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Read on to discover the latest information on cheapest mba in europe for international students. It is possible for you to find more information about free online mba programs in europe on collegelearners.

About Best Online Mba in The World

Many Online MBA programs have prospered despite the tremendous uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. In Europe, several of the top courses may be found. A large number are concentrated in the United Kingdom, including several in London, the country’s commercial and cultural hub. However, course providers come from all over the world, from Switzerland to Scotland.

Crucially, Online MBAs are often a fraction of the cost of their full-time counterparts, and our list reflects both the tuition fees but also tuition assistance from course providers in Europe and the value for money.

The location may matter less to prospective students who will be tuning in to virtual classes from across the globe. Budget-friendly Online MBA programs in Europe attract a diverse cohort, with many achieving a good gender balance, too, thanks to the flexibility of studying part-time remotely. And such cohorts will become powerful global alumni networks.

Helping to strengthen bonds between classmates, most of the courses include residential modules in vibrant, multicultural cities across the European continent, whether in Barcelona, Geneva, Montreux or Munich.

Of course, most students enroll because they want to be able to study from anytime, anywhere and on any device. Europe has among the oldest and most revered academic institutes that have, over years and sometimes decades, developed high-touch online learning environments that their business schools use.

Many of the more affordable Online MBA programs in Europe offer a great deal of specialization in such disciplines as global banking and finance, or entrepreneurship and innovation. Here are the top 10 such courses in Europe that won’t break the bank.

MBA has become an important degree to hold if you are in management or any business field. However, not everyone has the ability to take a break from their careers and join a full-time MBA course. The right solution to this matter could be online MBAs. In the next few paragraphs, EDUopinions is going to talk about the most affordable online MBA programmes, what they are and if they are worth it.Online MBAs

the 10 most affordable online MBA programmes:
EU Business School MBA Online Programme
studies in germany in english

This is a one year, three-term, a full-time degree in which students develop their knowledge and skills that relate to Business, Finance, Law and Media Communication. The programme is taught in English. You will also have exchange opportunities in EU Business School campuses in Geneva, Barcelona, Montreux. The tuition fees for the programme are EUR 18200.

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MBA at IUBH Online

This distance learning programme is ideal for people who want to get ahead in the world of business. The MBA goes on for 12 to 16 months. The online and flexible MBA at IUBH Online allows you to work whenever and wherever. Plus, the courses are taught in English. The total programme fee for the two year MBA programme is EUR 16605. Want to know more about Scholarships at IUBH Online? Contact us today.

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MBA in Strategic Management at Apsley Business School

This MBA is designed for professionals who want to practice the day-to-day of the business. The programme is flexible but there is a strict focus on the quality of your assessed work. The programme can be completed in nine months depending on your study plan. The whole MBA is accredited at 90 ECTS. For entry to Strategic Management at Apsley Business School, you need to have a Bachelor degree plus 3 years of professional practice. The tuition fees for the programme are EUR 6800 / EUR 6000 depending on your study plan.

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MBA Programmes at Global Business University-Europe
Global University of Business Europe

More than 10,000 students graduated from Global Business University-Europe. Its unique aspect is that you can start studying from the comfort of your home at any time of the year. GBU offers 23 online MBAs as well as an EMBA. Thanks to the great range of programmes, students can explore their passions on a business level. In fact, among all fields of MBAs, there are Finance, Banking, Digital Marketing, Health Units Management, HR, Logistics, Project Management, and much more. All MBA programmes cost €4,000 and last 1 year. You can earn up to 120 ECTS.

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Global online MBA at Middlesex University

The Global Online MBA by Middlesex University is designed for those busy professionals who want to study online at their own pace. In the first year, students will focus on the core MBA disciplines of Strategy & Innovation, Managing & Developing People, and Financial & Economic Analysis. Students can customise their MBA by an elective option in their second year such as Digital Marketing or Entrepreneurial Management. The total programme fee for the two year MBA programme is EUR 16000.

MBA at The Open University UK

This is a distance learning MBA that will help you to acquire skills in the workplace. This MBA is ranked as the 5th best online MBA in the world and 1st in the UK by CEO Magazine’s Global Online MBA Rankings (2019). The MBA at the Open University is also ranked highly by employers: 13th by Times Higher Education.

Online MBA at Maastricht School of Management

This part-time MBA at Maastricht School of Management provides the same high-quality management education as their on-campus MBA programmes. This is a 100% online set-up of the programme will save you time and money for travelling abroad. The courses are covered in 8 modules. The total programme fee for the two year MBA programme is EUR 32595.

MBA at University of Nicosia

This MBA is part of the University of Nicosia’s distance learning programme. It aims to provide students with a solid foundation of business education enabling them to become effective managers. After this course, the students can expect to become managers or senior managers in different areas of private interest and organizations.

MBA with specialism in Oil and Gas Management at Heriot-Watt University

This online MBA is made to provide the students with skills needed to work alongside public and private oil and gas producers. The core courses at Heriot-Watt University include Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing etc.

MBA at University of Northampton (Top-Up)

This is a one-year online programme at the University of Northampton and is designed to enable holders of the Diploma in Management Studies (or the equivalent UK and international qualifications) to gain an MBA qualification. The total programme fee for the two year MBA programme is EUR 3510.

Online MBA degrees are gaining popularity as there are several advantages that come with them. For one, you do not have to quit your work to join these programmes. It provides maximum flexibility to students. If you are on the road often, then the classes can be taken from an airport or a hotel room as well. Unlike a full-time MBA, these programmes do not demand that you sit in classes a couple of days a week. Plus, if you are already employed, there is a chance that your employer could pay for half of your education.

However, since you are already working, most of the companies who come for placement pick students from the full-time MBA programmes. However, many graduates of online programmes are reporting positive outcomes immediately after getting their degrees. According to Forbes, At Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, online graduates are reporting average salary increases of 29% over their pre-MBA pay.

Is an online MBA the same as a regular MBA?
While both the MBA types focus on the same curriculum, there are some differences. Online MBA degrees provide you with a flexibility that a regular MBA does not. However, you are not going to master interpersonal and people management skills. That is because you will be attending classes online and will not be directly communicating with your teachers and classmates. Face-to-face interaction is a crucial aspect of the MBA experience. Plus, meet-ups and networking events provide excellent opportunities to meet industry leaders.

The Open University (OU) – Business School
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom (UK) 10 Followers 12 Discussions
Open University (OU)
The Open University is one of only one percent of all business schools that are triple accredited: it has earned AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS accreditation from the leading international management education associations. The OU is a specialist distance education learning provider based in the UK.

Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers (CNAM) – International Institute of Management
Paris, France 9 Followers 1 Discussion
CNAM
The International Institute of Management of Cnam provides an Online MBA program, accredited by AMBA, for executives that is delivered partly online, partly in person. Cnam is among France’s top higher education institutions, situated in the heart of Paris with a diverse student body made up of people from different educational and professional backgrounds, ages and cultures.

Bradford University School of Management
Bradford, United Kingdom (UK) 41 Followers 86 Discussions
Bradford
University of Bradford School of Management, of the UK, is part of the elite: it is one of only 10 business schools to be included in the Financial Times ranking of the best Online MBAs, not only in Europe, but worldwide – for the second year running. The course was ranked the best value for money in the world, 10th in the world for career progress and 10th in the world overall.

MIB Trieste School of Management
Trieste, Italy 0 Followers 0 Discussions
In a beautiful north-eastern region of Italy, this budget-friendly Online MBA can be completed in 12 months full-time, or in 24 months part-time. In terms of the budget factor, there are scholarships covering up to 50 percent of the already affordable tuition fee. The business school operates a hybrid classroom: teaching students on campus and online simultaneously. The course has been running for 30 years with a 95 percent placement rate for jobs.

Aston University – Aston Business School
Birmingham (United Kingdom), United Kingdom (UK) 28 Followers 27 Discussions
Aston
Elsewhere in the UK, Aston Business School puts on a triple-accredited Online MBA program as well. The course achieved an 82 percent employability rating in The Times University Guide, as well as a gold standard for its teaching excellence. The course is based on the latest thinking in behavioral science to give you the “Aston Edge”.

Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University (RGU)
Aberdeen, United Kingdom (UK) 39 Followers 9 Discussions
Aberdeen
RGU’s Aberdeen Business School in Scotland was the first to achieve joint accreditation from the Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association, two of the world’s leading authorities on business education. The school’s MBA is delivered online through the university’s virtual learning environment, where students access teaching materials and communicate with lecturers and fellow students.

Vlerick Business School – Ghent Campus
Gent, Belgium 13 Followers 1 Discussion
Vlerick – Ghent Campus
The tuition fees at this Belgian Online MBA program are just a fraction of the full-time version on campus in Ghent. Vlerick has achieved triple-crown accreditation, ensuring the highest academic standards, and the fees can be paid in installments. Students who pay the full fee upfront get a substantial discount.

University College London (UCL) – School of Management
London, United Kingdom (UK) 0 Followers 0 Discussions
UCL is one of Europe’s most revered academic institutes. The students in its relatively affordable Online MBA can complete annual immersions at its historic Bloomsbury campus in London or in Canary Wharf – the city’s financial center. The program has a good gender balance, with 53 percent of students being female. Graduates join a large alumni network in 101 countries across the globe.

MIP Politecnico di Milano
Milan, Italy 18 Followers 2 Discussions
At MIP, Online MBA students pay affordable tuition fees and the course has been designed in partnership with leading employers like Amazon and Microsoft, ensuring graduates are ready to enter the job market. The course is delivered fully online, ensuring flexibility and accessibility.

University of Birmingham – Birmingham Business School
Birmingham (United Kingdom), United Kingdom (UK) 29 Followers 12 Discussions
Birmingham
Birmingham, in the UK, runs a super-affordable Online MBA that is also highly ranked, not only in Europe, but globally. It was the first fully Online MBA to be accredited by AMBA, so the teaching is well regarded. Graduates also have a bright employment outlook, given the school’s connections to employers

The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself.” And for legendary investor Warren Buffett, education is a more reliable route to wealth than Bitcoin. “The more you learn, the more you earn.”

Business education has seen a huge rise in demand since Covid-19 turned the world upside down last year, both for the full-time MBA and a wide range of specialized Master’s programs. But with so many of us coming to terms with working remotely, and schools themselves pushed towards digital delivery of their courses, there are more people than ever considering an online MBA or Master’s.

“The pandemic has changed people’s perceptions, and opened their minds to the possibility of remote learning,” says Federico Frattini, dean of MIP Politecnico di Milano. “We know that the future of work is going to be more agile and flexible, and far more reliant on digital technologies. The same is true for the future of learning.”

PROMOTED

Thanks to people like Frattini, online learning at MIP Politcenico Di Milano is so much more than just Zoom and PowerPoint slides. He and his colleagues have built one of the best digital offerings for business education in the form of the i-Flex program. The Milan-based institution was one of only seven schools outside of the U.S. to have its digital alternative to the flagship MBA ranked in the Financial Times’ 2021 Online MBA Ranking, published in March.

Featuring alongside the business schools of Warwick, IE, Imperial and Durham, this year’s ranking of the top providers of Online MBAs marks a significant achievement for the Italian institution, with the i-Flex climbing to 8th place.

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With the backdrop of the last 16 months of a global pandemic, it has been a boom year for the Online MBA market. Applications surged by 43.5 percent in 2020, according to the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC).

What started out over thirty years ago as a niche alternative offered by for-profit institutions such as the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University, is quickly becoming a focus for top ranked business schools such as Michigan Ross, CMU Tepper, USC Marshall, Indiana Kelley and UNC Kenan Flagler.

For the best coverage of the US market in online MBAs, Poets&Quants publishes an annual ranking that now includes close to 50 programs.

But what about Europe, where ESMT Berlin, University College London and Vlerick Business School are adding to a growing list of top schools that are proving high-quality programs that are tailored to individuals who want flexibility to learn where and when they want.

Below is a review of six of the best, with input from faculty and students on what makes the Online MBA such a compelling proposition.

Durham University Business School

Name: Online MBA

Fees: £23,621

Duration: 24 months

Durham University Business School
Durham University Business School DURHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
Delivered by one of the UK’s leading providers, the Durham University Business School Online MBA has flexibility at its very core. Giving students the option to study all-online, or to take part in on-campus elements, the program is geared towards giving its cohort members as much freedom as possible. Durham’s digital alternative to the MBA ranked 7th in this year’s FT ranking, only placing lower than two other UK-based programs, the aforementioned Warwick Business School Distance Learning MBA and Imperial College Business School’s Global Online MBA.

Guided by the principle of flexibility, the program also allows students to choose a number of optional modules that align with specific career goals. According to Chris Williams, Director of the Durham Online MBA, the digital nature of the program opens it up to a global recruitment pool: “The Online MBA at Durham means that the students can pursue their study from anywhere in the world.”

Williams is also quick to point out the networking capabilities that come with the program, noting that students, irrespective of location, “are able to network with others on the program across multiple cohorts also across the planet.”

Beyond flexibility, however, it’s an unwavering focus on diversity and inclusion that defines the Online MBA at Durham University Business School. The institution has an impressive track record for valuing diversity, welcoming students from all cultures and professional backgrounds. And this responsible approach to admissions seeps into the fabric of the program itself, with elements of ethical business, responsible leadership and sustainability featuring in each module.

“Our mission is to develop and enthuse leaders and entrepreneurs who create, share and use knowledge to deliver equitable and sustainable futures around the world,” says Williams.

According to Jørgen Pivak, who graduated from the Online MBA in 2017, this is what attracted him to the program. Prior to his time at Durham, Jørgen worked at Nortura – a meat processor – and had little experience in business and management roles at the time of applying to business school. He notes that this left him genuinely concerned that his background would hinder his experience.

However he was quickly comforted to find that there was no ‘typical background’ among his peers. “As it turned out, rather than blanking out all my past professional experience, the Durham Online MBA program has merged it with first-class business education and transformed me into a well-rounded professional.”

IE Business School

Name: Global Online MBA

Fees: 50,000 Euros

Duration: 15 Months

IE Wow Room
IE Wow Room IE BUSINESS SCHOOL
Madrid-based IE Business School has long been renowned as one of Europe’s leading institutions for its solid foundation of business courses, as well as its specialization in entrepreneurship. So it was little surprise to many that, for the fourth year in a row, IE’s Global Online MBA ranked in the top two programs worldwide in the FT’s 2021 ranking.

However, impressive credentials aside, what attracts students year-in, year-out to IE’s Global Online MBA is, much like Durham, a heavy focus on diversity and sustainability. The Spanish institution truly understands that long gone are the days that applicants weigh a business school program up only against their educational agenda and career goals. IE realises that it’s also about aligning with personal values. With a gender-breakdown among its faculty that leads the industry – 44% of the academics at IE are female – and a first-place position in the Financial Times for corporate social responsibility, this business school practices what it preaches.

It was values likes these, which in turn cultivate an inclusive environment for students, that was pivotal for Stefania Rios when she was weighing up whether to apply to study on the Global Online MBA at IE. “The flexibility of the program is very important for students who are working and have other commitments and responsibilities such as new born babies, and for those living in remote locations,” she says.

Stefania, who was working in the Middle East at the time of studying, was able to balance both work and her MBA which, as a result, enabled her to directly apply what she was learning on the program to her career from the outset.

“One of IE’s core strengths is the continuous attention and enhancement of their online campus, making lectures and students feel connected in real time. This was important for students like me who are studying across the globe,” she says.

And despite the challenge of balancing her studies with personal and professional commitments, Stefania felt that the support received from classmates, lecturers and the program team was fundamental to her success, as well as that of rest of her cohort. When in Madrid for on-campus elements of the program, she even found that extra-curricular activities had been arranged to encourage bonding and networking among the students.

“IE understands the importance of networking, and due to the nature of the course being online, it was important to connect with the classmates, teachers and program management team during the face-to-face weeks.”

Imperial College Business School

Name: Global Online MBA

Fees: £37,600

Duration: 24 months

Imperial College Business School
Imperial College Business School IMPERIAL COLLEGE
Part of one of the most innovative and dynamic universities on the planet, globally-recognized for its contributions to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Imperial College Business School’s ability to fuse technology and business education has defined its approach to teaching for much of the institution’s history.

Even now, in a business education sector that has never been more adaptive, digitally-transformed and versatile, Imperial is still findings new ways of doing things to retain that edge on the market and, ultimately, deliver the best education to its students.

According to Markus Perkmann, Academic Director of the Global Online MBA, when it comes to online learning it’s all about ensuring the experience is as authentic as possible – something he’s confident Imperial delivers on:

“Particularly compared to some of the big US Online MBA programs, our cohort-based approach ensures that Online MBA students still get an authentic experience, delivered using a mix of technology and face-to-face meetings”.

Delivered via ‘The Hub’, an online learning platform designed and developed by the school’s in-house EdTech Lab which connects students with their peers and their tutors, and is accessible from any device in any location, Imperial’s Global Online MBA strikes a balance of being online yet still cohort-based.

Despite students being scattered across the globe, this emphasis on interaction and networking – aided by The Hub – could actually be better preparing cohort members for the increasingly globalised business environment. “Students who do the Online MBA are better able to use technology to bridge geographic distances, deliver high-priority deliverables in an ongoing basis, and work within teams that are spread across different fields of expertise,” says Perkmann.

For Glyn Estebanez, an alumnus of the Global Online MBA at Imperial, the chance to mix technology and business was too good an opportunity to miss. A General Surgeon in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) before enrolling at Imperial, Glyn put his newfound skills and understanding to work almost instantly, opting to leave his career with the NHS and set up Nexus Labs, an online medical education company.

He says that he always planned to launch his start-up simultaneously to studying, and so the Global Online MBA fitting in seamlessly with his life was a huge benefit. And most importantly, Glyn says that the program at Imperial was perfectly tailored the career path that he was pursuing.

“I was always interested in the online Ed Tech start-up world and the GMBA really helped shape and develop the concept behind Nexus Labs. By the time I graduated I had successfully developed our first online medical education platform prototype and was ready to pitch to investors.”

MIP Politecnico Di Milano

Name: i-Flex

Fees: 37,000 Euros

Duration: 24 months

MIP Politecnico di Milano
MIP Politecnico di Milano MIP
MIP is Italy’s leading institution for online learning. Having shifted much of its focus to digital learning methods under the leadership of Federico Frattini, who took the lead on the development of FLEXA – the business school’s AI learning platform which doubles as a career coach for potential students, current cohorts and alumni – MIP offers its students the flexibility to decide where and how to access their lesson material from anywhere in the world and with any device.

“Digital is by no means a tool to deliver content, but rather the main driver of innovation and learning,” says Frattini. Thanks to FLEXA, which was also developed in partnership with global technology heavyweight, Microsoft, and with continuous improvement always being made, the i-Flex is extremely advanced. Federico Frattini describes MIP’s take on the Online MBA as a “breakthrough in the field of digital learning technology.”

Harnessing ground-breaking AI technologies, i-Flex also boasts of being able to keep students connected with one another despite being thousands of miles apart.

Mirko Fiore, who completed his international Flex Executive MBA from MIP in 2019, testifies to the incredible networking capabilities of the i-Flex. Before starting his course, Mirko expected to struggle to create bonds with his fellow cohort members because of the online nature of the program. However, to his surprise, he discovered that he not only created a good interpersonal relationship between classmates, but even developed real friends.

Alliance Manchester Business School

Name: Global Part-time MBA

Fees: £30,000

Duration: 18 months or 24 months

Alliance Manchester Business School
Alliance Manchester Business School ALLIANCEMBS
An instantly-recognisable feature of the Alliance Manchester Business School Global Part-time MBA is the sheer diversity of its students. The business school itself boasts an immense international alumni network of 60,000 former students from 176 countries – a seemingly endless community of people to connect and work with.

Designed for experienced professionals from all industries, the Global Part-time MBA at Alliance Manchester requires 50% face-to-face teaching, a significant jump in the amount of on-campus time students are expected to participate in compared to the business school’s other online programs. This is because the unique program’s blended-learning format, giving students access to workshop residentials, as well as online content.

Few can question the claim that Alliance Manchester’s Global Part-time MBA delivers an immersive international experience for its students. With workshops being hosted at six global locations, those studying on the program gain precious skills outside of their own home markets, as Owen Lloyd found out.

According to Owen, studying on the Global Part-time MBA provided an “unprompted international understanding of various business functions outside of my own core ones as well as lots of examples of good and bad examples of work outside my immediate industry.”

In a business environment that’s becoming more interconnected every day, and with more scope than ever before for pursuing career opportunities all over the planet, programs likes this provide an intense but vital learning experience, Owen suggests.

“The MBA is great if you plan to work abroad, it makes you realise that business is the same all over the world, albeit with different legal infrastructures. Every multinational company knows what an MBA is so it really does open up doors.”

Warwick Business School

Name: Distance Learning MBA

Fees: £34,046

Duration: 24 months

WBS London, The Shard
WBS London, The Shard WARWICK
Warwick Business School’s Distance Learning MBA is one of the most sought after in the market. Warwick is widely regarded as one of the leading schools in Europe for its innovation in content delivery, as well as its academic research.

The school’s Distance Learning MBA was one of the first of its kind, and has now been running for 30 years. Even with three decades of experience under its belt, the UK-based institution is always looking to perfect its craft. This is reflected in student experience, with the FT’s 2021 ranking reporting that around 80% of those who studied on the Distance Learning MBA felt they had accomplished their aims once completing the course. Meanwhile, graduates of the program see their salaries rise, on average, 35% in three years of completing their MBA.

With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that Warwick invest so much time, effort – and money – into its online offerings. Speaking to Pietro Micheli, Course Director for the Distance Learning MBA, he says: “We invest heavily in edtech every year. For example, we are currently trialling a new virtual reality learning experience. Our learning platform is a bespoke design by our eSolutions team and provides a virtual classroom for our students where we run lectures, knowledge groups, online case studies and hold rich interactive learning resources.”

The sheer levels of investment in edtech is reflected in the facilities available to students at Warwick: “We have a fantastic e-learning department that now has two film studios to record lectures, interviews, webinars and discussions. We are further developing in-house content such as online business games, where students can simulate what happens when they make strategic decisions as a manager of a business,” Micheli notes.

While rankings results are great, it’s the students who truly reap the rewards of such heavy investment in online learning. “The distance learning MBA at Warwick enabled me to engage in lectures in real time and speak directly to guest speakers, professors, and program teams. I was also able to watch archived sessions if I was prevented to attend the live session,” says Janine Rinninsland, a creative buyer who studied on Warwick’s Distance Learning MBA.

For Janine, alongside the state-of-the-art technologies at her disposal, it was the opportunity to study at the school of your choice, without having to give up friends, family, or an existing career.

“If you already have a management position it is difficult to leave the job and start studying a full-time MBA. I enjoyed the flexible online program which allowed me to work full-time as a manager and to follow my maxim of life-long learning.”

So, what are the requirements to study at the top ranking Online MBA program on the planet? Distance Learning MBA applicants are like other prospective MBAs – they have to meet the same entry requirements, as well as being aspirational in terms of professional and personal development, says Micheli.

“We are looking for driven individuals who will add their own unique perspective to create a diverse cohort in terms of cultures, professions, sectors and experience.”

COVID-19 has hit cities hard, with 90% of infections reported in urban areas.[1] That impact will have a range of repercussions as cities aim to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 11, which calls for urban areas that are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Now more than ever, cities will need to turn to advanced technologies that can help them not only face down a crisis like COVID-19 but also improve overall efficiency and quality of life.

Employees walking to work in the city at sunrise
Most important, cities need to avoid returning to “business as usual” when it comes to their smart city agendas.[2] While it is still unclear what life will look like post-pandemic, city leaders need to view the crisis as an opportunity to re-evaluate and adapt their policies.

Cities and crisis
It’s not unusual for a disruptive event to prompt a “reset” of sorts when it comes to cities. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake led to the birth of earthquake engineering;[3] the cholera outbreak in London triggered the first public health policy on urban sanitation in 1848; and a fire in Chicago in 1887 led to vertical construction and the first skyscrapers.[4] The damage wrought by World War II also prompted massive government-sponsored housing and rebuilding programs.[5]

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely be no different. But how cities operate post-pandemic will not only be informed by the gaps the crisis revealed: The new patterns of behavior and activity that emerged during the pandemic will also necessitate a rethink of how cities operate going forward. Consider some of the pandemic’s impacts:

An upsurge of digital payments and 77% year-on-year growth in e-commerce during 2020[6]
An inability to access public infrastructure, services, and education emphasized the need for digitalization of city operations[7]
Declines in economic activity led to cities losing on average 15% to 40% of their annual municipal finances [8]
A 6% contraction in global energy demand and a 7% reduction in carbon emissions in 2020 as compared to 2019[9]
During the early months of the lockdowns—and the subsequent fall in economic activity—there was a 20% to 40% reduction in air pollution levels in major global cities[10]
While the crisis is expected to trigger a renewed commitment to building resilience, these types of patterns should prompt a stronger consideration of inclusivity and sustainability in cities. The trends in e-commerce will affect neighborhood businesses. Digitizing of services, while important to access and city budgets, can leave behind people without internet access. Concomitant drops in air pollution and energy demand underline the importance of cleaner economic activity.

While pre-pandemic smart city policies may have been motivated by efficiency and cost-savings, local governments need to recognize that the pandemic has shifted those goals. Polices now have to be more people-centered and responsive with a greater focus on sustainability. They also need to fix gaps that can cause cascading effects from one urban system to another.

Taking action
Despite the challenges presented by high density living, cities have had among some of the strongest responses to the pandemic. A recent study of 167 cities globally already shows how COVID-19 is impacting urban planning: 68% of cities are reconsidering urban planning and the use of space, with 54% re-thinking mobility and transportation.[11]

For example, as an immediate response to the pandemic, Bogota, Columbia added 52 miles of temporary bike lanes to their existing network at the beginning of 2020.[12] Milan, Italy, responding to the disruption of food aid caused by COVID, established a permanent joint public-private food aid system—that also provides consistent and comparable data about food distribution.[13] And in Singapore, the government is increasing its ICT investment by 30% to accelerate digitalization that can enable citizens and workers to resume normal activities and businesses to reopen safely.[14]

These examples highlight how actions taken both during and post-COVID will be vital to achieving smart city goals. They can inform some of the short-term and longer-term approaches urban planners should consider, including:

Communicating and promoting public transportation. City officials should provide as much information as possible about the availability of public transport—and its safety—to not only increase ridership but also to bring back nervous customers.
Using data to optimize mobility services: Data gathered by major tech players via mobile devices can provide critical insights into the transport needs of citizens. Data coming from other mobility-related sources—including micromobility players (scooter and bike rentals) and navigation apps—can also help urban planners design more effective mobility policies and systems.
Investing in making alternative, sustainable choices more attractive. This can be achieved with IT support from the private sector as well as by incentivizing sustainable choices—for example, giving out rewards for choosing environmentally friendly modes of transportation via an app. And according to the Deloitte City Mobility Index, more and more cities are considering measures that make micromobility more attractive such as reclaiming street space from cars for cycling and walking.
Drawing on the power of innovation and digitalization. With disruption as an accelerator, cities can and should continue developing innovative approaches using new technologies to become smarter and more sustainable. For example, IoT can provide important data via sensing. This data, in turn, can then be used via open digital platforms by private sector players to create innovative new services.
Taking a strategic approach. Rather than returning to pre-pandemic approaches, city planners should reassess urban plans and make strategic choices that can help make cities, cleaner, safer, more affordable, and more inclusive.
Underpinning any and all of these actions must be a strict adherence to strong governance. With the increased use of technology during the pandemic—and as a key enabler of urban transformation overall—cities must maintain public trust by addressing such critical issues as privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, and connectivity. Cities must never lose sight of effective governance as they invest in advanced technologies—understanding that their approach can play an important role in how society resets post-crisis.

Keeping the momentum
With more than half of urban planners acknowledging that the pandemic has permanently changed how people live, work, socialize, and travel in their city,[15] there is no doubt that the pandemic has both altered and accelerated the smart city agenda. The question now is how to use the urgency generated during the crisis to continue making innovative choices that not only boost resiliency but also promote inclusivity and sustainability.

To learn more about Deloitte’s urban transformation and smart city activities, visit Deloitte.com as well as the following: The Deloitte City Mobility Index, Governing Smart Cities: Policy benchmarks for ethical and responsible smart city development, and Urban Future with a Purpose.

Online and distance education is constantly growing. Also, MBA programmes are more often offered to study from a distance. An online MBA degree gives you the opportunity to combine academic knowledge with practical business management while having a flexible study schedule within a supported structure.

When seeking a fully online or blended (lessons are partly taught on campus) MBA, it is important to pay attention to accreditation from the major international management education bodies, employability, the competitiveness of entry and quality of peers.

Another thing is to look for programmes well-tailored to your professional interests and needs as well as the networking opportunities schools offers. Even if fully online MBAs do not require students to be present on campus, the location of business schools influences how degrees are taught along with the course curriculum. If you’re planning on following a management career in Europe, it might make sense for you to attend an online MBA offered by a European institution.

Find online MBAs worldwide
In the digital learning business administration field, European business schools are becoming more popular, starting to compete with their North American counterparts, according to recent Distance Online MBA Rankings 2021 provided by the Financial Times.

We have included a list of 14 reputable business schools from Europe. The first 6 are ranked in Financial Times Rankings 2021. The rest are still good online study options to consider from other places in Europe. This way, you’ll get a broader overview of the online MBA courses available at Universities from Europe.

1. Warwick Business School, UK
   Warwick University is well known for its research excellence, ranked in the top universities in the UK and the world. The university also facilitates access to jobs and internships for its students. Warwick Business School – part of Warwick University –is dedicated to unlocking the full potential of its students while welcoming diversity, new voices and fresh ideas.
2. IE Business School, Spain
   IE Business School – The private IE Spanish university is one of the world’s leading higher education institutions that is highly valued for its innovation and learning technologies. In 2,000, IE launched the first online MBA in Europe, currently offering distance learning MBA programmes in a variety of formats, from Global MBAs to Executive MBAs.

The programmes are blended, with a 20% face-to-face ratio, taking 15 months to complete. Using multimedia materials such as simulations, games and tutorials, the faculty uses the same intensive practical approach as for the full-time programmes.

3. Imperial College Business School, UK
   Imperial College Business School helps students build a competitive mindset focused on results, welcoming people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and professions. Teachers at Imperial College share a commitment to academic excellence and a research-focused mindset. Engage in interdisciplinary work and collaborate with leading industry experts.
4. Durham University, UK
   Durham University delivers top-quality education that is challenging, supports leading research, class cooperation and helps student professional and personal development. Durham University also provides an engaging digital learning environment for delivering great business education.
5. MIP Politecnico di Milano
   MIP Politecnico di Milano – The Polytechnic University of Milan is a leading Italian business school that recently launched a new online-based MBA programme, developed in collaboration with Microsoft. The flexible Executive MBA benefits from an innovative digital learning platform that provides easy access to pre-recorded video content and allows students to actively participate to live lessons.

However, the learning language is Italian, so if you are interested in improving your Italian skills while taking business and management classes, this is the ideal opportunity.

6. University of Bradford School of Management
   University of Bradford takes pride in its helpful student support services. Ever since it was founded, Bradford University has been dedicated to providing well-trained professionals with skills relevant to the current economic climate. The university provides placements for its students and makes sure they have access to all relevant industry equipment as well as teachers with many years of experience.

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While the next 8 university entries are not featured in the online MBA rankings from Financial Times 2021, they are still well-renowned institutions providing great-quality online business education at European standards:

7. EMAS Business School, Russia
   EMAS Business School – as one of the biggest business-oriented universities in Russia, EMAS stands out by how open they are to collaborating with other universities, in order to understand how to better teach and consult in Business and Management projects. EMAS is also ranked 12th in Eastern Europe by Best Masters and has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 from EduOpinions.
8. The Open University UK
   The Open University UK – as one of the biggest public distance-learning universities in the United Kingdom, The Open University also has a campus, where all the research facilities and all the PhD students conduct their academic work for their theses.

Also, OU is involved in a lot of cultural projects, having done a number of highly acclaimed documentaries, some that can be found on Netflix.

9. University of Birmingham Online, UK
   University of Birmingham Online – the original “red brick” university, meaning a university built in an industrial city, housed and taught some of the greatest minds of the XXth century, making it worthy of the motto “Through efforts to heights”.

As a public institution, a degree here is recognised all over the world, and, seeing how highly-ranked the University of Birmingham is, you know this is a Master’s degree that’s worth having.

10. Nottingham Trent University Online, UK
    Nottingham Trent University Online – one of the biggest universities in the UK, Nottingham Trent University is one of the “top places in the country for graduate employment”. And, if this wasn’t enough, it was also one of the universities that ranked high in the “Student Choice Awards”, making it one of the best universities for student experiences.
11. IUBH University of Applied Sciences, Germany
    IUBH University of Applied Sciences – this German university offers some great online MBAs, that focus on preparing its students for the post-graduation working life. By looking over real-life examples of utilising marketing and entrepreneurship theories, students will be ready for the job market and all the challenges that might arise here.
12. Swiss School Of Business and Management, Switzerland
    Located in the city of Geneva, the Swiss School of Business and Management is an innovative school offering premium research and education with the assistance of over 30 prestigious industry partners. SSBM embraces student diversity and upholds the greatest standards of teaching excellence.
13. London School of International Business, UK
    London School of International Business – with over 90 online Master’s degrees in Business & Management, LSIB is always focused on offering students a pick from great programmes and great possibilities, so that everyone can work in the department they want to.
14. European University Cyprus (EUC), Cyprus
    European University Cyprus (EUC) – Established in 1961, European University Cyprus (EUC) is one of the leading institutions of higher education in Cyprus, joining the Laureate International Universities network in 2005.

The university offers a two years online MBA degree, entirely taught in English, at a more reasonable price than most universities in Europe. Students work with updated learning materials made exclusively for the distance education teaching model or adapted for this purpose by the instructors.