Interview mit der MIP Politecnico di Milano

COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: MIP is the business school of Politecnico di Milano. Can you please tell us a little bit about this university?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: Politecnico di Milano is one of the leading technical universities in Europe, training engineers, architects and industrial designers. It was established in 1863, in the heart of industrial Italy, it is the largest engineering and architecture school in the Country and the only architecture and design school in Lombardia.
It is also located in one of the most densely populated and highly industrialized areas in Europe, and hosts over 1200 professors and researches and more than 35.000 students in 16 departments.
The technology and design culture of Politecnico has shaped engineers, entrepreneurs, designers and architects who have created the ‘Made in Italy’ culture. Just to name a few, we had the Nobel Prize winner Giulio Natta for engineering, Renzo Piano and Gianfranco Ferrè for architecture.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What is the history of MIP and what is its role within Politecnico di Milano? Which accreditations and memberships does it hold?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: MIP was created 30 years ago out of a partnership between the Politecnico di Milano and some leading businesses and institutions operating in Italy, and:
- it has as its objective the Innovation in Business Management and Public Administration;
- it reports to the Management Engineering Department of the Politecnico, where most of its faculty come from and with which it forms the School of Management;
- by taking advantage of the cooperation between the academic elements, the businesses and the institutions, it wants to promote high-level activities in the post-graduate and/or post-working experience training fields and to monitor the demands of qualified skills.

Being part of the Politecnico, MIP pays particular attention to technology (particularly up-and-coming technology) because of the role it plays in innovation. From its engineering tradition it has inherited an analytical approach to problems - particularly important in the complex contexts where businesses and public administration have to operate - and a project orientation, aiming to find concrete solutions to problems.
The School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano is accredited by EQUIS. EQUIS, the European Quality Improvement System, was formed in 1997 by the European Foundation for Management Development as a monitor of excellence among European business schools.
The MBA program is accredited by ASFOR, the Italian Association for Management Education Development. Today ASFOR has more than 60 member institutions, all actively operating in the field of management training and/or supporting its development.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: MIP offers an International Full Time MBA – can you please give us a short overview of the program and its structure?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: The 14-month program consists of the Full Time MBA core subjects and electives in Finance, New Product & Venture Development, Global Business and Management and Design & Luxury Management and is integrated with other activities such as Business Plan, Business Game, Organizational check-up and Project Work. Our primary aim is to give our participants strong competences and skills for their entire career.

The program is composed of a classroom chapter (11 months) and a full-time working project (3 months). From January participants are given the opportunity to attend some Electives abroad, or earn a Dual Degree (MBA at MIP and MIB at Chapman) thanks to our International Exchange Program.
The Project Work is the most important part of the MBA’s educational project. During this period students will be able to experiment and apply in practice what they have learned in the class. The Project Work lasts three months, from April to June, involving a full-time experience inside a company or consulting firm.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Which options for specialization or concentration do students within the International Full Time MBA at MIP have?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: Participants have the option to customize their program by choosing from a variety of elective courses, focusing on advanced topics. By selecting four elective courses you might build your own concentration. Standard concentrations fall under the following areas: Design & Luxury Management, Finance, New product and Venture Development, Global Business and Management. While some students arrive at MIP with specific career goals in mind, others find the focus of their professional goals during the first term of study here.
At the end of the MBA program, students can choose to do a concentration by choosing from the four standard options or mixing the available electives found under each concentration. This gives students flexibility in creating their own area of interest.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What would you say are the particular ‘highlights’ of the program?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: Our MBA will be a perfect match for your personal aspirations and aptitudes since the wide range of electives we offer will enable you to customise your program and develop a personalised track.
In addition, you will experience one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, Milan, and will become part of an international and intercultural class. This will prepare you for working in teams that reflect different backgrounds, a fundamental asset in a world of globalisation. MIP’s strong academic program can enhance the student’s curriculum, expand his/her cultural background and his/her your managerial skills by upgrading the knowledge, tools and work methodology. The student will also have the support of our entire community, students, faculty, staff and alumni alike. As a participant, we expect him/her to approach our program with an open mind, view it as a personal challenge and a chance to develop his/her talents and professional skills.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What is MIP’s ‘track record’? How easy do students find a job after graduating from MIP and where do they work? Do you offer any career services to your MBA students?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: In the past 4 editions we hade a 100% placement after 6 months of the graduation date.
Our Career Services provide individual counselling and personal development activities to support our students in getting to where they want. They establish contacts with potential recruiters to allow our students to gain access to the available job opportunities.
The Project Work can constitute a job opportunity: on average, half of the MIP Project Works end with a job offer by the hosting company. Students will be able to evaluate such offers and compare them with other opportunities.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What are the nationality mix and age range within the International Full Time MBA program at MIP?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: Our MBA Class of 2009 consists of 19 nationalities, with the following regional breakdown:

- Asia Pacific (12%)
- Eastern Europe (12%)
- Latin America (17%)
- Middle East (10%)
- North America (14%)
- Western Europe (35%)

The age range is from 25 to 35 years old.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: How well do students need to speak English (Italian) in order to be accepted at MIP? Do they need to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score along with their application?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: We ask for English certification unless the student is mother tongue or has lived/worked in an English speaking country for a relevant period of time. Italian is not required. We do offer Italian classes throughout the year, with no extra costs.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What other admission requirements does MIP have for its International Full Time MBA program? Do students need to take the GMAT and do they need to have a degree in business or a related field?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: The Documents to be provided are: the application form, 2 reference letters, a CV, English Certificate and of course the GMAT. We accept any kind of educational and professional background, since our evaluation is based on an overall examination of the profile.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: How much does the International Full Time MBA cost and does MIP offer any scholarships to international students?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: The MBA costs 26.000€ and it includes all the didactic material as well as the Italian language course. We do offer scholarships for International students covering up to 50% of the tuition fee.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Where can international students live while they are enrolled in the program? What are the typical monthly costs for accommodation and living expenses in Milan?

PROF. STEFANO RONCHI: Typically our students share apartments that they find once they arrive in Italy. At the beginning we usually try to find place in dormitories for the first period so that once they have settled down, they have time to look for other type of accommodation. A shared room in Milan can cost from 250 to 400€ per month, a single room from 450 to 600 € per month and a studio from 650 to 1000€ per month. According to the type of accommodation the student can afford, the overall monthly living expenses are from 800€ to 1400€ (including accommodation).


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Thank you for your assistance, Prof. Ronchi!