I'm pleased to present this
interview with Maryke
Luijendijk-Steenkamp,
Director of Marketing and Admissions at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM).
Curriculum
How would you define the current strength(s) of the
program? I recall when I visited the campus that the marketing curriculum was a
particular strength.
We offer a general management academic basis
during the first six months of the programme. For the second half of the
programme, participants can choose to do what we call a “Career Concentration”.
The concentration can be in Finance, Marketing or Strategy. Another key
strength is that we offer a truly international business environment. We
believe that learning from other cultures and views on business and life are a
real advantage at RSM.
Are your classes lecture-based or case-study based?
We have various methods of teaching. The
majority of our lectures are case-study based. However, we do also incorporate
a lot of guest speakers and industry presentations. Most of our classes
comprise group work where small study groups will work on assignments, feedback
sessions, presentations, problem analysis etc.
Is it possible to do an internship given the time
constraints in the program?
We have an optional internship at the end of the
programme. Participants who, in conversation with our Career Development
Centre, feel that they need an internship for their career goals can choose to
do the internship from December onwards. Career Development Centre offers
support in securing the internship.
Admissions
Why don't you require a TOEFL score? How do you
assess an applicant's English ability?
We will assess an applicant’s English ability
through various means. We will evaluate the application essays. Admissions
interviews in English are compulsory for all candidates, most taking place in
person. Thus, we can assess through the interview whether the candidate’s
working knowledge of English is of a sufficient level to engage in the MBA
class.
Who conducts interviews? What tips would you offer
someone preparing for their RSM interview?
Our interviews are conducted by alumni and/or
staff members. We try to look for alumni located in the areas where
participants live to ensure personal interviews and/or sometimes RSM staff
travel to interview destinations. Alternatively we conduct Skype
or phone interviews.
Among all the programs I have come across, RSM
stands out in terms of the strength of the relationships the program's
admissions office aims to establish with applicants. Why is this important?
What during this process do applicants tend do well, and what do they not do
well?
You are absolutely right – we really believe in
a personalised admissions approach at RSM. We like to counsel our prospective
candidates to ensure that, when they ultimately come to RSM, they have made an
informed choice. We like to do pre-application discussions early on in the
search process. This means that prospects can send their CV’s to us and we will
set up a conversation with them to check if they are eligible to apply and,
more importantly, to see if there is a fit between their MBA aspirations and
the RSM MBA.
We want to only attract students that will fit
into the RSM environment and that will be happy with the type of programme we
offer. I would suggest all applicants to speak to us even before an
application. This can be immensely helpful for them in order to make sense of
all the MBA offerings out there and to gain first-hand information on our
school. We also like to connect them with our current students and alumni that
can share more about the MBA experience.
What is the function of the RSM Asia office?
To provide world-class
education, RSM has a strong global network. With the RSM Asia office, the
school offers a huge potential to corporate partners, prospective students, and alumni, who are based in this dynamic region. As a
globally connected business school, RSM will provide a range of services from
its new office in Taipei. Alumni will be supported in strengthening our local alumni chapters, such as those active in Taiwan and Japan.
As RSM’s corporate network
in Asia will be maintained and expanded, RSM’s Career Development Centre will
offer career guidance to local alumni with the support of RSM’s business
partners in the region. Lectures by RSM faculty and local events will be
organised to offer alumni lifelong learning opportunities. In addition to short courses in Asia,
professionals can participate in RSM
degree or executive education programmes in Rotterdam.
In addition to supporting
marketing and recruitment efforts in the Asia region, the RSM Asia office
serves as a central point of contact for prospective MBA candidates based in
Asia to guide them through their information seeking and application process. They
can participate in activities, network with alumni, and attend information
sessions by RSM’s representatives.
Life in Rotterdam
Can you tell us a bit about the benefits of living
in this part of the world?
It is great to live in a country that is so
connected to the rest of the world. Schiphol airport (28 minutes away by train)
flies directly to almost any international destination. The Netherlands is a
traditional nation of traders and as such their business acumen and
entrepreneurial spirit spills over into the MBA environment.
When it comes to internationals living in the
Netherlands, I can confidently say – being an expat myself – that this is one
of the best expat locations in the world. Almost everyone speaks English here
and the visa regulations are quite open and easy compared to other countries.
There is even a specific beneficial tax ruling as an incentive for foreigners
to live and work in The Netherlands!
Furthermore, the lifestyle here is safe and
relaxed. It is great to be able to ride your bike anywhere you want to go and
to have services and amenities that make life very easy.
In what ways (clubs, events) do students interact
outside of class?
Our students can join a number of professional
and social clubs, run by the Student Association. Details can be found at http://tinyurl.com/p2mvzd9
Since 96% of our students come from abroad, it
means that all your classmates have relocated to Rotterdam as well and are
going through the same experiences. This makes for a very close-knit group of
students that all want to make the most of their time here. They arrange
various international trips and activities throughout the year and spend a lot
of time together in the city.
How do RSM students collaborate or get to know
students in the greater Erasmus University? What benefits can be realized there?
Our students are free to tap into all the
facilities and opportunities the greater Erasmus University offers. This adds
greatly to their network and depth of experience. They can join and liaise with
the University student clubs and can join the activities on offer on campus.
After the MBA
Can you tell us a bit about your Career Services,
and how they prepare students to enter the job market?
Our Career Development Centre offers a
personalised career service. All our participants receive a Career Coach that
will work with them personally throughout the year. In conversation with their
coach, participants will work on their job search.
The process is broken into four rough “stages” –
Who am I? What do I want? How do I get it? Get it? All Career activities are
geared towards this process.
Apart from coaching our students are also
connected with alumni mentors that guide them. Activities and workshops such as
CV writing sessions, interview training, salary negotiation, case cracking, networking
skills etc. are taking place on a regular basis throughout the year.
We are happy to see that these efforts pay off since we place an average of 89% of our students within three months after graduation, 76% of which are in Europe.
