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Get out of your comfort zone! For those aspiring to get into the business world, there are many MBA opportunities abroad. Are you on board?

MBAs in Manchester

In the UK, the Manchester Business School offers MBA programs for international students interested in full-time, part-time, and executive-level studies. One of the biggest advantages in choosing the UK for an MBA is it allows students to look at business on a global scale, while also understanding how the local system works and is perceived by the rest of the business world.

An international MBA helps to develop business leaders who can bridge the gap between countries and capitalize on global opportunities, says Heather Spiro, associate director of the MBA programs.

In the program, students have the opportunities to work with existing networks in addition to developing new relationships and business contacts. On an international MBA, students also have the opportunities to learn about different cultures, and to study and work in multicultural teams, says Spiro. Understanding different cultures helps to push the student out of their comfort area and to develop the soft skills needed to work with global clients.

Sights on Paris

For non-Francais-speaking Canadians looking at a French-speaking country as a viable MBA destination, you need not to worry. The Paris School of Business offers a variety of graduate programs to choose from, entirely taught in English. Prepping students for the business world, the goal of the programs is to help ease students into the very competitive job market, or assist in re-launching their careers.

The international MBA is the flagship MBA program and is an intensive one-year program consisting of core courses in the functional areas of business, as well as advanced core and specialization courses, says David Russell, dean of the program. The international MBA proposes a finance specialization as well as a marketing specialization.

And for those who prefer to work for a niche industry, the Paris School of Business also offers an MBA in luxury and fashion management, and others that focus on arts and culture management, and hospitality and lifestyle.

All of the MBA programs include, in addition to coursework, numerous opportunities to travel in France and elsewhere in Europe, adds Russell. Students can also do internships, and have the opportunity to participate in company visits and meet with executives in European firms.

As for the experience you'll get studying abroad, Russell says there's nothing else that compares and firms today are looking to hire individuals who thrive in diverse environments.

Success in an MBA program abroad is a signal to recruiters that a potential employee is able to function in a foreign environment, he says. It is usually a sign that the student is a self-starter and is able to adapt to any variety of situations, in addition to experiencing personal growth and forming relationships.

Canadian students should consider taking their MBAs at the Paris Business School, says Russell. In addition to being given the tools to launch international careers, they'll be studying in Europe's most beautiful, dynamic, and romantic city.

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