THE GLOCAL MBA Full-time program

The idea of slow travel, or fully immersing in a new culture, completely outside the boundaries of everything you know, is integral to the mission of THE GLOCAL MBA. We believe that by leaving your daily life far behind, you can open your mind in ways you never expected, to new ideas, new perspectives and a new mindset that will last a lifetime.

Where better to do that than Southeast Asia, a culturally rich region of contrasts, with lush landscapes and glittering cities, ancient temples and futuristic skyscrapers. THE GLOCAL MBA leverages all of this to give you the most unique, immersive business education available, in record time.

In addition to your MBA curriculum, full-time students will be immersed into the following cultures.

Bali, Indonesia: Synonymous with paradise—turquoise waters, emerald jungles, ancient temples, lotus flowers, infinite blue skies—Bali is famous for spiritual health and wellness, from yoga and meditation to traditional rituals and world-renowned gurus. During your stay, you’ll complement your business lessons with personal renewal. In Bali, you will slow down, reflect and (re)discover yourself while developing a mindful approach to leadership and soft skills.

The Sapa Valley, Vietnam: Tucked in the lush mountains of northwest Vietnam, the Sapa Valley is home to jade hills, dizzying peaks and ancient villages surrounded by rice paddies. You’ll live in the village of Ta Van among the Hmong people. During your month here, you’ll spend 5 days living with a local family, participating in their daily lives, eating with them and learning their culture. And you’ll give back, dedicating some of your time to teaching English to the villagers. You will also have many opportunities to explore the breathtaking landscape. In the Sapa Valley, expect to have your mindset challenged, to become more flexible and adaptable, to learn empathy and gain confidence as you go way, way out of your comfort zone.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The city of the future in Southeast Asia is a hub of high-tech, innovation, entrepreneurship and forward-thinking. Bridging the West with the East, KL brings together diverse cultures in a modern metropolis that never sleeps. Business is big and you will be a part of it. In Kuala Lumpur, you’ll learn to innovate and lead by working hands-on in a local business.

Note: Only the full-time MBA takes place in all 3 locations; the part-time MBA only visits Bali.

The full-time MBA includes 405 hours of program time (7.5 hours per day) + 6 coaching sessions spread over 3 months and 3 locations—Indonesia (Bali), Vietnam (the Sapa Valley) and Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)—1 month in each. Program time includes online lectures, in-person classes, workshops and projects, study groups and a field trip to a local business. There are also daily wellness practices such as yoga and mindfulness; and at least once during your stay in each location an epic experience to overcome your boundaries. In a typical day, you may spend the morning in the co-working space completing an online course, have lunch with your cohort while discussing that morning’s case study, attend an afternoon workshop on leadership, have a one-to-one session with your coach, and finish with an evening group study session.

There is a lot to do and a lot to learn and the schedule is tight, so apart from your free time each day and on weekends, we have also planned some downtime. In both Bali and Kuala Lumpur the 4-week schedule is broken into 2 5-day weeks and 2 4-day weeks, allowing you ample free time to travel, explore the area, take side trips, do extreme sports, work on personal habits or projects and have fun. In Vietnam, because the Sapa Valley is so remote, you’ll attend the program 6 days a week for 3 weeks, and then have an entire week off to explore Vietnam. Click here to see the structure of the program in detail.

Your tuition payment covers the full MBA, all your classes, 6 one-to-one coaching sessions, practical workshops, epic experiences in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, company visits, accommodation, and travel between each of the 3 locations. What’s not included are your flights to your starting location and from your ending location, your visas, travel and medical insurance, immunizations, and personal expenses such as food, beverages, mobile phone, laundry, etc. You also need to bring along your own laptop.

In Vietnam, all meals are included while you are living with the Hmong people. In Indonesia and Malaysia, only breakfast is included, but you’ll have shared kitchen facilities where you and your cohort can cook lunches, dinners and snacks.

Co-living is an integral part of THE GLOCAL MBA experience. Co-living not only lets you build incredible bonds with your cohort and really get to know them, but it also lets you practice collaboration, tolerance and open-mindedness—all critical soft skills for leadership.

In Southeast Asia, you will live with a cohort of up to 30 students—smart and open-minded young professionals from around the world. In Bali, Indonesia and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, you will stay in a comfortable co-living space equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, private bedrooms and a shared communal kitchen.

In the Sapa Valley in Vietnam, you’ll spend 5 days living in the humble home of a local Hmong family. The rest of your time in Sapa will be spent in a communal house equipped with private bedrooms and a shared kitchen. Sapa is very rural and remote and that is reflected in the simple housing and facilities; don’t expect the typical comforts of the Western world. However, this unique cultural immersion is an integral part of the THE GLOCAL MBA experience; by putting you way out of your comfort zone, you’ll change your mindset and see the world in a new light.

Yes. THE GLOCAL MBA curriculum has been carefully designed. It is intense on purpose, focused on key business fundamentals complemented by comprehensive soft skills training with a healthy dose of immersive cultural experiences alongside your cohort in Southeast Asia.

Because our goal is to find the most motivated, bright, intellectually curious, high potential students from around the globe to join our business school, our only hard requirements are an undergraduate university degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of 2 years of professional work experience.

Beyond that, THE GLOCAL MBA’s application process screens for a comprehensive range of traits: intellectual and analytical capabilities; a belief in innovation, collaboration and new ways of thinking; honesty and authenticity; and willingness to embrace new challenges and to question old ways of doing things.

We are seeking people with untapped, possibly unconventional, but definitely undeniable leadership potential. By carefully screening each applicant for these intangible traits, THE GLOCAL MBA can create a dynamic, exciting and enriching community.

THE GLOCAL MBA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, physical disability, learning disability, or political affiliation. We seek the best students, no matter where they come from.

Accreditation requires a lot of regulation, bureaucracy and strictly defined study plans, all of which means limited flexibility—this is directly against the philosophy of THE GLOCAL MBA. Being un-accredited gives us the freedom to give you the most relevant, tailored and condensed business program possible. Every moment of the MBA is designed to give you exactly what you need to become a future leader, innovator or disruptor within a multinational company or in your own startup. We focus on giving you real, tangible growth, in both your skillset and your mindset—not making you memorize data, check boxes and jump through hoops. Instead of a very expensive diploma proving you can follow standardized rules, you’ll get a private certificate and the confidence to let you define the rules.