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<\/p>\nIn 2022, Maggie Wang gained a master\u2019s in management at the Madrid campus of IESE Business School, the graduate business school of the University of Navarra in Spain. Without the skills she acquired during her course, she says she would not have achieved her current role at Boston Consulting Group in Dubai. \u201cIt provided me with a lot of guidance, both from an academic perspective and a career perspective,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
IESE offers a range of business-focused courses, from senior executive programmes to a full master\u2019s in business administration. The school supports women to progress in business through a range of mechanisms, such as its Women in Business Club and international conferences on female leadership. \u201cIn class, the cohort was around 50\/50 in terms of gender, so it was already an inclusive environment,\u201d Wang says. \u201cThe faculty also has a good gender balance, and the career development service provides strong role models. They have empathy with whatever stage you\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Wang says the support offered for women by IESE is crucial because it creates a more level playing field. \u201cIf you have opportunities open to you from the beginning of your career, it means you have options rather than only one way forward,\u201d she explains. Having access to female role models through faculty members or networking opportunities means women can broaden their career aspirations, whether that\u2019s a business role, becoming a partner in a consulting firm or working in a senior government job.<\/p>\n
Coming from China, where social and career paths tend to be static, this has been a valuable eye-opener for Wang. \u201cI didn\u2019t know there were so many chances available until I studied abroad. Now I know what others have done and can make my own decisions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
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One of the benefits of the gender-balanced and welcoming environment at IESE is that Wang feels empowered to voice her opinions in class, Wang says. \u201cWe learn about organisational behaviour and men get to learn about the inequalities women face, but we also turn that around,\u201d she explains. \u201cDo men feel they don\u2019t have as many opportunities if these are offered to women, for example? It\u2019s good for both sides to sit and listen because if we only think of our own biases, we neglect this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Networking opportunities frequently connect students with women who are working for their target employers, and who can share wisdom on the application process and what it\u2019s like to work there. \u201cI applied for a digital consulting role at Boston Consulting Group and was paired with a woman alumna who was in that specific role \u2013 effectively a personalised networking opportunity for me. I\u2019ve also met with women working in consulting in the Middle East, which has helped me in terms of cultural expectations here in Dubai,\u201d adds Wang. Most importantly, achieving the master\u2019s at IESE has opened doors for her and her peers. \u201cWe have different ideas of success but have all got to achieve our goals,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Learn more about the master\u2019s in management at IESE Business School<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n