The bold claim of the London Business School (LBS) is that it chooses the best and makes them better. The fact its full-time and Executive MBA programmes rank among the world's best, according to the Financial Times and BusinessWeek business education surveys, would seem to go some way to backing up this declaration.
Alongside its flexible 15-to-21-month MBA programme, which combines a research-based curriculum with real-life applications, LBS and its world-renowned faculty run a range of other masters and non-masters programmes. These include one of the world's only three Sloan MSc programmes.
Despite all these reasons to maintain a focus close to home, LBS runs an outward-looking Global Business Experiences programme and maintains a partnership with 33 International Exchange schools.
'Students love London and the experiences they gain while at [LBS],' says David Simpson, the school's associate director for client services and business development. 'I think some students underestimate just how international their experiences may be. For example, they could study at the school in the first year of their MBA, then do a summer internship in Germany, go on international exchange to a school in South Africa, Australia, the US or other countries, then carry out a second-year project in Germany.'
While in London, students not only benefit from regular visits to the LBS campus by international banks, top consulting firms and leading executives from industry, they also get a chance to enjoy the extra-curricular attractions the city offers.
In line with the overall national figure, around 90 per cent of LBS students come from outside the UK. Given the presence of fellow Hongkongers at LBS, and the fact that London is a long-standing home to a large Chinese community, Hong Kong students should not have too much trouble settling in.
