Executive MBAs preferred over full time MBAs: Survey
By
siliconindia | Monday, 30 August 2010, 08:21 IST

Bangalore: The repercussions of the global economic crisis to the world have been many. The struggle for jobs is one among them. And now it has emerged that there is a growing demand for executive MBA (EMBA) and part time MBAs as opposed to the falling popularity of full time MBAs.
A survey done by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) which conducts GMAT, an MBA entrance test used by B-schools across the world, threw up these interesting results. The data has been accumulated from 665 graduate management programs in 39 countries.
The EMBA programs have seen an increase of 59 percent in the number of applications this year. This number reverses a trend that has seen falling numbers of EMBA in last three years.
The GMAC report said, "Expectations of economic recovery may have encouraged corporate support for EMBA programs and driven top managers to obtain new knowledge and skills."
Dave Wilson, President and CEO, GMAT says that the survey brings to light the importance of "flexibility and creativity in delivering management education".
However, the full time MBA programs are seeing a decline for the second consecutive year. A mere 44 percent full time MBA programs saw rise in applications this year as compared to 2008's rise to 77 percent. That year saw the full time MBA programs touching a peak.
GMAC reasons the falling interest in full time MBA, "The economic recovery is underway, but signs of recession still remain. The pace of the recovery has been slower than after previous economic downturns. History shows that a recession often spurs individuals to pursue their education full time."
Although with Indians the full time course is still a hit. 65 percent of full time MBA programs in U.S. reported largest number of foreign applications was received from Indians.
However GMAC added, "On a positive note, improving economic conditions may allow more companies to invest in their current employees by sending them to part-time or EMBA programs."