[Special Feature: International Exchange at Keio University] Teruo Nakatsuma: The CEMS MIM Programme Cultivating Next-Generation Global Leaders

2024/10/07

In this article, I will introduce the overview and appeal of the CEMS MIM Programme, in which Keio University participates as the only member school from Japan.

CEMS is an international network of world-class universities (business schools), global corporations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that offers the CEMS MIM Programme (hereafter, "the programme"), a practical master's program specializing in international management. MIM stands for Master in International Management, and students who complete the programme are awarded a Master in International Management degree. The programme is highly regarded as a world-class Master of Business Administration program, ranking 11th in the 2024 QS World University Rankings for the Master's in Management category.

CEMS was originally established in 1988 as a network of business schools in Europe. Since then, CEMS has expanded outside of Europe, increasing its member schools across all continents, including Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Australia. In principle, only one school per country can join CEMS. From Europe, the birthplace of CEMS, prominent schools such as LSE (UK), HEC (France), Bocconi University (Italy), and the University of Cologne (Germany) are members. Furthermore, the roster of CEMS member schools includes prestigious institutions such as Cornell University from the US, Tsinghua University from China, Korea University from South Korea, National University of Singapore from Singapore, and the University of Sydney from Australia. As of 2024, the total number of member schools is 33. Since 2010, Keio University has been the sole member of CEMS from Japan.

A major feature of CEMS is that it is not merely an association of business schools. To make a master's program in management practical, the cooperation of companies with extensive business experience is essential. Therefore, more than 70 global companies participate in the CEMS network as corporate partners (hereafter, "CEMS corporate partners"). They not only provide funding for CEMS organizational operations but also support the programme both materially and spiritually by hosting internships and cooperating in project-based classes. Furthermore, in response to the growing demand for solutions to recent social issues, eight international NGOs, including the WWF, have also joined CEMS.

In collaboration with these CEMS corporate partners and others, the programme aims to cultivate sensible leaders who can contribute to the development of a more open, sustainable, and collaborative world in a global society facing serious social issues such as climate change, inequality, and division. This aligns with the mission of Keio University, as stated by Yukichi Fukuzawa in "The Mission of Keio University," to be a "source of honorable character" and "a paragon of intellect and morals for the entire nation," and to cultivate and send forth "leaders of all society."

Next, I will explain the structure of the programme. First, an important point is that this programme is not a standalone master's course. It is a double degree program where students who participate and meet the completion requirements can obtain a Master in International Management degree certified by CEMS simultaneously with a master's degree from their home institution (e.g., Keio University). Therefore, students participating in the programme (hereafter, "CEMS students") must first enroll in a CEMS member school. At Keio University, students enrolled in the master's programs of the Graduate School of Economics, the Graduate School of Business and Commerce, and the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD) can participate in this programme. A major advantage of participating from Keio is that tuition fees can be paid to Keio, the home institution, rather than the host institution abroad. Considering the skyrocketing tuition fees of overseas business schools, being able to obtain a Master in International Management degree for Keio's tuition is a very attractive feature of the programme.

The programme consists of three terms (Term 1, Term 2, and Term 3) over approximately one year. First, CEMS students take CEMS subjects over Term 1 and Term 2 and participate in business projects, which will be described later. Then, in Term 3, they gain practical experience through an 8-week consecutive internship at a company. For CEMS students dispatched from Keio, Term 1 corresponds to the fall semester of the departure year, and Term 2 corresponds to the spring semester of the following year, with the internship taking place during the summer vacation after the spring semester. CEMS students are required to complete two of these three terms in a country other than the one where their home institution is located. Furthermore, if the exchange study spans two terms (Term 1 and Term 2), they will study at a different CEMS member school each term. For example, a student can study at LSE in London for Term 1 and then at the National University of Singapore for Term 2. Additionally, to become individuals who can be active globally, CEMS students must master two languages (including their mother tongue) in addition to English, the language of instruction.

As explained above, because exchange study and language learning are integrated as mandatory components of the curriculum, CEMS students from different cultural backgrounds have the opportunity to learn side-by-side in the same classroom. By doing so, CEMS students grow into leaders who can manage teams composed of diverse members. Furthermore, the programme works closely with CEMS corporate partners to provide a curriculum that is strong in practice as well as theory. Each CEMS member school designs a curriculum that leverages its own unique strengths while maintaining the high quality common to CEMS. At Keio University, a wide range of programs are offered in English by four graduate schools: the Graduate School of Economics, the Graduate School of Business and Commerce, the Graduate School of Business Administration, and the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD).

Among the many subjects offered by the programme, let me introduce the "Business Project" as a characteristic one. This is a project-based class where students work directly with CEMS corporate partners in group work to propose solutions to real-world business problems. The purpose of this business project is to learn deeply about the industry and gain practical business experience while finding solutions to the assigned tasks. Furthermore, the business project serves as a platform to strengthen the partnership between universities and CEMS corporate partners by jointly forming a learning program for international management.

Due to its nature as an exchange program, each CEMS member school actively accepts students from other member schools. Japan is a particularly popular destination for study abroad, and at Keio University, the program is so successful that the enrollment capacity is nearly filled every semester.

Let me explain a bit about the scale and diversity of international exchange within the entire CEMS network. Currently, the programme accepts over 1,300 students annually from nearly 80 countries worldwide. Moreover, the gender ratio of students is 50:50, making it a program that provides an extremely diverse learning environment. Furthermore, over its 35-year history, the number of graduates from the programme has exceeded 20,000, and their nationalities have grown to cover more than 100 countries. Because the programme is extremely highly regarded internationally, it has earned great trust not only from CEMS corporate partners but also from numerous global companies, and many CEMS graduates are currently active around the world. Their career paths are diverse, including consulting firms, technology companies, and financial institutions.

The reason CEMS students are successful in their job searches is that they are blessed with opportunities to connect with various companies, primarily CEMS corporate partners. First, the most important and largest-scale career support event is the Career Forum exclusive to CEMS students. The in-person Career Forum is held annually in November in Spain, with CEMS corporate partners from around the world participating. CEMS students and graduates can speak directly with company representatives and are given opportunities for recruitment interviews. Additionally, a five-day online Career Forum is held in March. For CEMS corporate partners, this provides two opportunities a year to reach CEMS students and graduates directly. In addition to the overall CEMS Career Forum, regional career events are held several times a year by region. Furthermore, CEMS students and graduates are provided with a system to register and manage their resumes online. Resumes are also open to representatives of CEMS corporate partners, who can contact individuals directly. In addition, an online job board is available where CEMS corporate partners post job information exclusive to CEMS students and graduates.

The ability to utilize such a career support system is not a benefit for CEMS students alone. From a company's perspective, the career support system provided by CEMS is an excellent opportunity to recruit extremely talented and diverse CEMS students and graduates. To become a CEMS corporate partner, an annual membership fee of 25,000 euros (26,000 euros from 2026) must be paid to CEMS headquarters. However, by becoming a CEMS corporate partner, companies can reach over 1,300 CEMS students and over 20,000 graduates scattered across the globe, making it highly cost-effective. I encourage any corporate representatives reading this article to consider joining CEMS. For more information about CEMS, please refer to this link.