Food and Wine

A goal beyond excellence

Art, beauty, high-quality cuisine. These are the first thoughts the world has about Italy. The variety, typicality, and uniqueness of products, from the Alps to the South, make Italy the undisputed queen of the food and wine business.

The Global MBA in Food and Wine trains managers and businessmen to guide the growth and internationalization of companies operating in the food and beverage industry. This international MBA is dedicated to those who wish to give a significant boost to their career or to undertake a business project in this sector.

Only BBS, a school located on the territory, able to have direct contact with companies, entrepreneurs, managers, and opinion leaders in the food and wine business, is able to offer a high level of managerial skills, the capability to manage the fragmented supply chains on the territory, the analysis tools to enhance the excellence of the agro-industrial business, and the necessary strategy to preserve the high quality of the products with a prospect of international expansion.

The Global MBA in Food and Wine is a 12-month, full-time program. In the first term, classes will focus on general management, and during the second term, students will study specialized subjects.

Classes from an international faculty are complemented by lectures from entrepreneurs, managers, Michelin-starred chefs, and company visits. This is followed by a 500-hour internship in leading food and drink companies or working on entrepreneurial projects. The structure of the classes is heterogeneous: the geographical origin, the mix of cultures, and the global perspective enrich this experience with additional motivation and opportunities for exchange.

Contact us for information on the application procedure, on the scholarships available, on the details of the courses: we will answer your questions and fix an online or face-to-face meeting to introduce you to our beautiful headquarters at Villa Guastavillani.

There is no Made in Italy more rooted, real, and concrete than the food and wine business. There is no better opportunity to jump, both as a professional and an entrepreneur, into the world’s delicious market.

 

GET TO KNOW THE PROGRAMME

See below for the various events organized by Bologna Business School and discover what the Global MBA has to offer. Email globalmba@bbs.unibo.it for further information on these offerings.

Orientation Call
A one-to-one informative online session in which MBA Team members describe the program in detail and are available to answer any questions. Check our availability by contacting globalmba@bbs.unibo.it.

Tour of the Villa
Applicants can schedule an in-person guided tour of Villa Guastavillani, the 15-th century villa that serves as Bologna Business School’s headquarters. An MBA Team member will also be available for a personal interview and to discuss applications to the programme.

Virtual Open Day
Interested applicants will have the opportunity to participate in a Master’s presentation conducted by the Scientific Director of the program, Marcello Russo, followed by a formal Q&A session.

MBA for a Day – 1-hour Insight of a Class
With MBA for a Day, applicants can attend as observers for one-hour sessions in on one or more GMBA lectures to gain a close insight into the program.

Mock Test
The Mock test allows applicants to prepare for the written attitude test component of the entrance exam by taking a simulated version of it. For further information get in touch with the MBA Team.

 

Programme Advisory Committee  

  • Nicoletta Aquaro – Global Innovation Platform Senior Manager, Barilla
  • Giampiero Bertolini – CEO, Biondi Santi
  • Valérie Chapoulaud Floquet – Lead Independent Director, Danone
  • Stefania Fabbri – Managing Director, Fabbri 1905
  • Myriam Finocchiaro – Communication, External Relations and CSR Manager, Granarolo
  • Fausta Fiumi – Director Food Division, Gruppo Montenegro
  • Stevie Kim – Managing Director, Vinitaly International
  • Natasha Linhart – CEO, Atlante
  • Cecilia Mengoni – HR Director, Felsineo
  • Luciana Palladin – Institutional Relations Coordinator, Zonin1821
  • Michele Pontecorvo – Vice President, Ferrarelle
  • Gabriele Tubertini – Direttore Participate, Coop Italia

Ranking

qs global

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is the international network focused on services, analysis and in-depth reports of post-experience and university education, geared toward international mobility and career development. The QS Online MBA Ranking is based on insights from the business world and a methodology that allows programs to be evaluated according to four parameters: Faculty and Teaching, Class Profile, Employability and Class Experience.

 

Accreditations

The Global MBA has received EFMD program accreditation for 5 years.

 

EQUIS

Bologna Business School is EQUIS – EFMD Quality Improvement System accredited, one of the most important international quality assessment and continuous improvement systems for Schools of Management and Business Administration.


Ludovica Leone

Ludovica Leone

Industry Leader
ludovica.leone@unibo.it

" At Bologna Business School we give you a taste of the Italian food and wine experience, focusing on some of the numerous examples of excellence that are present in the country. You can meet business people, managers, and chefs who brought food and wine ‘made in Italy’ to the attention of the world. You will learn from their experiences and be given the keys to make a success out of your career. The MBA Food and Wine is designed to give you the knowledge and the skills to take the lead in the evolution of the food and wine industry. "

Structure

The Global MBA is a 12-month full-time program including:

  • 440 hours of class activities
  • hours of individual and group work
  • 500-hour internship

The academic year is divided into three terms:

I Term: September 2024 – December 2024

  • “Ice-breaking” Weeks
  • Orientation Modules
  • General Management Courses (I)

II Term – III Term: January 2025 – June 2025

  • Track-specific Courses
  • General Management Courses (II)
  • Professional Development Clinics

GMBA Modules are divided into four blocks:

  • Orientation Modules

Statistics, Finance, Accounting, and Management Consulting

  • General Management Courses:

Corporate Finance, Corporate Strategy, Performance Management, Marketing Management, People Management, Geoeconomic and Geopolitical Analysis, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Business Planning

  • Track-specific Courses:

Structure, management and dynamics of the Agri-food Industry, Business Law for the Food and Wine industry, Food Culture and Sustainable Tourism, Innovation and Narration in the Food and Wine Industry, Capstone Project

  • Professional Development Clinics:

Business Ethics, Leadership Mindset, Diversity and Inclusion, Digital Technologies and AI

For further information on individual modules, see the “Courses” section at the bottom of this page.

The three terms are followed by an internship period of 500 working hours. The internship can be carried out at various companies and agencies in Italy or abroad. The internship serves as an opportunity for students to put into practice the theory and techniques learned during the three academic terms. The internship will allow students to obtain hands-on experience by working on management strategies, analyzing business operations, and creating solutions to real problems. Students are encouraged to make the most of the internship opportunity and to learn from the professionals they will be working with.

At the end of the internship students will be required to submit a ‘Final Report’, which they will present to the Director of Studies showcasing their activities and analyzing the theories and lessons learned during the program.

An extracurricular Italian language course is also available for interested students.

COURSES

This course is aimed at introducing students to the practice of business consulting to make them learn how they can formulate precise recommendations for action, grounded in solid logical arguments, supported by reliable evidence, reinforced by indications for practical implementation, and justified by clear implications for company profitability and financials. The sessions will make students acquire core concepts associated with problem-solving, problem analysis, recommendation formulation, study design and analysis, presentation delivery, and client relationship management. The sessions will engage students with a set of exercises to practice and reflect on the acquired business consulting skills.

 

Bizzi Lorenzo

The goal of this course is to set the basis and prepare the audience for this class to be effective leaders in a business landscape that involves data and analytics in different areas of management. The course will introduce a broad range of mathematical and statistical methods that are used to solve data problems. Participants will gain hands-on practice gathering and analyzing data sets and cases in dedicated lab sessions. The course is organized in three sub-sessions to set the bases of analytics into different key business areas: accounting, finance, and statistics for marketing. In the end, the student will have gain greater analytical and statistical skills for data analysis in the areas of cost management, financial analysis, and marketing analytics, and will be ready to face advance courses in each discipline. cs.

Bartolini Monica
Duqi Andi
Tuan Annamaria

The course, whose nature is predominantly applicative, aims to develop a practical orientation towards entrepreneurship, providing the strategic and operational tools for the creation of new ventures and their subsequent development.

Lectures and readings provide an introduction to the topics to be covered in a business plan:

  • business idea evaluation
  • market and industry analysis
  • product/service and intellectual property protection
  • business model and operations
  • financials in the new venture creation process
  • engaging investors
  • art of pitching
Fini Riccardo
O’ Connell Timothy
Toschi Laura

The course provides a framework for understanding and analyzing investment and financial decisions of corporations. Lectures and readings provide an introduction to present value techniques, capital budgeting, capital structure decisions, corporate cost of capital, initial and seasoned equity offerings and an introduction to corporate risk management. Most of the topics presented during the course will also be analyzed and studied using a case study approach.

Bajo Emanuele

The objective of this course is to provide BBS students a comprehensive introduction to strategy in today’s networked economy.

The course will cover three major topics:

  1. Classic Industry Based Strategy and Business Ecosystems Based Strategy – the former industry focused strategy and its evolution into the broader view of business ecosystems consisting of several industries;
  2. Emerging technologies – coming from fields as different as biotech, nanotech, robotics, artificial intelligence, they have the potential to change current industry boundaries and disrupt business models and leading firms;
  3. Scenario planning – preparing companies to deal with major uncertainties and different futures.
Nogueira Antonio Roberto Ramos

Doing business across borders is more complicated, dangerous and prone to near-instant change than any time since World War II and business leaders need help understanding how to adapt. The course will examine the economic and political forces that brought us to where we are today and look at the trends shaping the decade to come. The course will appraise the implications of these changes balanced between businesses, citizens, and public officials and help students understand how to work on our 196 country chessboard. The course will be enhanced by guest engagements with some of the globe’s leading analysts working at the intersection of markets and geopolitics.

Ross Alec

Marketing activity is the core of operating business. It provides the managerial focus for interfacing with customers and the source of intelligence about customers, competitors, and general environment.
In order to make effective strategic decisions, managers must identify and measure consumers’ needs and wants, assess the competitive environment, select the most appropriate customer targets and then develop marketing programs that satisfy consumers’ needs better than the competition. Further, marketing focuses on the long-run relationship of a company to its customers as well as short-run
sales and profits.
The second part of the course focuses on the decisions that managers make and the tools that they use to support an effective marketing strategy. The attraction and retention of profitable customers must involve consideration of the product or service being offered, the way in which the product is sold and distributed, how pricing is set and structured, and how the value of the offering is communicated.

Montaguti Elisa

Operations management involves all the functions necessary to design, operate and improve the systems that create and deliver products and services. In this course, our focus will be on various production and operations functions, decisions and trade-offs that are necessary to create value for an organization. In order to reflect today’s work environment half of the course will be focusing on boundary spanning activities like supply chain management and sourcing as significant opportunities and challenges for operations management emerge from globalization.

Son Byung-Gak

This course’s central focus is the managing of the most valued organizational resource, “People.  Therefore it will address human behavior in organizations and those practices and systems within organizations that facilitate or potentially hinder effective behavior.

Conceptual frameworks, case discussions, and skill-oriented activities are utilized to effectively address each topic/issue.  Topics included in this course are:

  • motivation
  • communications
  • group dynamics
  • power/politics
  • conflict resolution
  • human resource development

Class sessions and assignments are structured and implemented to help students acquire the skills that managers and leaders need to improve performance and organizational relationships in a global setting.  “Managing people is learning to manage relationships”.

This course aims at:

  1. helping students to further develop a thorough understanding of corporate external and internal reporting practices;
  2. providing students with tools to use financial statement information in analysing a firm’s performance and financial position;
  3. providing students with tools to use cost and segment information in operational and strategic decision making contexts.

On completion of the course, students should:

  1. be familiar with the technical terminology used in accounting;
  2. be able to asses a company’s financial and operating performance using its financial statements;
  3. be able to critically analyse a company’s financial report;
  4. understand the features and organizational implication of a company’s information and performance management system.
Dal Maso Lorenzo

On the basis of a general knowledge of the EU institutional framework and of the relationship between EU and national law, the course (1) deals with the basis of the market- and risk regulation in the food and wine sector, (2) deepens some of the most business-sensitive and innovation-related issues of such area of law and (3) discusses with students some most relevant case law.

Borghi Paolo

The objective of this course is to bring to the MBA students the necessary information and sensitivity to know, taste and understand wine and food products that have something special to deliver to customers. Wine and food product characteristics and identity are very much linked to the areas of production, that are discussed and partly visited. Managers of companies in the industry share with MBA participants their professional experience and the knowledge of the sector.

Parasecoli Fabio

This course focuses on how innovation and tradition can be combined to create narratives that enhance the customer experience and the business strategy. Major stages and trends of this   development are examined, and many examples are drawn from all around the world, providing an in-depth understanding of the contemporary and the future of the food and wine sector.

Vignoli Matteo

The course focuses on the analysis of agri-food systems, highlighting the role of the different agri-food stakeholders and how their economic relationships are congruent and consequent to the complex of production, transformation and consumption technologies. At the end of the course, the student knows the structure, the internal relationships, the dynamics and the main market trends of the agri-food systems. He also knows the main sources of information useful for the analysis of agri-food systems.

Bertazzoli
Samoggia Antonella

The Capstone Project (CP) is the final and unique project that Global MBA students will complete in each track as the culminating experience of their academic year. The CP distinctive feature is that students will work as a consulting team on real-world projects that companies are working on and/or want to implement. The “client” companies participate in the CP not only to contribute to the GMBA educational journey and let students improve their professional competence in a real “industrial project”, but also because they see real value in the work of our students, who will serve as real consultant and will apply the knowledge, theories and tools acquired during the year.

The objective of this course is that students, through their own work on a company-based authentic project, will synthesize and develop their knowledge as well as their skills in their chosen sector. The students will work with a real problem within an established organization or start-up. By working on problem identification, collecting data, analyzing, drawing conclusions, and presenting a thoroughly elaborated plan for the implementation of the project, students will draw upon their knowledge at the same time as they train their skills in central areas, such as leadership and project management.

 

Highlights:

  • Work on real project in an existing company or start-up
  • Students work in teams
  • Students work on-site, for some days, at their project companies
  • Each team gets a company advisor
  • Confidentiality agreement signed to kick off the project
Leone Ludovica

To complete their study plan, GMBA students will need to choose an elective course.

This course can be chosen from any of the track-specific courses from other tracks, or from a selection of courses offered by BBS’ partner school IESEG School of Management as part of the Global MBA program.

 

The clinics are interactive sessions with the presence of experts business leaders who will share with the students their knowledge and experience on the topic in an informal atmosphere. Through the clinics students will have the opportunity to reflect with business leaders on cutting-edge themes – namely business ethics, digital technologies and AI, diversity and inclusion, and leadership – that characterise the activity of contemporary global organisations. Each clinic, coordinated by an academic professor or a manager will challenge students with the most relevant knowledge and trends on the specific topic of interest.

Various ethical issues are encountered during any business leader professional life. This fact brought Business Ethics as a subject to become popular in MBA curriculum. The approach generally adopted is to import one or several ethical theories into the world of business and commerce in order to form moral judgments about business practices, or to train business leaders to be more efficient decision makers. While such goals are important this clinic, coordinated by Prof. Alessandro Pastore through the interaction with global leaders and their stories and actions has the ambition to develop a more fundamental practice: to help future business leaders to identify and navigate ethical dilemmas that arise in business and making think ethically a way to recognize, articulate, and evaluate the challenges that often place the actions of individual entities at odds with global coexistence with particular reference to Sustainability.

Topic 1: Corporate culture and individual responsibility

Topic 2: Ethical Decision Making

Topic 3: Giving Voice to Values.

Topic 4: Sustainability paradox: “in order to sustain, we must transform”

Topic 5: Ethics of Sustainability

Pastore Alessandro

The clinics are interactive sessions with the presence of experts business leaders who will share with the students their knowledge and experience on the topic in an informal atmosphere. Through the clinics students will have the opportunity to reflect with business leaders on cutting-edge themes – namely business ethics, digital technologies and AI, diversity and inclusion, and leadership – that characterise the activity of contemporary global organisations. Each clinic, coordinated by an academic professor or a manager will challenge students with the most relevant knowledge and trends on the specific topic of interest.

This clinic aims at enabling students to evaluate the likely impact of future IT innovations on their firm and industry. This requires a correct understanding of the key drivers of technology’s impact on the business ecosystem. It also aims at enabling students to understand and experience the design process.
This clinic will tackle the key IT domain that have the potential to transform firms’ actions and industries. We will touch topics such as: open-source design, chatbot, Big Data, simulation, augmented reality, digital twins, Smart Industry and robotics. We will also tackle the needed process to end up with a product.
During this clinic, participants will be expected to engage in both the technical and the managerial dimensions of digital challenges.

Wolf Alon

The clinics are interactive sessions with the presence of experts business leaders who will share with the students their knowledge and experience on the topic in an informal atmosphere. Through the clinics students will have the opportunity to reflect with business leaders on cutting-edge themes – namely business ethics, digital technologies and AI, diversity and inclusion, and leadership – that characterise the activity of contemporary global organisations. Each clinic, coordinated by an academic professor or a manager will challenge students with the most relevant knowledge and trends on the specific topic of interest.

In a context where new generations of business leaders, academics, and consumers strongly demand that companies rethink their role in society, business schools are critical to more equitable, just, and inclusive organizations. Companies should employ a diversity of thoughts, diversity of gender, diversity of age, diversity of cultures, and nationality.

Furthermore, MBA graduates are expected to apply Communication, Negotiation, and Leadership models to different multicultural contexts. Managing diverse virtual teams and navigating complex international organizations are fundamental skills required for GBMA graduate students.

In this clinic, coordinated by professor Yadvinder S. Rana, students will have a chance to interact with global leaders who can inspire them with their stories and actions based on frameworks identifying people’s thought, reasoning, communication, and behavior in an international business setting.

The clinics are interactive sessions with the presence of experts business leaders who will share with the students their knowledge and experience on the topic in an informal atmosphere. Through the clinics students will have the opportunity to reflect with business leaders on cutting-edge themes – namely business ethics, digital technologies and AI, diversity and inclusion, and leadership – that characterise the activity of contemporary global organisations. Each clinic, coordinated by an academic professor or a manager will challenge students with the most relevant knowledge and trends on the specific topic of interest.

Society has high expectations towards MBA graduated students. A big one concerns the leadership of GMBA graduates who are expected to have a proactive and constructive role in modern organizations and societies. However, the literature suggests that GMBA graduates often perform below expectations on this important dimension – despite being one of the most critical for a successful life and career. In this clinic, coordinated by professor Marcello Russo, students will have a chance to interact with global leaders who can inspire them with their stories, actions and daily operations.

 

Topic 1: Leading self: Discovering one’s strengths and future possible self

Topic 2: Leading change

Topic 3: Leading the team

Topic 4: Leading the C-suite

Topic 5: Leading the organizational culture

Russo Marcello

International students enrolled in the Global MBA program can immerse themselves in the Italian language, culture, and business customs through a personalized Italian language course. This non-compulsory activity will enrich the student MBA experience with essential language skills and cultural insights.

Learning approach

  • Centrality of the participant, to whom it proposes meaningful experiences and co-constructs learning paths;
  • interdisciplinary perspective, which allows to grasp the different points of view and implications of issues, problems, tools and approaches;
  • social relationships, first and foremost between teacher-participant, but also and above all between participants, as well as with other people who can generate value.
  • Teaching is constantly monitored through customer satisfaction surveys and there is an open and continuous dialogue between students, faculty, master directors and program managers.

Faculty

Faculty members at Bologna Business School work together offering outstanding teaching standards. An international and interdisciplinary approach is guaranteed by a joint team of distinguished national core professors, adjunct, visiting professors, guest speakers and top managers.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2032/2024

GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

  • 30 y.o.

    AVERAGE AGE

  • 100%

    INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

  • 7

    COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

  • 70%

    FEMALE STUDENTS

  • 7 years

    AVERAGE WORK EXPERIENCE

Alumni

Federico Roberto Pieri – Argentina

Global Business & Partnership Developer Manager, TasteAtlas
Global MBA - Food and Wine (a.y. 2022-23)

"The Global MBA in Food and Wine at BBS transformed my career in two significant ways. First, it provided rigorous soft skills training that enhanced my ability to excel in diverse business and multicultural environments. Second, the specialized hard skills training in Food & Wine elevated my gastronomic expertise, enabling me to speak the "food & beverage industry language." Thanks to the program, I've opened a new career path in the food and beverage industry that aligns with my initial aspirations."

Federica Virno – Italy

International Marketing, Montenegro
Global MBA - Food and Wine (A.Y. 2019/2020)

"Thanks to the Global MBA in Food and Wine, I was given access to a strong network of extremely qualified people, from all across the world. I now work in the industry that I love and I can leverage on the International network BBS empowered me to create. "

Temitope Akintola – Nigeria

Area Manager - Africa and Europe, Zonin1821
Global MBA - Food and Wine (A.Y. 2016/2017)

"My MBA journey at BBS started with a lot of fun, uncertainties and expectations. It’s a year now and the fun has been replaced with network, uncertainties with direction and expectations with a clear reality. The education obtained has been instrumental in my chosen profession as a Food and Wine consultant with Africa as my target market."

Ethan Murphy – USA

Trade Marketing Manager, Carpigiani Group
Global MBA - Food and Wine (A.Y. 2015/2016)

"During the Global MBA in Food and Wine we learned from professors and food & beverage professionals that challenged our thinking and approach to food marketing, wine business strategies, and modern fine dining. Furthermore, one of my most prized takeaways was the opportunity to collaborate, work with and learn from other students coming from a wide array of backgrounds and cultures. Learning how to work in this multicultural context has become indispensable in today’s food & beverage sector. "

Lan Liu – China

Export, Marketing & Communication, Gaja
Global MBA - Food and Wine (A.Y. 2015/2016)

"My experience at BBS has reshaped my lifestyle and helped me achieve balance between my long-term career development and my everyday life. Fascinated by minds of scholars and colleagues from every corner of the world in class, I was equally inspired by the food and street musicians off class. A special bonus: I now speak Italian. La vita è veramente bella a Bologna!"

Deanna D’Alfonso – USA

Brand Manager, Terlato Wines
Global MBA - Food and Wine (A.Y. 2013/2014)

"The constant global immersion as you interact with students from all over the world, facing challenges together while acquiring new skills and approaches to business is unprecedented. This maximizes your networking potential and peer learning opportunities throughout the year and beyond."

Francesco Maioli – Italy

Business Development Director SEA and Oceania, illycaffè
Global MBA - Food and Wine (A.Y. 2011/2012)

"I chose to undertake my MBA journey while already having a successful career in the F&B industry. It was surely an incredible experience that allowed me to move further in the International F&B business world, enlarge my network and multicultural connections and get ready for new challenging tasks. "

AMBASSADORS


Valeria Rojas – Venezuela

Maintenance Coordinator, Philip Morris International - Manufacturing Industry
Italy, Bologna
A.Y. 2016/2017 - Innovation Management/Mechanics & Automation
CONTACT

Priscila Hernandez – Mexico

Account Manager, The Armin Bar - Consulting
Italy, Milan
A.Y. 2016/2017 - Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods
CONTACT

Armin ZadakBar – Iran

Founder & CEO, The Armin Bar - Consulting
Italy, Milan
A.Y. 2011/2012 - Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods
CONTACT

Lan Liu – China

Business Development, Vinitaly - Food & Wine
Italy, Verona
A.Y. 2015/2016 - Food and Wine
CONTACT

Juan Pablo Figueroa – Chile

Sales Manager, Johnson&Johnson - Pharma
Chile, Santiago de Chile
A.Y. 2016/2017 - Innovation Management/Mechanics & Automation
CONTACT

Andrew De Villiers – South Africa

Founder, Eunoic
Italy, Bologna
A.Y. 2016/2017 - Green Energy and Sustainable Businesses
CONTACT

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The Career Office of the Global MBA program is crucial for students pursuing a career in the field of business. It connects students to opportunities, offers tailored support, and taps into a global network of alumni and professionals. This assistance helps students navigate international job markets, boosting their employability and maximizing the value of their Global MBA.

supercars GMB maps

The goal of the Career Service, coordinated by Andrea Zani (Head of Career Service), with the support of Alessandro Bonfiglioli (Executive Career Development Advisor), is to provide the tools and resources to gain access to the labor market and find an internship. The aim is also to support the businesses of our territory, and not limited to it, to select talents to employ; talents from all over the world, who come to Bologna to immerse themselves in the culture and the excellence of Made in Italy.

The Career Service Team supports the students in their journey made of learning and professional development, through a series of seminars and activities, with the aim of providing the necessary tools and resources to gain access to leadership positions in the labor market. Furthermore, thanks to professional career counselors and a process to identify one’s own “Strengths” (Point Positive Assessment) developed in collaboration with Essentic, students are supported by way of a customized service to establish a professional development plan, which will help them achieve their goals in their search for an internship.

The process is carried out through the following steps:

  • CV and Cover Letter Writing
  • Creating and effective LinkedIn profile
  • How to crack the job interview
  • Initial orientation meetings
  • Career Coaching with industry experts
  • Continuous support to students through 1:1 sessions

Andrea Zani

Andrea Zani

Head of Career Service
andrea.zani@bbs.unibo.it

“In the past few years, the labor market has undergone and dealt with major changes. The way to present yourself changes, with personal branding, as well as the way you do networking, with a professional approach. Like in any other time of transition, opportunities are endless, but you need to be able to recognize, manage and seize them. The Career Service of the Bologna Business School supports students to enable them to develop their potential and their professional growth.”

Alessandro Bonfiglioli

Alessandro Bonfiglioli

CEO of CAAB S.p.A.
alessandro.bonfiglioli@bbs.unibo.it

“The current labor market, which is increasingly complex and unstable, makes it difficult to maintain or expand the employability. Through a system of individual and collective meetings, networking events, seminars, workshops and a real dedicated retreat, BBS career development services support the participants of the Masters from the first day of their training path to maximize career opportunities”


food GMB maps

 

COMPANIES

National and international companies support the Global MBA for different activities that concern the design of the courses, company visits, guest lectures, project works, besides hosting students for the final internship. Indeed, to this end, over the years the Bologna Business School has established a large network of and a sound partnership with the most important Italian and European companies thanks to a customized approach, one that is based on the needs of each individual business. The Career Service Team supports this process through different initiatives:

  • Sending a CV Book to partner companies
  • Sharing internship and work opportunities
  • Company Presentations on campus / on site
  • Career Days
  • Virtual Career Fairs
  • Implementation of Company Project Works
  • Activities in the classroom with presentations by Managers, HR Professionals and Alumni

Moreover, companies support the Global MBA students with scholarships, professional opportunities, career fairs and company presentations.

The companies that worked with us in 2022/2023:

AGF88 ALPHA TAURI ALPITRONIC AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI BULGARI CAAB COLOMBINI CRIF DALLARA DR SCHAR FERRARI FORNO BRISA GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI GLAM GRANAROLO GREEN GO GRUPPO MONTENEGRO HEINEKEN HITACHI ENERGY INTERCOS INTERPARFUMS ISOCLIMA IVECO GROUP JUST DO THE WORK KERING MACRON MASERATI MAX MARA FASHION GROUP MONCLER MYTHERESA POMELLATO REINOVA RES4AFRICA RONCUCCI AND PARTNERS SACMI SANDBOXAQ SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL TXT GROUP UNIPOL VERSACE VERTIV VIDENDUM VODAFONE YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP

FEES

The tuition fees for the Global MBA Program are 35,000 euros (VAT free) to be paid in three installments (the first installment is due upon enrollment).

 

The fees include participation in the Master, all the study material which will be made available through the online platform, and access to the services and facilities of Bologna Business School, such as: a personal account for the BBS Wi-Fi, access to the internal gym and special rates for the School restaurant. Furthermore, the fee gives participants the right to take advantage of supporting activities of the School, such as the language courses and the master lectures by invitation.

Free parking on the BBS campus is also available to students.

 

In addition, University of Bologna Student Card grants access to all of the university facilities including more than 100 libraries (also consist of online subscriptions and databases), the three city center canteens and all university student related discount offers. Further information regarding these facilities can be found on the University of Bologna website: http://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Bologna Business School offers a variety of scholarships for MBA participants, with both full and partial funding available.

All applicants, regardless of nationality, are encouraged to apply, and scholarships are allocated based on merit — specifically, the results obtained in the second part of the selection process.

The assessment considers both academic and professional achievements, and the awarded scholarships exclusively cover tuition expenses.

AFRICA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Bologna Business School grants the Africa Scholarship Program for the Academic. This Program aims to facilitate the participation of young bright talents from Africa wishing to pursue an MBA and contribute to the social and economic development of their Continent.

This program is specifically tailored for those who have demonstrated outstanding performance in the selection process, and as these scholarships are limited, they are awarded to the most deserving candidates.

REQUIREMENTS

In order to apply it is necessary to have:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • English language proficiency
  • 3 years of qualified work experience (cumulative)

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

This Master is open to all applicants with at least three cumulative or consecutive years of work experience, obtained at any time before the enrollment deadline of each round.

There are four rounds of admissions:

  • the first round will be open for applications until February 2024
  • the second round will be open for applications until in April 2024
  • the third round will be open for applications until May 2024
  • the fourth round will be open for applications until June 2024

The four rounds are open to candidates of all nationalities.

 

Four easy steps to begin:

  • Download and fill out the application form, once the Call for Applications has been published
  • Complete the online registration by paying the 60 euro fee at https://studenti.unibo.it
  • Upload all the requested documents on Studenti Online
  • Send the complete HARD COPY of your application packet to the Global MBA Office at Bologna Business School and a digital copy of the application packet to: globalmba@bbs.unibo.it

 

Documents that must be sent:

  • Application form
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Diploma and transcript for your qualifying degree
  • Passport photocopy
  • Motivational letter
  • One reference letter from an employer, written in English (additional letters optional)
  • Signed copies of your eligibility summary sheet and a receipt of the 60 euro application fee (both downloadable from ‘studenti online’ following registration)
  • An English language certificate (TOEFL, IELTS or other) attesting a minimum English level of B2 in the European framework. Applicants without this certificate will need to take a written English test as part of the admission process.
  • Declaration of Value* / Diploma Supplement* / Conditional Enrolment Form
  • If available, a GMAT/GRE certificate with a score above 600 (GMAT) or equivalent (GRE). Applicants without this certificate will take a written attitude test as part of the admission process.

 

Interested applicants can email globalmba@bbs.unibo.it to schedule a tour of Villa Guastavillani and discuss their application to the GMBA.

 

*IMPORTANT: Students possessing a degree obtained outside the EU must submit legal recognition of their qualifications for the purposes of admission to the program, which is issued by the competent Italian Diplomatic Representation in the country in which the degree was obtained (“Declaration of Value”). For further guidance, please check the following page: https://www.unibo.it/en/teaching/enrolment-transfer-and-final-examination/translation-authenticity-and-value-of-foreign-qualifications.

Candidates with degrees from within the European Union may request a “Diploma Supplement” directly from their Universities. Should the candidate be unable to obtain one of these documents before the deadline, it may be temporarily replaced with a Conditional Enrolment Form, which has to be sent shortly after applying.


SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process consists of two distinct phases.

The first phase includes taking an English test and an aptitude test.

Only candidates who pass both tests will be able to access the second phase of the selection process, consisting of an individual interview with a commission made up of professors and directors of Bologna Business School.

Admission to the program is subject to the positive assessment of the candidates’ individual interview and qualifications (e.g. curriculum vitae, GMAT/GRE, reference letters, etc.). The admission board, consisting of Bologna Business School faculty members, reviews the applications on a rolling basis. Candidates will be contacted by an admission team member as soon as their application has reached Bologna Business School.

In line with the number of available places, admission to the program is granted according to the applicants’ position in the list of qualified candidates, drawn up on the basis of the total score awarded at the end of the admission process. Students who achieve positions of merit in the final list of admitted candidates may benefit from full or partial scholarships.

CALL FOR APPLICATION PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS Conditional Enrolment Form Download Application Form

FAQs

You can contact the admissions team either by email: globalmba@bbs.unibo.it or by telephone at (0039) 0512090122. Our admissions staff will be happy to assist you and clarify any doubts you may have.

Of course we will. Non-EU citizens have to apply for a student visa before being able to commence their studies. We can provide you with a letter of admission as well as a letter of support, which you can use to make your visa application. In the case of particular problems our staff will be ready to contact embassies directly to discover the source of the problem and solutions to fix it.
After you arrive in Italy, you will be required to apply for a residence permit. Our staff will be able to help you fill out the forms and give you any support you need for this process as well.

If you do not live in Italy then you can participate via Skype. You will be contacted several days before the selection date to inform you of your time slot for the test and individual interview. At this point you can send us your Skype ID so that we can add you to the account that will be used for the interviews.

Yes. The course is open to people of all nationalities regardless of where their previous studies have taken place. Please note, however, that admission is dependent upon you presenting one of two potential documents. If you have graduated from a university in the European Union then you will be able to get a European Diploma Supplement directly from that university. If possible, this should be submitted with your application. If you have graduated from outside the European Union then you will need to request a Declaration of Value from the Italian embassy/consulate present in the country where you graduated. Details on how to obtain this document can be found on the website of the relevant Italian embassy/consulate. If possible, this declaration of value should be submitted with your application. If not possible then it can be submitted at a later date but you will only be provisionally admitted until you do so.

Application is done in two parts. The first part is to register on the University of Bologna Online Registration Portal and the second is to send us (via email and post) your application packet:

The documents are:

– MBA Application form (signed)
– Enrollment summary sheet (Studenti Online registration – signed)
– Copy of the payment of the 60 euro fee
– Curriculum vitae (in English)
– Letter of motivation (in English)
– Copy of ID card or passport
– One Passport photograph
– Copy of the degree certificate giving the final score, exams and grades*
– Two letters of reference in English (optional)
– GMAT (or GRE) scores (optional)

*For candidates with foreign degrees:
– Degrees from the EU: You’ll have to request a European Diploma Supplement from your university.
– Degrees from outside the EU: You’ll have to request legal recognition of your degree (Declaration of Value / Dichiarazione di Valore) in order to be admitted to the program, which is issued by the competent Italian Diplomatic Representation in the country in which the degree was obtained. This is not required prior to admission, but it is required in order for you to fully enroll.

If you want help with the online registration then contact us and we will be pleased to send you a detailed set of instructions.

Yes, even if you don’t have a GMAT or a GRE you are still eligible to apply. You will have to take part in the selection process run by the School and alternative evaluation methods will be provided. For further info concerning the process you can contact the admissions team.

Yes. Don’t worry if you if you are unable to present a IELTS or TOEFL, your level of English will be assessed during the selection process. You can be excused from the need to present proof of your English level if you are a native English speaker.

You can contact the Help Desk directly via e-mail: help.studentionline@unibo.it, or by telephone: +39 0512099882; or you can apply online: https://studenti.unibo.it/sol/welcome.htm

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