Is INSEAD a better B-school than Harvard Business School?
A quick Google search of the ‘Top business schools in the world’ and you’d see two names popping up on every list out there- Harvard Business School (HBS) and INSEAD.
As daunting as it may seem initially, every B-school aspirant has his/her preferences and priorities when it comes to the direction in which they want their career to steer in.
First things first, let’s look at a brief overview of the two schools:
Harvard Business School, as the name suggests, is a part of the prestigious Harvard University and is situated in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. No points for guessing that it is a top-notch institution that manages to retain its position amongst the best business schools across the world, every single year. Apart from an MBA course it also offers executive education programs, online certificate courses, and doctoral programs too.
INSEAD, another well-renowned B-school, has multiple campuses situated in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Spanning across the globe, this B-school is known for providing a world-class and globally immersive experience to its students through its wide variety of Masters programs, online courses, executive open courses, and doctoral programs.
Although HBS and INSEAD might appear as neck-to-neck in most of the rankings, they do have certain differences that might help you decide which one is a better fit for you.
1. Duration of the MBA course
HBS offers a comprehensive, two-year MBA program while INSEAD offers a 10 months MBA program. While most institutions across the world offer the former, INSEAD takes away the cake in case your priority is to get back to working in the industry as soon as possible.
2. Brand value
Harvard in itself is a brand and the value of the same cannot be underestimated. The name holds a lot of weightage, not only in the United States but also, worldwide.
INSEAD, though a popular name across Europe and Asia, has a long way to go when it comes to matching up to the brand equity of Harvard.
3. Diversity and culture
Since HBS is based in the USA, the majority of the students are American. On the other hand, owing to the multiple campuses that INSEAD has in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, one gets the opportunity to network with students from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
While this may not appear as a significant factor, it is important to keep in mind that networking in a B-school is a pre-requisite for an advanced career at later stages.
4. Future employment
Again, the location of the campus makes a huge difference when it comes to employment opportunities. While both the schools are recognized worldwide, it won’t be wrong to say that an HSB student would have an edge when it comes to securing employment with an American firm.
INSEAD, on the other hand, with its global network and multiple campuses can give you an upper hand while dealing with firms operating in Europe and Asia mainly.
So if your ultimate goal is to settle in the US, HSB is undoubtedly a better option. However, if that’s not the case and you’d prefer more exposure, INSEAD is the way to go.
5. Cost of the program
Studying at any world-renowned B-school will undoubtedly cost a lot more than regular institutions.
A two-year MBA at HSB is going to set you back by almost $146,880 whereas INSEAD’s one-year program is significantly cheaper and is almost half of that at HSB. Not to forget, that the one-year MBA at INSEAD does enable you to get back to working and earning earlier than HSB.
6. Campus exchange
When we say that INSEAD provides you with the chance to network globally, we mean it.
The institute offers its students the opportunity to study at its different campuses and also has established partnerships with other prestigious institutes like Wharton and Kellogg in the US and CEIBS in China. This is where the institute earns more brownie points as compared to HSB.
While it is imperative to consider the pros and cons of each institution before taking a final call, it’s safe to say that you cannot go wrong with either one of them.
