beginning of his journey to acquire and lead a business. He’s just completed the fundraising phase and is now actively searching for the right company. We explore:- What the ETA track offers - What his experience has been like so far- And how he envisions himself stepping into the CEO role.As Leonardo puts it:“They’re not just investors, they’re invested in you.”🎧 Listen to the full episode to find out more about this alternative path to entrepreneurship.
In this episode we sat down with Márcia Di Domenico - a seasoned finance professional and Executive MBA student - who brings over a decade of global experience in audit, controlling, and reporting. From PwC to leading finance at a startup in Brazil, and now Senior Group Financial Controller in Rotterdam, Márcia shares how her EMBA is transforming her view on leadership and reshaping her future.💬 We dive into:- Choosing the right MBA programme- Redefining leadership & strategy- Navigating surprises along the way- Career vision beyond job titles- Growth as both a leader and a person🎧 Tune in to hear insights from a finance professionals and advice for anyone considering the EMBA path.
“There’s nothing better than talking to alumni or current students. Sometimes there are limits to what you can find online – but reaching out can really open your eyes to what’s possible with an MBA.” – Beatriz Valenzuela, FTMBA Class of 2025Beatriz graduated this March, completing the Full-time MBA alongside her husband. 💬 “Doing the MBA together made the experience even more meaningful – we grew as individuals and as a couple.”In this episode, Beatriz shares:- What it was like navigating the FTMBA – and why you should use your student card!- Why she and her husband moved back to Mexico after graduation- How she plans to apply her MBA experience back home🎧 Listen to the full episode!#FTMBA #MBAJourney #WomenInBusiness #LeadershipDevelopment #RSMMBA
When Tugay joined the GEMBA programme at RSM, he expected to sharpen his business skills, and he has. But what he didn’t anticipate was the depth of personal growth the experience would demand.When discussing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Tugay speaks candidly about his personal connection to SDG #1 – No Poverty:“I was born and raised in the Netherlands, and that makes me privileged. But my ancestors weren’t. One grandfather was from Italy, the other from Turkey, and both grew up in poverty. I carry their legacy with me. I have a deep desire to break the cycle and help build a world where everyone has a fair chance at a better life.”This was just one of many powerful reflections Tugay shares - including his belief in leading by creating a safe environment.🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear more from Tugay and the leadership insights he’s gained along the way.
With a degree in Chemical Engineering and over 15 years of experience in the Oil, Gas & Chemical industry across Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, Zaher Charaf joined the Executive MBA programme in January 2025.In this episode, we dive into how he found his way into this field, what led him to pursue an MBA, and how the programme is shaping his perspective on his career path.🎧 Listen to the full interview here!#ExecutiveMBA #RSM #CareerJourney #LeadershipDevelopment #LifelongLearning #QualityEducation
In this episode I dove into the MBA journey of two of our FTMBA Class of ’26 students, Yen Pham and Pascal Chabaneix. With different stories about their personal and professional backgrounds, thoughts and insights on leadership, turning points in their lives and the whole decision making process to do an MBA, this podcast is full of inspiring stories and nuggets of wisdom you must hear!
‘Transformation is not optional in this programme. Especially because of the Strategic Leadership Development course.’ – Shreyas Kapse (GEMBA ’25)When asked about key take-aways of the Global Experiential Learning modules, Shreyas shared: ‘The GELS’s are truly the experiential part of the learning. It is the most pragmatic kind of learning that you can expect.’ Listen to the full episode to learn more about his journey, his experiences and some examples of the Global Experiential Learning trips.
Nejla joined the Executive MBA Class of ’26. When asked about the SDG’s, she shares: ‘#4 is about Quality education, #7 is about affordable energy and #10 is about reducing inequality. Those three each have the targets and indicators that are incredibly ambitious but I think that’s what we need. Those three really move the needle to be able to unlock exponential progress on the others.’Listen to the full interview to learn about Nejla’s personal and professional journey and advice
Catarina Lopes Pereira joined the Executive MBA Class of 2026. With extensive experience in expert roles, Catarina decided to do an Executive MBA to broaden her horizon further. ‘I think that doing an MBA at RSM can help me with taking on more strategic roles with more impact and enhancing my leadership skills,’ she shares.Listen to the full interview to hear about Catarina’s journey, experiences and pieces of advice!
When joining the Full-time MBA Class of 2026 here at RSM, Sarah Humphries did have some expectations but also knew her expectations would be a bit different. ‘I knew that with my creative background, I would be looking for something different from the institution that I was joining. And I wanted to join an institution where I would not have to apologise for my design background,’ says Sarah Humphries.Listen to the full interview to hear more about Sarah’s Full-time MBA journey!
In this episode Ikram Mataich (GEMBA Class of 2026) shares how she is experiencing her Global Executive MBA journey here at RSM, the importance of having people around that support you, and the importance of believing in yourself and your leadership skills. ‘I would say that you have to find the courage to apply. Have that confidence in yourself.’ Listen to the full interview to hear about her GEMBA journey!
In this podcast Amina Daniels (FTMBA ’26) shares her story about overcoming obstacles, her journey towards an MBA here at Rotterdam School of Management, and how she is experiencing the Full-time MBA programme so far. ‘It’s not enough to open a business. You need policy to really have a greater impact on communities,’ Amina said. Listen to the full interview, to learn more about the value of an MBA and advice coming from a student that is in the midst of her MBA journey.
In this podcast Meghan McKinnon, one of RSM’s Career Development Managers, shares how the career center helps guide and coach our current students during their MBA journey.‘We focus on four primary areas, so the first one is self-awareness. That’s knowing who you are, that’s knowing where your skill-sets lie, where your strengths are, what you really enjoy doing. And often times as we just go through our career, we don’t really step back and think about these things and evaluate them. So we do spend quite a lot of time on that.’Listen to the full podcast to learn more about how our career center is there for our students, as soon as they embark on their MBA journey.The topics in this podcast are:- Coaching and positioning yourself in the job-market- Coaching every individual student, regardless of their journey- How does the Career Center offer support and coaching?- The skills every MBA candidate needs- A word of advice
In this podcast we dive into the collaboration between our MBA Careers team and companies such as FrieslandCampina and AkzoNobel. This particular collaboration started in 2016 with Dirk van de Heijden. At that time he was working with FrieslandCampina after which he transitioned to AkzoNobel. In this podcast we discuss several topics, such as how our MBA students are being prepared for the corporate world, what competencies our MBA students excel in due to the MBA programmes and of course the journey ahead in terms of collaborations.‘You need solution thinking, or improvement thinking. And what I really like with RSM, and again it’s cooked into your programme, is that data-driven solution thinking across disciplines, to have an open radar. Not to be blindfolded for your tech-way of looking at things.’ Dirk van der Heijden (Head of Application Delivery at AkzoNobel)Listen to the full podcast here!
When asked why he decided to do a Full-time MBA here at RSM, Damilola Arogundade (FTMBA class of ’25) shared: ‘RSM seemed like a place that aligned with my values. I knew a couple of RSM alumni, one of them particularly had come to Nigeria to work. And I had met him and we hit it off, like a solid friendship. And I liked the values that he embodied and the company where he worked.’ In this podcast episode, Damilola speaks about his FTMBA journey, how he experiences being here in the Netherlands compared to Nigeria. He also shares more about the problem he discovered here in Rotterdam, and how the Impact Experience was a great opportunity to look for solutions to resolve this. Listen to the full episode to learn more about him, his journey and his advice on pursuing an MBA.
In this podcast Andrea Bergamini, who has joined the Executive MBA Class of ‘25, shares how he is experiencing his EMBA journey. Andrea is currently Vice President, Global Infrastructure and Chief Information Security Officer at Orbia. He has lived in several European countries and is currently living in Amsterdam. He shares how he balances work, studying and family life. Andrea is married and has 2 kids, a 7-year-old and a 7… month old. In this episode we discuss his EMBA journey, as well as his passion for astrophotography and why he runs a remote observatory hosted in sunny Spain. For advice on balancing work, life and studying and whether to do an EMBA or not, listen to this insightful podcast episode, about Andrea's personal journey towards and during the EMBA.
In this podcast Monika Juodpusiene shares what her GEMBA journey is like, as well as her decision making process and her encounters with women in different industries that lack confidence. ‘I separated myself first from the social circle that influences you or brings out a lack of self confidence. It was one of the hardest steps; applying,’ she shares. ‘Is it really for me? Do I have what it takes? I’m not in the corporate world. Is it only for corporate people? And I think that’s the biggest misconception. Especially the (Global) Executive MBA is for anyone who wants to become a better leader. And we need better leaders in every field.’ Monika Juodpusiene (Global Executive MBA class of ’25)Listen to the full podcast, to learn more about her journey both towards and during the GEMBA, her perspective on the need of better leaders and advice for women listening to this podcast. ‘I say to you, go for it.’
The first SDG that comes to mind is quality education,’ says Serge Duarte Pinto. Serge joined the Global Executive MBA Class of ’25 in September last year. ‘As a scientist I have always been close to the education system and now I am the father of two children and I also look at it from another angle,’ he shares when asked about the Sustainable Development Goals. In this podcast we discuss his GEMBA journey, how he experiences the Strategic Leadership Development course that runs throughout the whole programme and what his advice is, if you want to do an MBA.
In this insightful episode, we delve deep into the world of the Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) programme, where some key questions that highlight its unique offerings and advantages are answered by the Academic Director of the programme, Hans van Oosterhout. If you're considering furthering your education and you're curious about our Global Executive MBA, this episode is a must-listen!
In this episode our Global Executive MBA students, Vivian Faceto, Lorenzo Salvatori and Kevin Jansen, reflect on their GEMBA journey. How do they feel about graduating soon? What have they implemented already? And are they connected with our alumni network already? All these questions and more are answered here.Listen to the full episode to hear what they have to say about the GEMBA journey here at Rotterdam School of Management!
In this podcast Andrea Bergamini, who has joined the Executive MBA Class of ‘25, shares how he is experiencing his EMBA journey. Andrea is currently Vice President, Global Infrastructure and Chief Information Security Officer at Orbia. He has lived in several European countries and is currently living in Amsterdam. He shares how he balances work, studying and family life. Andrea is married and has 2 kids, a 7-year-old and a 7… month old. In this episode we discuss his EMBA journey, as well as his passion for astrophotography and why he runs a remote observatory hosted in sunny Spain. For advice on balancing work, life and studying and whether to do an EMBA or not, listen to this insightful podcast episode, about Andrea's personal journey towards and during the EMBA.
With a background in Geoscience, Euphrasia Wong decided to pursue her Executive MBA here at RSM and joined the Executive MBA class of ’25. In today’s podcast we dive into her background, what motivated her to pursue an MBA and what her overall experience has been like these past few months.‘I have enjoyed a technical career over the last thirteen years, specialising in Geochemistry. I wanted to pursue a study that can broaden and complement my technical skills. I also aspire to pivot from a technical to a managerial and eventually a leadership role,’ she shares. When speaking about the Sustainable Development Goals, Euphrasia emphasises the importance of SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy. ‘Energy is all around us and is what fuels our lives. We don’t even have to think twice about switching the lights on or turning the heating on during winter. Reality is that this is a privilege which some don’t have, be it access to affordable energy or sustaining energy at all.’Listen to the full interview, to learn about the best way of learning, balancing work and study and Euphrasia's advise on doing an Executive MBA.
In this podcast we dive into the story of Moustafa Youssef, one of our current Executive MBA students, class of ‘25. Moustafa grew up in Dubai, where his career was centered around civil engineering, project management and strategic planning and development. He joined the Executive MBA to explore different career opportunities and to broaden his horizon.‘I’m driven by three things. I'm driven by passion, responsibility and curiosity. My passion for management, team leading and being a better leader and my responsibility towards the world, the place where I live and how to make it better, motivated me to do an Executive MBA,' Moustafa shares. Listen to the podcast to learn more about the EMBA journey so far and Moustafa's advice for those considering doing an EMBA.
In this podcast I spoke with Seraphine Nathania about the start of her Full-time MBA journey. Seraphine specialises in risk internal auditing and decided to do an MBA here are RSM. Even though her Full-time MBA journey just started in January 2024, we asked her about her decision making process and her journey so far. We also asked her if she had any prior expectations of doing an MBA. ‘I did not expect the MBA to be an easy and smooth journey. I believe that it must be challenging. But at the same time I also believe that it will be a rewarding experience,’ Seraphine shared.Listen to the podcast, to learn more about her decision making process and how her journey has been so far.
In this podcast we spoke to Hans Koolen. Hans has over 30 years of experience in business and IT and is now the owner of NUB3S. Hans has been collaborating with RSM and the careers team since 2014 in sharing his knowledge with our MBA participants.In this episode we discuss the subject of career growth after completing an MBA, some valuable insights into what MBA students should consider when evaluating potential employers and we dive into the future of AI in the workplace.‘You need to be self aware. What separates you from the herd? What separates you from your classmates? I believe it's not knowledge that sets us apart. It's a couple of things. It's pride. It's your social skills. And social skills are not something that you stumble across. It's something that you can educate yourself on,' Hans shares.Listen to the full podcast to hear Hans's great advice for all MBA students.
In this podcast episode, Vivian Faceto (GEMBA '24) shares her experience with the Global Executive MBA.During the Global Executive MBA, Vivian Faceto learned that some of her weaknesses, turned out to be her strengths. The GEMBA allows her to recognize that working with both her strengths as well as her so called weaknesses helps her become a better leader.'Many things that I thought were bad, weaknesses, ended up being my strengths,' Vivian says.Listen to the full podcast to hear more about Vivian's GEMBA journey.
'Broadening your horizons and broadening your understanding, enables you to make a broader contribution. Modern business is all about collaboration and I think the MBA gives you that capability.' - Peter Drake (Global Executive MBA '25)In this podcast Peter shares his view on the GEMBA journey, his own personal and professional background and how this programme helps him broaden his knowledge and horizons. Listen to the full podcast to hear Peter's great advice on doing an MBA.
The ability to choose advanced courses based on career aspirations is one of the remarkable features of our Full-time MBA program. 🌍 ‘(…) Even though we have been together as a cohort through our main core courses, you can choose in which area you would like to develop in your professional career. Or in which area you would like to learn more.’ Juan Jose Castillo (Full-time MBA Class of ’24) shares. 📚In this podcast Juan shares his module three and four highlights, providing an inside look into these enriching learning phases, the advanced courses, the Living Management Project and an incredible study trip to Estonia. Hit play, sit back and listen to the full podcast episode about Juan’s journey!
When considering doing a Global Executive MBA, Diana Lo-A-Njoe (Global Executive MBA Class of '24) was not sure she was the right person to do an MBA. 'I have a strong business side but I also have an artistic side, will all those sides of me be met in this programme?' Diana wondered. 'It exceeded my expectations,' she shared. When asked about the most challenging part so far in the Global Executive MBA, Diana Lo-A-Njoe (GEMBA Class of '24) mentioned the Strategic Leadership Development Course. 'It was enrichening. Something cannot be confronting and not enrich you,' says Diana.Listen to the full episode, to learn more about Diana's Global Executive MBA experience and her advice on starting your MBA journey.
‘Everything you do more than once is a process, even making your coffee in the morning. And everything you do more than once you can improve,' says Merieke Stevens, Associate Professor of Technology and Operations Management.In this podcast we explore the core course Operations Management and its role within the Full-time MBA programme. When it comes to Operations Management, 'sometimes there's a bit of a misunderstanding that this is quite a quantitative course that's focused on logistics and we do lots of mathematical modeling, but actually we do none of that. What you need is a keen eye for development around you. You need a keen eye on how 'a' gets to 'b' and 'b' gets to 'c',' says Merieke. Listen to the full episode, to learn more about how and why the core course Operations Management is an important course within the Full-time MBA programme.
In this podcast episode, Amit Kumar (GEMBA '24) shares his experience with the Global Executive MBA.“I think Strategic Leadership Development is the core of this education. I really like the mentors and career coaches that are assigned to us, as part of the course that enables us with a lot of tools and practical examples or practical solutions to solve our daily challenges (…),” says Amit.When talking about the SDG’s Amit highlights the one that really stands out for him. He also shares his GEMBA journey and how the study trip to Stockholm inspired him to take more risks.Listen to the full podcast to hear more about Amit's GEMBA journey.
The Personal Leadership Development (PLD) course is integrated throughout the whole Full-time MBA programme. Why is that? And what is the added value of this course and of becoming more self-aware? And how does this affect your leadership style? In this episode Björn Atterstam answers these questions and more, about the PLD course.‘In general when you are at work and working with colleagues, etc. It has less to do with what you know and it has more to do with who you are and how you are when you are with other people in particular. So the PLD experience invites you to really drill down into, or explore more about yourself. So that you can be more skilled, in general in life (…) and also more skilled in when you are with other people.’ Björn Atterstam.Listen to the full episode, to learn more about this amazing course, that truly distinguished this Full-time MBA programme from others.
‘Module two was quite a bit different than module one in two main aspects I would say. Firstly, there was a significant number of assignments in module two, while module one was more based on quizzes,’ Juan Jose Castillo (FTMBA ’24) says. In this episode, Juan shares how this module revolved more around assignments and teamwork. He shares some of the learnings and highlights of this second module. He also shares how he attended the graduation ceremony in March, when one of his friends and our alums graduated and how he experienced that. To learn more about Juan’s experiences during the second module of his FTMBA journey and what he looks forward to in the next modules, listen to the full podcast!
In this podcast Julie Foucqueteau (Executive MB ’23) shares how her EMBA journey has been going. How it has been to study again and how she managed to start her EMBA journey here at RSM, while taking care of her six week old baby together with her husband. ‘My life changed, of course, because you’re studying again. But I think it changed more because I became a mom and had to figure that out. You can be prepared as much as you want, but you can never really figure that out before’ – Julie Foucqueteau, EMBA class of 2023Listen to the full episode to learn more about Julie’s journey, the importance of having a sound support system and her advice. One of her pieces of advice? ‘There is never a perfect time. You just have to go for it.’Listen to the full episode, to hear about Julie's EMBA Journey!
What is it like to move from Peru to the Netherlands? And to meet with about a hundred people who will be your peers during your MBA journey? And what are some expectations you have of doing an MBA? Juan Jose Castillo (Full-time MBA, class of ’24) shares his experiences during the first module of his MBA here at Rotterdam School of Management.When asked about his expectations, Juan says: ‘You have your expectations, but at the same time you want to be surprised at how the programme can change any paradigm you had before coming here. Personally, I was looking to learn more about other fields I had not been involved in.’To learn more about how Juan experienced the first module of his Full-time MBA, listen to the full podcast!
‘It’s a transformational experience (…). I really recognize that there’s some magic in the curriculum and in the journey. That is why people do an MBA. So you want to change as a person, you want to develop yourself, you want to discover new opportunities(…) You need to find out, what is the little magic in this programme, and is that the kind of magic that I’m looking for?’Jochem Kroezen, the Academic Director of the Full-time MBA, shares what the Full-time actually has to offer. Why should you consider doing an MBA at RSM? What is it that you are looking for and could an MBA at RSM possibly be the next right move?The topics in this podcast are: -The structure of the curriculum-What course ‘The Craft of Management’ entails and how it’s integrated into the programme-Personal Leadership Development-The Living Management Project-The Impact Experience-The Magic of the Full-time MBA
In this podcast Meghan McKinnon, one of RSM’s Career Development Managers, shares how the career center helps guide and coach our current students during their MBA journey. ‘We focus on four primary areas, so the first one is self-awareness. That’s knowing who you are, that’s knowing where your skill-sets lie, where your strengths are, what you really enjoy doing. And often times as we just go through our career, we don’t really step back and think about these things and evaluate them. So we do spend quite a lot of time on that.’Listen to the full podcast to learn more about how our career center is there for our students, as soon as they embark on their MBA journey. The topics in this podcast are:-Coaching and positioning yourself in the job-market-Coaching every individual student, regardless of their journey-How does the Career Center offer support and coaching?-The skills every MBA candidate needs-A word of advice
Joe Farthing, the Communications Manager at the Corporate & Alumni Relations Teams here at RSM shared how their team helps both students as well as alumni navigate the alumni network of over 45.000 change-makers. We spoke about the various ways you can connect with the team and the network, such as through the MentorMe Platform.‘As you graduate, well you can still be a mentee, you can still get advice. But if you graduate you’re also eligible to be a mentor yourself. So maybe you want to give advice for that new MBA student who just arrived. Or perhaps you want to help someone who’s even a little bit earlier in their career path, and help a Bachelor or Master student as well from RSM. This is all possible, so that you can be both a mentor and a mentee(...)’Listen to the full podcast to learn more about how the alumni team responds to the needs of current student, early graduates and graduates that are further into their post-graduate experience.The topics in this podcast are:-What to expect from the alumni team-The different needs per phase during your MBA journey-The MentorMe Platform-Whatsapp groups and how to use them to your advantage-The Job Board-‘By the way, I’ve moved!’You can always reach the alumni team via e-mail: alumni@rsm.nl
When asked how the EMBA impacted his decision making skills, here’s what Reinier Hille Ris Lambers, graduate of the EMBA class of ’18, had to say: ‘I learned how to make decision. And not just decisions for me, but decisions in which we had to agree as a team. And that was very important. It’s not your decision making skills that are necessarily important. It’s your skills in making the right decisions and right in terms of what is right for the people you are working with and the collective thing you are trying to deliver.’With over fifteen years of experience in the research and environment sector, Reinier decided to do an Executive MBA to hone his business skills and knowledge. Once he joined the EMBA he realized how his own expertise was of value and how he could add value to the teams he was part of during the EMBA. The topics that are covered in this podcast:- Looking back on his EMBA journey- The impact and added value of an EMBA- How leadership and decision-making skills are a team-effort- And a word of adviceListen to this podcast episode to hear Reinier’s story.
‘Worth mentioning are the lecturers as well. So far, it’s been really good. You look at our Finance Lecturer and they had 25 years of experience at PWC, really quality staff.’ – Matt Gledhill, Full-time MBA Class of ’23.Matt moved from the UK to the Netherlands for his MBA. In this podcast he shares what his decision making process looked like, why he chose RSM and how he has been experiencing his MBA so far. The topics covered in this podcast are:- His personal story and why he decided on an MBA at RSM- Moving to, and living in, the Netherlands- Gaining new experiences and skills- A piece of advice- A message to his fellow class matesFind out more about our Full-time MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/international-full-time-mba/overview/And find out more about our EMBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/overview/
'Being in a team with people not only from different nationalities, but also different backgrounds in terms of career helped me see how they were approaching things in a totally different way. This could be challenging at the beginning, but as we progressed we could extract the most out of it.' Ana Belen Cortez, EMBA class of '18. Ana Belen graduated in 2018 and during the EMBA she learned the importance of being part of a diverse group, in every sense of the wordThe topics that are covered in this podcast:- How she looks back on her EMBA journey- The impact the EMBA had on her career- The added value of an EMBA- The impact of the EMBA on a more personal level- A word of advice
‘We complement a generic level of knowledge with a lot of assignments and case materials that we gather from our experience, our teachings and from students as well. We are usually overwhelmed by problems that students are trying to tackle in their daily business,' says Albert Veenstra, Academic Director of the Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain Compliance.Have a look at the Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain compliance on our website, to learn more about this Master of Science programme! https://bit.ly/EEoverviewpage
'RSM and the EMBA specifically helped me figure out what was really my purpose in life.' Marloes van Gasteren, graduate of EMBA class of '18. Marloes graduated in 2018 and during the EMBA she realised that she wanted a change in her career and to move into the social domain. In this podcast she shares what her EMBA journey was like and how it helped her take the next steps in her career. The topics that are covered in this podcast:- Looking back on the EMBA- How her career changed- The added value of an EMBA- The impact on her leadership and decision-making skills- A word of advice Listen to this podcast episode, to hear her story.Find out more about our Full-time MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/international-full-time-mba/overview/And find out more about our EMBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/overview/
In this episode Frank Heijmann, faculty member of the Integration Project, shares more about what this project entails, why it is part of this Master of Science programme and how this helps students put their knowledge into practice. ‘The students are actually working on real life cases. So they’re cases that involve multiple countries, multiple businesses, multiple borders that need to be crossed. So different formalities, with tax administrations, customs administrations. Sometimes even other authorities, like food, health and safety authorities. All kinds of problems and challenges their businesses are facing.’Find out more about the Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain compliance and the curriculum here: https://www.rsm.nl/executive-education/executive-master-customs-and-supply-chain-compliance/curriculum/
In this podcast we discuss the course Customs Law, why it’s part of the Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain Compliance, how the course is designed and what it is that makes this a unique MSc Programme!‘Most of our students already work in Customs, or International Trade Compliance, so that is of course a plus. If you have that experience and that knowledge, then that’s a good basis to come to our Master.’ - Professor Walter de Wit, faculty member Customs Law.Learn more about this Master of Science programme here: https://bit.ly/EEoverviewpage
‘The students should be able to fully understand what is going on in IT, when it comes to the Customs profession, including to some extent data analytics and artificial intelligence. But they are not supposed to build it themselves. They don’t need to be technical experts’ - Professor Yao-hua Tan, Programme Director and faculty member of IT and Auditing. Yao-Hua Tan explains why this course is part of this Masters programme, what the course design looks like and how easily accessible it is, even if you don’t have a technical background. Find out more about the Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain compliance and the curriculum here: https://www.rsm.nl/executive-education/executive-master-customs-and-supply-chain-compliance/curriculum/
The Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain compliance provides learnings on how you can improve effectiveness and efficiency of customs supervision and how to create mutual understanding among parties from diverse backgrounds.‘The kind of cases that we use in the course are inspired by current developments. We see that the Government and also authorities like Customs and the Food and Safety authority, are pushing forward in directions that are ground breaking’ - Rob Zuidwijk, faculty member Supply Chain Management and Logistics.Learn more about this Master of Science programme here: https://bit.ly/EEoverviewpage
‘Because of the EMBA I’m so much more capable of distilling questions. I learned how to dissect questions and problems. Learned to prioritize sensibly and act accordingly. And I think that’s because of a major part of the EMBA and some of the electives that I got. They made me a better decision maker.’ – Edwin Horstman, Executive MBA ’16, looks back on his EMBA journey and shares some of his learnings, the change of course he made because of the EMBA and a piece of advice for our candidates.The topics covered in this podcast are:-When looking back on his EMBA journey...-How the EMBA changes his course-The added value of an MBA-The impact on both decision-making skills and leadership skills-A word of adviceFind out more about our Full-time MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/international-full-time-mba/overview/And find out more about our EMBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/overview/
‘The amount of graduates that decided to stay in Europe, including the Netherlands is about 80%. So you can see that a lot of our graduates eventually decide to stay in the country and have the opportunity to do so. And that’s for many reasons. One of the main reasons I would say, is because of the very flexible visa policy that the Netherlands has as a country. Especially for highly skilled individuals.’In this podcast our Recruitment & Admissions Manager, Maria Tsachli, answers some of the frequently asked questions she get in Admissions interviews.The questions that are covered in this podcast are:- My age is substantially higher than 29 years, is the FTMBA the right programme for me?- Even though I have substantial work experience, do I still need to take the GMAT?- How likely is it that I can stay and work in the Netherlands after graduation?- I don’t have three years post-graduate experience at the moment. Can I still apply?- I do not have a background in business, does It still make sense to apply?- How is Housing arranged? Does RSM assist in this?- What are your application deadlines?- A word of adviceFind out more about our Full-time MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/international-full-time-mba/overview/And find out more about our Executive MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/overview/
‘We complement a generic level of knowledge with a lot of assignments and case materials that we gather from our experience, our teachings and from students as well. We are usually overwhelmed by problems that students are trying to tackle in their daily business’
–Albert Veenstra, Academic Director
Have a look at the Executive Master Customs and Supply Chain compliance on our website, to learn more about this Master of Science programme! https://bit.ly/EEoverviewpage
‘I spoke to a few alumni here at RSM and also staff from the MBA office, so that also really helped. And I attended some really interesting online talks from the Erasmus Center for Women and Organisations and really loved talking to them. I really liked the approach that they had.’ - Ana Miarnau, Full-time MBA Class of ’23, moved from Spain to the Netherlands to join this years’ cohort and shares what her decision making process to do an MBA was like, why she decided to join RSM and what her expectations of her MBA journey are.
The topics that are covered in this podcast: - Her personal story and why she decided on an MBA at RSM - Moving to, and living in, the Netherlands - Gaining new experiences and skills - A piece of advice - A message to her fellow class mates
Find out more about our Full-time MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/international-full-time-mba/overview/ And find out more about our EMBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/overview/
'And I guess that's what makes the MBA journey extraordinary. Against all odds I managed to have a meaningful journey with an MBA. With the academic knowledge I gained, the friendships and also the MBA Marketing club that I had a chance to lead throughout the whole year.' - Minh Nguyen Duc, Full-time MBA Class of '22.
Minh moved from Singapore to the Netherlands for his MBA. In this podcast we discuss why he chose to do his MBA at RSM, what his MBA journey was like, how he experienced moving to the Netherlands and how he overcame challenges during his journey.
The topics that are covered in this podcast: - His personal story and why he decided on an MBA at RSM - Moving to, and living in, the Netherlands - Important information prior to doing an MBA - Doing an MBA during a pandemic and how to overcome challenges - A piece of advice
'The interviewer has done a lot of interviews. Maybe even a lot on the same day. So to really make yourself stand out, I think having that honest conversation is really important.' Caroline Angle, Recruitment and Admissions Manager at RSM.
In this podcast Caroline Angle shares tips on how to prepare for your admissions interview, what pitfalls to avoid and mostly how to be your authentic self to stand out in the application process.
The topics that are covered are: - How to prepare for an interview - What to ask alumni, in preparation of the interview - Talking about your weaknesses in an interview - What pitfalls to avoid - The perfect profile - How to get in touch with our Recruitment and Admissions Managers
Find out more about our EMBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/overview/ And find out more about our Full-time MBA programme here: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/international-full-time-mba/overview/
'It might be the best according to the world, but is it the best for you? Will you be fulfilled being an engineer? And what happens actually is that many people, when they get five to ten to fifteen years into their careers they suddenly realize, no this is not what I really want. I want something else, but what?' Hetty Brand-Boswijk, Director of Coaching and Lead Coach at RSM.
In this podcast we discuss individual leadership coaching, personal development and the importance of knowing who you are and what you want, before going into career coaching.
The topics that are covered are: - The added value of coaching, or having a mentor. And the difference between the two. - What our candidates and students need to know about personal leadership coaching - Why personal leadership coaching should precede career coaching - What the coaching process at RSM looks like
'So I packed my bags and I left to the UK and as I was taking my luggage off the carrousel at the airport in Heathrow, I looked at my e-mail. And there was an e-mail from RSM saying that I'd gotten in. And it was a no-brainer for me,' says Bharat Kumaraswami.
Bharat Kumaraswami graduated from our Full-time MBA class of 2018 and joined RSM as the Data manager. In this episode we discuss why he chose the Rotterdam school of Management for his MBA? Why did he decide to pursue a career here in the Netherlands? And what advice can he give to those considering moving to the Netherlands for their MBA?
The topics that are covered in this podcast: - Your personal journey - Why did you decide to do your MBA at RSM? - The biggest differences between your country to here, in terms of work-life balance, work ethic, etc. - Looking back on your MBA and its impact on your career - The added value of coaching - A piece of advice
Before you graduate, our career center will prepare you for your career after the MBA. Our Career Centre guides and coaches students and organizes speed dating bootcamps, to prepare our graduates for job interviews. Diana Diniz, Career Development Manager at RSM, shares how the Career Center prepares our students and what you need to know when starting your MBA journey at RSM.
What does it mean to be part of the RSM Alumni network of over 40.000 trail-blazers? And how can you make good use of this network?
Sue Martin, Director of Corporate and Alumni Relations, shares what the alumni office can do for our graduates, but most importantly, how our graduates can utilize this global network. ‘After graduation it’s not goodbye. That network is forever there for them and that’s a lifelong connection with the school.’ Sue says.
In this latest MBA Programme Podcast we discuss the importance of staying connected to the network, what the alumni office offers our graduates, keeping your information up to date and leaving a legacy behind.
The topics that are covered: - What our graduates need to know about the alumni network - How to utilize your connections - All the ways the alumni office supports alumni - A piece of advice if you are interested in doing an MBA at RSM - A story on creating a legacy
‘I went looking for opportunities, after coming back from a trip around the world of almost a year and a half, and really often ‘Positive change’ popped up. It inspired me, because of the new way RSM was looking at the world’ Carolina says.
In the Netherlands 80% to 90% of the population speaks English. After moving here eleven years ago, Carolina still decided to learn Dutch and has been with RSM since 2017. In this latest MBA Programme Podcast we discuss Carolina’s journey, why she decided to move to the Netherlands and how she found out about RSM.
The topics that are covered: - What’s your story? - The motivation to move abroad - Some things you need to know before moving here - How Carolina found out about RSM - Wanting to feel home and learning Dutch - A piece of advice to those considering moving to the Netherlands for an MBA or job opportunity
Moving abroad for your MBA, what’s that like?
Juan Maldonado Alcazar moved from Mexico to the Netherlands five years ago, for his MBA. He graduated from RSM's Full-time MBA, class of 2017 and joined our Alumni office as the Corporate and Alumni Relations Manager.
But, why did he choose the Rotterdam school of Management? Why did he decide to pursue a career here in the Netherlands? And what advice can he give to those considering moving to the Netherlands for their MBA?
The topics that are covered:
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The decision-making process to move abroad for his MBA
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Why he chose the Rotterdam School of Management to do his MBA and to join RSM’s Alumni office
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The main differences from living in Mexico to here in the Netherlands?
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Staying in the Netherlands to pursue a career
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What living in the Netherlands is like
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Some advice to those considering moving to the Netherlands for their MBA
Prof. Christo Nel is one of the architects of our renewed Personal Leadership Programme for next year's Executive MBA.
What did fighting Apartheid in South Africa in a business platform teach him about leadership development? And how will our PLD Programme change next year?
Topics covered in this podcast:
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How business was used to build trust and empathy between opposing parties in the 1980s.
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What can this episode teach us about leadership?
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What leadership qualities should an MBA foster and develop?
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How will the renewed EMBA Personal Leadership Development Programme do this?
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In depth with the 'Leadership Compass', one of the guiding principles of the PLD Programme
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Find out more about our Personal Leadership Programme here: www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/l…ership-development/
Choosing the right combination of MBA electives allows you to do a deep dive in one particular subject, or perhaps even pivot your career! In our latest Programme Podcast we met up with Asimwe Ruganyoisa (FT MBA’21) to discuss her reason for choosing electives around Finance and Sustainability:
“I want to be part of the energy transition that is happening right now in the oil and gas industry. To make this happen, there will be a lot of acquisitions in the sustainability space. So I wanted to learn about sustainability, but also how these deals work. If I were to look at a renewables company and their financials, I need to understand how their business works, how they make money, and how we can make energy cheaper and accessible to our clients.”
Topics covered in this podcast:
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How do Career Concentrations and Electives in the curriculum work?
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How does choosing the right electives shape your career?
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Asimwe explains how the combination of Finance and Sustainability electives will help her to get involved in the energy transition in the Oil & Gas industry.
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What did she learn about sustainable finance and change management?
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How did the electives change Asimwe's thinking about sustainabilty, coming from an engineering background?
How does our admissions process for the full-time MBA work and how can you best prepare for it?
Marketing & Admissions Manager Carrie Fok explains what you need to know about the required documents, the essay, professional references and the online Kira assessment.
Here are her seven tips to make your application as smooth as possible:
1) Start the conversation with your target schools early to sharpen your ideas about what you want to get out of doing an MBA. Ideally limit yourself to 3-5 schools.
2) You don’t need to finish your online application right away. You can start it and come back to work on it whenever it suits you.
3) The essay you are required to write about becoming a force for positive change , can also be about how RSM MBA can help you become one in the future.
4) You don’t need to save the world to be a force for positive change. Having a small impact matters as well!
5) For your professional references, ask people who actually know how you work. Don’t use academic references.
6) Practice your Kira video assessment often, before recording the actual video essay.
7) You don’t have to apply separately for a scholarship. When the Admissions Committee decides you are admitted, you are automatically considered for a scholarship.
Learn more about our admissions and application process here: www.rsm.nl/mba/international-f…pplication-process/
After her first week on campus, we invited Tanzanian Full-time MBA student Asimwe Ruganyoisa to our podcast studio to give us the real story about doing an MBA at RSM.
She didn’t hold back and told us all about the soul-searching she was asked to do from day one in the Personal Leadership Development programme, the challenges of meeting 150 new people from different cultures, and of course: how to cope with Dutch winter! We will check back with her throughout the year to hear more about her Rotterdam experience.
Learn more about the RSM MBA here:www.rsm.nl/mba/
In this first podcast of the year we take our crystal ball to Brandon Kirby, Director of Marketing and Admissions, to discuss what he sees as the biggest trends in MBA for 2020. Here is what to expect:
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MBA Candidates will become even more purpose-driven and will want to apply their skills in their home countries.
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Many MBA programmes will restructure their admissions procedures to accommodate these purpose-driven candidate motivations and try not losing ground in the traditional salary-driven rankings.
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Full-time MBA students increasingly take an MBA later in their career.
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Executive MBA students more often decide to do their MBA earlier in their career.
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As a result, MBA classes are getting more diverse in terms of work experience.
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Despite the trend towards specialisation, most MBA programmes will remain a general business degree, but...
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...personalisation and customisation of the programmes will become more important.
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Despite the rise of online MBA programmes, the in-class experience is here to stay.
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Despite rising costs, the MBA as a unique learning, leadership and networking experience will holds it value as the economy and business models change.
Do you have any questions about how we translate these trends in our programmes, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/
In this podcast, Lida Dimitriou answers the seven most commonly asked questions about our Executive MBA programma (EMBA). Lida is Marketing and Admissions Manager for our executive programmes at RSM MBA and has handpicked the following questions to be answered in this first episode of our programme podcast series.
1) What does a typical EMBA class look like? 2) What kind of people are in the programme and what is their age range? 3) How much time do you need to invest outside of the classroom? 4) How to find the right study-work-private life balance? 5) What is the Personal Leadership Development programme? 6) How to finance your EMBA? 7) what are the long-term benefits of an EMBA?
Finally, she also discusses one unexpected question she got on the road... This show is hosted by RSM's Ramses Singeling.
For more information about our EMBA programme visit our website: https://www.rsm.nl/mba/executive-mba/the-executive-mba-at-rsm/