As far as MBA and other business studies programmes go, Eastern Europe fails to get the same attention as similar programmes in, say, France, the UK, and Germany. However, Poland offers a variety of highly-rated MBA programmes to choose from and a lucrative startup environment that could make it an ideal place for you to study business abroad.
Students are increasingly being drawn to Poland for their studies – in fact, in the last five years, the number of international students in the country has grown by almost 78% according to Statista.
At the same time, the startup ecosystem in Poland has grown exponentially, with 80% of respondents in a startup survey by Deloitte saying they were established in the last five years.
With foreign interest evidently increasing – in both universities and startups – now could be a great time to explore business studies in Poland. Offering a lower cost of living, high-quality teaching, and exciting opportunities in digital industries after graduation, an MBA or EMBA in Poland is your chance to dive into one of the most exciting business environments in Europe.
Why Poland?
Ewa Barlik, a spokesperson for Kozminski University (KU) in Warsaw, identifies a number of reasons why foreign students are being drawn to business studies programmes in Poland. Among these are a high standard of living, low cost of tuition, and a growing economy.
“18 months of EMBA studies at KU is less than €18,000,” Ewa explains. For comparison, a similar programme in France could cost around €40,000.
Additionally, Ewa says that the unique aspect of studying at KU, and in Poland, is the strong focus on entrepreneurial spirit. “Our students are very enterprising,” she attests. “This is due to the success attitude of the entire Polish economy, which has undergone a great transformation relatively recently.”
Ewa is referring to the changes enacted in 1988 by the Polish government, the so-called Wilczek Law, which introduced free-market rules into the country’s post-communist economy. This resulted in the rapid growth of small businesses in the economy and proved the need for management and business studies education.
Now, McKinsey & Company estimate that Poland could be in a position to double the size of its economy by 2030. On average, its economy has grown 4% per year, three times more than the EU average.
Poland’s strong economic and business growth is evidenced in 2020 by KU’s admission into the Executive MBA Consortium for Global Business Innovation, 27 years after the university’s inauguration. The move has served “to further internationalise our Executive MBA programme,” said Professor Grzegorz Mazurek, Rector of KU.
Opportunities in Poland
As a growing economy, there are plenty of opportunities for MBA grads to explore in Poland. If you’re interested in starting your own company or joining a promising startup, there are five cities that should be on your radar: Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw and Tricity (comprising of Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot).
Poland offers a unique jobs market for highly-skilled professionals – for example, business school graduates. Increasingly, the country is grappling with a lack of candidates for positions, leading to a crisis where, in 2018, there were 140,000 job vacancies looking to be filled in Poland.
So, if you choose to study business in Poland, not only will you join a rapidly growing economy, but also find a wealth of job opportunities for you to explore after your studies.
In particular, Warsaw should be of interest to those interested in entrepreneurship, as Google has established a flagship startup space, Campus Warsaw, in the city. The hub supports startups in Central and Eastern Europe and features a programme of events for entrepreneurs to learn more skills.
In StartupExplore, Krakow has been called an “outpost of Silicon Valley” owing to the many technology startups in the city, and business school graduates will find plenty of opportunities to work in technology after graduating.
Studying business in Poland
Poland is home to a range of fantastic business schools, dispersed throughout the country. Only one business school – Kozminski University – has made it to the Financial Times rankings 2020 of the best European business schools, though others including the University of Warsaw and Poznan University of Economics and Business have been included in Eduniversal Business Schools rankings 2020.
If you need further evidence of why you should choose a business school in Poland, just look at some student reviews on EDUopinions.
For example, Nino describes the assistance provided by the Warsaw School of Economics for getting students into the lucrative jobs market in the city.
Professors are helpful and professionals. Moreover, the university cooperates with different employers in order to help students for creating professional careers. There are good possibilities for research and scientific work.
Sandra rates Poznan University of Economics and Business very highly, too. Their Executive MBA programme comes with accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA), and is taught in collaboration with Georgia State University.
Choosing this university was the best decision in my life. Poznań University of Economics and Business provides lots of opportunities to students. It allows students to go abroad to almost any country in the world. I have attented Erasmus at University of West London. I can honestly say that in my opinion PUEB is on very high level and take care of its students.
Conclusion
It’s important to choose the right programme and country for your business studies degree, but it’s clear that Poland should be top of your list in Europe. With a promising economy, impressive startups, and top-ranked business schools, you’re bound to boost your career by studying business in Poland!
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