Interview with Dr. Stephen Hodges, President of Hult International Business School, by Manjula Pooja Shroff for DNA. 

Studying abroad is a dream for most students. Besides, the attraction of a foreign land, the process of learning, the demography of peers and the freedom while living away from parents are some factors that contribute to this trend.

India, a strong recruitment market for most universities from other countries, attracts representatives of such universities. These visitors share their teaching philosophy, student experiences and the learning outcomes in order to get new students.

Recently, I was in conversation with one such visitor — Dr Stephen J Hodges, president and director, Hult International Business School, who has a strong background in international business. Prior to joining the business school, he worked as the general manager, credit cards for Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong. A person from the industry in academia is always a winning combination.

Talking about preference for USA over Europe among Indian students, Stephen cited that the reasons could very well be the difficulty of obtaining a visa and a work permit in Europe after graduate studies. He also observed that prior preparation for studying at US universities may be a lengthy process as solid preparation is needed for PSAT and SAT exams. But the Indian student community seems to have worked out these datelines, leading up to admissions in American universities.

Since students have a variety of universities to choose from, backed by a simplified process of getting student loans, international education is now in easy reach. This shifts the onus on international schools, to have a differentiator, in order to stand out and be seen and heard.

But, the interesting element that came up in the discussion was the way internationalism, was now being practically experienced. International business schools, for instance, have campuses around the world. Campuses are strategically built in different environments and countries like San Francisco, London, Shanghai, and Dubai.

The decision to expand across the world reflects the growing interest in degrees with an international focus, given that businesses have an increasing need for global-savvy employees.

Continue reading the article in full here.

Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business. To find out more, take a look at our blog Pushing the link between international education and employability. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself.