Best MBA programs in Poland in 2024

What is an MBA program?

Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs are postgraduate programs in business management. Courses are typically held in the evenings or on weekends, enabling participants to easily combine education with work.

Is an MBA different from a traditional master's degree in management?

Indeed, MBA programs differ quite significantly from the forms of education available in the first two degrees. These differences are particularly noticeable in the following aspects that MBA programs are characterized by:

• Condensed curriculum: The duration of the program is usually raanging from 12 to 24 months.
• Aimed at advanced audiences who already have quite substantial subject knowledge and even some work experience.
• Strong emphasis on practice, not just theory: classes are usually taught by experienced business managers and trainers. Therefore, they are meant to present practical business cases and knowledge based not only on academic textbooks but from the instructor’s own experience.
• Emphasis on soft skills: in addition to hard skills, such programs also teach soft skills, such as communication and listening skills, time management, problem-solving, as well as leadership and empathy, among others. Nowadays, these qualities can make it very easy for us to navigate the business environment and can be an important factor for success in managerial positions.
• International reputation: MBA programs are a qualification recognized by employers worldwide, allowing holders of this degree to find employment more easily within as well as outside of the country.
• Cost: An MBA usually involves a fairly significant cost. Since it is a postgraduate degree, it is not paid for by the state. True, some employers offer partial or even full funding for the qualification, however, for many an MBA will involve expenses. And quite a bit, at that: the price of an MBA in Poland is a minimum of several tens of thousands of zlotys, and at some universities, it can reach nearly 90,000 zlotys!

Is an MBA worth the investment?

Truth be told, the answer to this question is not entirely unanimous.

On the one hand, such programs offer a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to navigate the complexities of today's business landscape. Some employers, having recognized MBA degrees as an emblem of academic excellence, tend to dedicate senior management positions exclusively to holders of this qualification. In such cases, the MBA may determine whether or not one is invited to a recruitment interview.

On the other hand, just having an MBA does not guarantee that a graduate with an MBA will be the best candidate for a directorship. While MBA education has a slightly more practical dimension than the traditional academic route, both remain based on one assumption: that leadership and management can be learned under "laboratory" conditions.

Meanwhile, reality often disproves this assumption. Research by Institutional Investor, and a separate study by economists at the University of Hawaii, suggest that the success of an organization – conceptualized in this case as an increase in the company's stock price – is not directly related to the education on management.

An MBA by itself is not a replacement for a hands-on management experience. From this perspective, while there is no doubt that an MBA degree can be a ticket to a recruitment interview – it can prove to be a very expensive and non-refundable one.

In the end, when it comes to the value of an MBA program, it could be useful to consider the return on investment (ROI). This can be conceptualized as the increase in salary obtained from a post-MBA job contrasted with the price of the program.

What are the best MBA programs in Poland?

With Poland's burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem, choosing the right MBA program becomes especially important for aspiring business leaders.

Finding the right program for us is not an easy decision, however. Competition is fierce – many universities in the country offer various types of MBA programs – and making the right decision seems all the more significant considering the impact it will end up having on our wallets.

Undoubtedly, an important factor in choosing a program can be its accreditations. The acquisition of such by an educational institution indicates that it meets strictly defined and usually very high standards of education. The higher these benchmarks are, the harder the accreditation is to obtain, although its prestige in the labor market increases proprtionately.

According to the Perspektywy 2024 MBE ranking, which takes into account 28 indicators categorized into five different aspects of the program: its students, content features, teaching staff, career support for graduates, as well as its rank and prestige itself, the best MBA programs in Poland are as follows.

Sources:

The Economist, „Is it worth doing an MBA?”

Perspektywy – MBA, Akredytacje

Politechnika Gdańska, “Jaka jest cena za studia MBA?”