The Executive MBA (EMBA) is a significant financial and time commitment. Therefore, it is crucial that you choose a programme that best aligns with your personal and professional goals.
Henley has more than 30 years of experience assisting Nordic managers in making major career decisions, which has given us a solid understanding of the factors one should take into account. To help you consider all angles, here are our tips for you on choosing the right programme.
Are you looking for a local or global outlook in your EMBA journey? This is a pivotal choice, influenced by your current responsibilities and long-term career ambitions. It will shape the programme content, your peer group, the network you build, and how your qualification is recognised.
EMBA programmes at local universities usually centre on the domestic business landscape and lead to a nationally recognised qualification.
In contrast, the Henley EMBA offers a truly international experience and results in a globally recognised Master’s degree.
The instructors of an EMBA programme significantly influence the content and delivery of the education. Who do you want to learn from? Do you prefer local instructors with a deep understanding of the local business environment, or international instructors who bring experiences and perspectives from the international business world?
Henley places a strong emphasis on its international expertise, which is reflected in the instructors of our EMBA programme. The world-class faculty is diverse and Henley proudly holds the global nro. 1 position in gender balance (Financial Times Rankings, 2024). Henley's academics are internationally respected experts in their fields, with widely published research and extensive practical work experience.
In addition, you should also consider the type of teaching that you are after: more theoretical or practical? Most individuals and organisations appreciate Henley's approach through action learning. This means that learning is done through real-life, practical assignments that are followed by reflection and analysis. During Henley's EMBA you can write all your assignments to your organisation, which guarantees your organisation will get to enjoy the benefits of your participation in a short-term. Also, the study trips are built around real-world cases, working with NGOs and start-ups.
Building a professional network is a crucial aspect of the EMBA studies. During the journey, you have an excellent opportunity to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds who work in various fields and countries, creating a highly diverse network.
Studying an EMBA is intensive. Studies are conducted in small learning groups, fostering close collaboration with fellow students. This leads to strong bonds and relationships that often last a lifetime. Therefore, it is important to understand the types of participants in different programmes. This way, you can choose a study group that supports both your personal and professional development.
Participants in the Henley EMBA programme are experienced business professionals with varied backgrounds, industries, and nationalities. The Nordic group consists of leaders residing mainly in Denmark and Finland. In addition to the regional group, they are all part of the global group consisting of students from South Africa and the UK. The global group meets each other in overseas workshops and study trips to South Africa and Singapore.
From your first day of study, you become a Henley alumnus and join a global alumni network of over 100,000 professional from over 165 countries.
One essential aspect of an EMBA programme is that you get support and guidance, in a number of ways, for your personal and professional growth.
As part of the Henley Executive MBA - Global, our Career and Professional Development Programme has been designed to set life, career and personal planning at the heart of your MBA experience and is built on established career theory and practice.
As well as a range of face to face and online resources, you will have access to one-to-one executive coaching sessions where we will support you in gaining a better understanding of what really matters for you personally, discuss your career planning ideas and give practical tips and suggestions so that you can pro-actively develop your career plans.
Accreditations and rankings are a guarantee for superior quality education. Opt for an institution that has received accreditations from three globally esteemed organisations: AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
Currently, around 135 business schools worldwide hold all three accreditations, and Henley is one of them. Notably, Henley was the first business school in Finland to achieve this prestigious Triple Crown accreditation.
Besides accreditations, rankings are also crucial when choosing an institution. The Financial Times and The Economist release the most esteemed EMBA ranking lists globally. Henley’s EMBA programme has been consistently ranked #1 among Nordic institutions. In 2024, the Financial Times ranked it 52. worldwide.
EMBA studies require a significant time investment. In addition to classroom learning, students typically dedicate 14–20 hours per week to their studies. A part-time EMBA programme allows you to complete your degree alongside full-time work.
Each EMBA programme has a different structure, which means the weekly study time can vary. By considering in advance how much time you can allocate to studying each week, you can choose a programme that best fits your needs and schedule.
The Henley Executive MBA challenges its participants but graduates come out from the other side truly proud of their achievement, and often comment their experience transformative. The programme is modular, featuring six-week learning periods and 2–3 day workshops typically held once a month.
If your life circumstances change, you can pause your Henley EMBA studies.
What do I hope to accomplish with an EMBA?