Return on Investment, Return on Experience: why this American chose the EDHEC Global MBA Programme

For Joseph, timing was everything. “EDHEC was the perfect place for me to get an MBA at the perfect time,” he says. Before joining the programme, he was working in North Carolina as a reinsurance finance professional when the idea of an international MBA began to take shape. “I reached out in December 2019, not knowing what was about to come,” he recalls. Despite the uncertainties of the years that followed, the plan stayed on course. “It all worked out.”

Learning Through Diversity
 

When Joseph applied to the EDHEC Global MBA, he was the first American in his cohort — a fact that made the programme even more appealing. “I didn’t want to show up on the first day and see a room full of people who looked like me. I wanted diversity of thought,” he explains.

That choice proved prescient. Since his arrival, each successive intake has welcomed more American participants, drawn by the programme’s balance of international perspective, strong ROI and compact ten-month format. The diversity that first inspired Joseph has become one of the Global MBA’s defining strengths, with each class now bringing together professionals from around 25 nationalities and an average of seven years’ experience.

For Joseph, that mix of backgrounds and outlooks was transformative. “It was a truly international programme,” he says. “Everyone worked differently, approached problems differently. That’s how you grow.”

His experience of collaboration reached its peak during the ACE assessment, a team-based exercise within the Lead360 leadership and career development programme. “You’re observed by your classmates and professors as you work through a case together,” Joseph explains. “You get feedback throughout the year from the same people, so you see how your growth measures out.”

ROI and Real-World Relevance

A major factor in Joseph’s decision to join EDHEC was the return on investment. “The cost difference between an MBA in France versus the United States is huge — it’s about three times more affordable,” he says. “I was able to live within my means, and the ROI was much higher because of that.”

The ten-month format allowed him to balance full-time study with ongoing professional engagement. While completing his MBA, Joseph took on a senior role at a reinsurance company. “It was the perfect combo for me. I stayed connected to the industry I love while living in Nice — it was the best year of my life.”

The programme’s curriculum, with its mix of strategic foundations, electives and tailored projects, also delivered more than he anticipated. “I took a Tableau class and fell in love with it,” he recalls. “I had no idea that I’d end up using that every day in my work.”

Lessons in Leadership

From his MBA experience, one lesson stands out: the importance of communication. “Some data doesn’t speak for itself,” Joseph says. “You have to make sure it can — to give it legs, and to understand your audience.”

For him, leadership is rooted in resilience, perspective and connection. Living in Nice provided all three. “I loved that the MBA gave me a sense of independence. Every day, I was learning how to navigate the language and the people. It was the best year of my life.”

His advice to future MBA candidates is simple but seasoned. “Do it for the right reasons. Don’t stress about the job you’ll get after or where you’ll end up living. Enjoy the experience, engage with your classmates — it’ll be over before you know it.”