Programme
Programme
IESE PhD Degree - Introduction
IESE offers two research-oriented programmes: the Master of Research in Management (MRM) and the PhD Programme. Following European regulations established in the Bologna Treaty, candidates for the IESE-CEIBS PhD must first complete the MRM as a pre-requisite to admission to the PhD Programme. Following EU guidelines, it is IESE PhD Programme’s policy to admit candidates who hold an MRM degree from IESE only. Thus, the full process starts with admission to the MRM programme and culminates with the successful defence of the PhD dissertation.
The granting institution of the PhD degree will be the University of Navarra (UNAV), of which IESE is a graduate school. This degree is an official doctorate recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education and all members of the European Union. In addition to the official diploma, IESE and CEIBS will also issue a supplementary certificate to recognize their joint endorsement of graduates from this programme.
Step 1: MRM Degree
The students of the Coordinated Programme will spend the first two years in Spain for IESE’s Master of Research in Management, which is designed to give students the most complete training to excel in the academic profession.
The programme is taught in English and is built around each student. The bulk of the programme’s 2-year duration is spent acquiring the skills needed to perform top-quality research. This includes an in-depth focus on the disciplines that will underlie students’ future research. Students work closely with professors to learn how to design, execute, and communicate research. IESE is proud to have one of the best management faculties in Europe and, throughout the programme, students will benefit from access to IESE faculty. In addition, CEIBS faculty members may be involved in teaching optional courses and research seminars. At the end of two years of intensive study, students will sit a final comprehensive examination and submit a research paper to obtain their Master of Research in Management (MRM) degree.
Step 2: PhD Degree
After the MRM degree, the students apply to the Ph.D. Programme. Students of the Coordinated Programme will return to China and spend the next three years at CEIBS for thesis research leading to IESE’s PhD in Management. IESE's PhD programme is one of the most competitive in Europe. The aim of the programme is to prepare academic professionals that will continue their careers as faculty members in top business schools.
Under the guidance of world-class faculty from both IESE and CEIBS, students will participate in a rigorous but engaging educational experience that will equip them with the skills needed to address today’s most demanding management questions. The more than 90 faculty members at IESE have extremely wide-ranging research interests. CEIBS is proud to have more than 60 faculty members with proven expertise in China Depth, Global Breadth. CEIBS faculty members represent 12 nationalities, adding to the richness and diversity of the research environment which is actively cultivated by the school’s numerous Research Centres. The students will be provided with close contacts to their department’s faculty, for the purpose of helping them transform from students to faculty members and become internationally recognized experts in their field on successful completion of the programme.
Financial Issues
During the MRM phase, CEIBS will arrange scholarship funding for students admitted under the Coordinated Programme, including tuition fees (to be paid to IESE) and living expenses. During the PhD phase, students are expected to return to China to work full-time on their dissertations at CEIBS under the guidance of their advisers. They will be financially supported by CEIBS for a maximum period of three years – subject to annual reviews of their performance – to help them pay for living expenses in China.