Strategic challenges embraced

Students doing a full-time MBA or a Masters in General, Financial or Marketing Management must all complete an in-company project before graduation. In specific terms, this means that groups of 3 students work together for 8 weeks in May and June conducting research in a field of particular relevance to a company. Each team is supervised by a Vlerick professor and research assistant. Upon completion of the project, a full report is produced detailing methodology, analysis and solutions that can be implemented immediately. The deadline for submitting your company’s next strategic challenge is 1 March 2010.

‘Valuable in many ways!’

“Having Vlerick students work with us on their final project turned out surprisingly positively. At first we were slightly hesitant because of the time and effort we thought we would have to put into coaching the students. But because of a sudden shortage of staff in our team, we decided it was worth a try and sent in a proposal. The result was without a doubt very valuable in many ways! The students managed to work their way into what we considered a very difficult subject without too much guidance from our staff. And with remarkable drive and perseverance, they succeeded in contacting almost every European player in the market. The result was an excellent report, which was immediately implemented by our commercial staff. This is definitely an experience worth repeating.”
[Jan Vliegen, Senior Vice President Umicore]

Info:

studentprojects@vlerick.be
www.vlerick.be/projects
Fee: €9,300 for 3 students (excl. VAT)
50% subsidy by the Flemish government for SMEs through the ‘KMO-portefeuille’ (www.kmo-portefeuille.be).