Students from the Executive Professional Master’s in Business Management (MEX) and the Professional Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) of FGV’s Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration (EBAPE) participated in an international immersion program in Spain. The program is the result of an initiative of the school’s International Relations department, which supports EBAPE’s internationalization strategy, entering into two-way agreements with partner schools to provide professional master’s students with the opportunity to have an international experience.

Held in partnership with ESADE School of Business in Barcelona (Spain), the module allows participants to broaden their global perspectives, gaining a deeper understanding of the reality of Catalonia (Spain) and the European Union, in addition to promoting strategic thinking to create innovative solutions in an international context.

MEX and MAP students participated in lectures by ESADE professors, and also visited major corporations and institutions in Catalonia. The lecturers talked about the economic situation of the European Union and shared their opinions regarding the potential impacts of Brexit on its future. Due to the excellence of the faculty, mainly in the field of innovation and design thinking, the students had the opportunity to listen to ESADE professors and professionals on how to challenge paradigms in the field of business and the importance thinking about new business models and creativity to remain competitive.

To illustrate the excellence of ESADE in the field of innovation and creativity, the students visited the ESADE Creapolis, a creativity park that houses from startups to midsize enterprises. At this location, companies, students, and members of the scientific community come together with a common goal to detect opportunities, to create and foster cutting-edge organizations that can define the future. In addition to the lectures, the participants also visited the company Mango, a Catalan giant in the field of fashion, and were welcomed by the Director of the Port of Barcelona, who talked about the challenges and opportunities in one of the busiest cargo ports and the busiest passenger port in Europe.

“The international module at ESADE was an enriching experience that helped me ‘open my mind’ and think bigger about my dissertation”, said MEX student Alexandra de Paiva, who added: “The topics presented during the week were very interesting, arousing the interest of the students for the discussion. ESADE’s professors are excellent and the possibility of combining theory and field trips make the module a unique experience”.

With units in Madrid (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), and Buenos Aires (Argentina), ESADE Business School is considered one of the best business schools in the world and is one of the 57 schools in the world that achieved the so-called triple accreditation in the field of business (EFMD - Equis, AACSB, and AMBA).