Part-time MBA in International Business School of Business and Economics for Professionals

Unlock your potential. Own your impact. Lead with Humanity.

Our MBA in International Business is designed to empower you with the strategic vision, entrepreneurial mindset, and global fluency to lead in today’s evolving business landscape.

Whether you are stepping into senior management, pivoting careers, or scaling your own venture, this programme equips you to lead with clarity, confidence, and impact, across industries, cultures, and sectors.

The programme consists of four integrated modules covering the full spectrum of global business, strategy, and leadership, culminating in a final Graduation Project that reflects your individual goals and growth.

How the MBA Programme works

Practical Learning Structure
Our part-time format is specifically designed for working professionals. You will engage in dynamic coursework that combines individual and group work, leveraging case studies, skill-building exercises, and real-world interactions with private, public, and social sectors.

Apply Learning Immediately
Unlike full-time programmes, our part-time MBA allows you to immediately apply what you learn in your current workplace. This means you can test theories and frameworks in real business situations throughout your studies.

International Business Focus
Through integration of cutting-edge theories, frameworks, and paradigms, our courses go beyond your prior experiences, challenging conventional thinking and promoting critical analysis to drive innovation in global business contexts.

Personal and Professional Development
Beyond academics, our programme encourages deep introspection, challenging you to reflect on your beliefs and values. This self-discovery process enhances your interpersonal and leadership skills, equipping you with tools needed for success in today's dynamic business landscape.

Who You’ll Learn With

Our MBA attracts a richly diverse cohort of professionals from across the globe. Around 50% of our students are women, and more than half bring international or bicultural backgrounds, often holding multiple passports and stories. Our learning community brings together seasoned professionals from both traditional MBA backgrounds and unconventional paths, including doctors, lawyers, engineers, consultants, entrepreneurs, creatives, and NGO leaders. What unites them is ambition, openness, and a shared commitment to using business as a force for progress.

What You'll Develop:

Strong business acumen for contemporary organisations
Global mindset for international business challenges
Enhanced communication skills across diverse functions
Leadership capabilities for cross-cultural environments
Strategic thinking for sustainable business practices
The courage to lead with both heart and mind and the clarity to move forward with conscience and confidence.

Brochure of MBA in International Business

Download here

Open Evening

Check out our next session

Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Final Graduation Project

Module 1: Introduction to International Business

This opening module lays the groundwork for your MBA journey. You will explore key global trends, challenges, and foundational concepts shaping international business today. Through the International Business Incubator (4 ECTS), you will begin cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset while working on real-world challenges that connect directly to your current work environment. This early integration ensures you start applying fresh insights from day one.

Courses

Courses include:

International Business Incubator

Module 2: Fundamentals of International Business Administration

This module builds your core business acumen through a comprehensive, functional lens.

You will explore how essential business disciplines operate in global contexts, and how to lead and optimize them in your own organisation. The real-time format allows you to immediately apply learnings, whether you are revisiting your company’s financial structure, strengthening marketing initiatives, or navigating supply chain dynamics.

Courses

Courses include:
• Organisational Change & International HRM (3 ECTS)
• International Financial Management (3 ECTS)
• International Marketing (3 ECTS)
• Supply Chain Management (3 ECTS)

Module 3: Becoming a Global Leader

In this module, you will strengthen your leadership capacity for global impact. You will explore strategic decision-making, ethical responsibility, cultural intelligence, and systemic change, all essential for navigating complexity across borders and sectors.

The concepts and skills from this module are designed to be put into action quickly whether you're leading a cross-functional team, revisiting your company’s approach to sustainability, or crafting a long-term strategy with diverse stakeholders in mind.

Courses

Courses include:
• International Strategy (4 ECTS)
• Managing Sustainability and Diversity in Global Markets (4 ECTS)
• Leadership Lab (6 ECTS)

Module 4: Entrepreneurial Thinking and Action

This module is about building innovation from the ground up. You will learn to think and act like an entrepreneur be it in a start-up or an established organisation while translating ideas into impact.

Each course is grounded in practice: you will test models, design pilot solutions, and evaluate data directly related to your work. It’s a launchpad for initiating new ventures or transforming existing ones with strategic clarity and confidence.

Courses

Courses include:
• Data Science (4 ECTS)
• International Project Management (4 ECTS)
• Business Modelling for Innovation (4 ECTS)
• Writing & Applied Research Bootcamp (6 ECTS)

Final Graduation Project

The Graduation Project (GP) is the capstone of your MBA journey, a rigorous, self-directed research initiative that brings together everything you have learned throughout the programme. Conducted over the final four months, the GP challenges you to tackle a real-world business issue using evidence-based methods and strategic thinking.

You will work individually on a topic that is both professionally relevant and intellectually meaningful. Whether addressing a challenge within your current organisation or exploring a concept for a future venture, the GP gives you the structure and autonomy to dive deep into a problem that matters.

Your chance to drive real change

The project involves qualitative or quantitative research, data analysis, and a clearly defined, actionable solution. You will be expected to apply the full spectrum of your MBA knowledge (strategy, leadership, marketing, finance, and innovation) through a lens of global awareness and ethical responsibility.

Past GPs have focused on international expansion, early-stage ventures, profitability optimization, market entry, responsible leadership, and cross-cultural management. Every project is an opportunity to generate real value, extend your influence, and create a measurable impact beyond the classroom.

Module 1
Module 1: Introduction to International Business

This opening module lays the groundwork for your MBA journey. You will explore key global trends, challenges, and foundational concepts shaping international business today. Through the International Business Incubator (4 ECTS), you will begin cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset while working on real-world challenges that connect directly to your current work environment. This early integration ensures you start applying fresh insights from day one.

Courses
Courses include:

International Business Incubator
Module 2

Module 2: Fundamentals of International Business Administration

This module builds your core business acumen through a comprehensive, functional lens.
You will explore how essential business disciplines operate in global contexts, and how to lead and optimize them in your own organisation. The real-time format allows you to immediately apply learnings, whether you are revisiting your company’s financial structure, strengthening marketing initiatives, or navigating supply chain dynamics.

Courses

Courses include:
• Organisational Change & International HRM (3 ECTS)
• International Financial Management (3 ECTS)
• International Marketing (3 ECTS)
• Supply Chain Management (3 ECTS)
Module 3

Module 3: Becoming a Global Leader

In this module, you will strengthen your leadership capacity for global impact. You will explore strategic decision-making, ethical responsibility, cultural intelligence, and systemic change, all essential for navigating complexity across borders and sectors.

The concepts and skills from this module are designed to be put into action quickly whether you're leading a cross-functional team, revisiting your company’s approach to sustainability, or crafting a long-term strategy with diverse stakeholders in mind.

Courses

Courses include:
• International Strategy (4 ECTS)
• Managing Sustainability and Diversity in Global Markets (4 ECTS)
• Leadership Lab (6 ECTS)
Module 4

Module 4: Entrepreneurial Thinking and Action

This module is about building innovation from the ground up. You will learn to think and act like an entrepreneur be it in a start-up or an established organisation while translating ideas into impact.

Each course is grounded in practice: you will test models, design pilot solutions, and evaluate data directly related to your work. It’s a launchpad for initiating new ventures or transforming existing ones with strategic clarity and confidence.

Courses

Courses include:
• Data Science (4 ECTS)
• International Project Management (4 ECTS)
• Business Modelling for Innovation (4 ECTS)
• Writing & Applied Research Bootcamp (6 ECTS)
Final Graduation Project

Final Graduation Project

The Graduation Project (GP) is the capstone of your MBA journey, a rigorous, self-directed research initiative that brings together everything you have learned throughout the programme. Conducted over the final four months, the GP challenges you to tackle a real-world business issue using evidence-based methods and strategic thinking.
You will work individually on a topic that is both professionally relevant and intellectually meaningful. Whether addressing a challenge within your current organisation or exploring a concept for a future venture, the GP gives you the structure and autonomy to dive deep into a problem that matters.

Your chance to drive real change

The project involves qualitative or quantitative research, data analysis, and a clearly defined, actionable solution. You will be expected to apply the full spectrum of your MBA knowledge (strategy, leadership, marketing, finance, and innovation) through a lens of global awareness and ethical responsibility.

Past GPs have focused on international expansion, early-stage ventures, profitability optimization, market entry, responsible leadership, and cross-cultural management. Every project is an opportunity to generate real value, extend your influence, and create a measurable impact beyond the classroom.

Is this MBA right for me?

If you are an ambitious professional with at least three years of work experience, regardless of your industry or academic background, and you are ready to grow into a more strategic, globally attuned, and values-driven leader, this programme is for you. Whether you are moving from analyst to manager, pivoting careers, or building a venture, we are excited to challenge and champion your journey.
What kind of students join the programme?

Our MBA community is globally diverse, professionally seasoned, and united by a shared desire to make a meaningful impact. Students typically have 5–7 years of experience and come from fields like consulting, tech, healthcare, finance, NGOs, and the arts. You will learn with and from peers representing 20+ nationalities and a broad spectrum of industries.
Do I need a business degree or experience to apply?

Not at all. Many of our students come from non-business backgrounds like engineering, science, social enterprise, or the public sector. What matters is your motivation to grow, your curiosity, and your openness to learn. We will teach you the rest.
Can I keep working while doing the MBA?

Yes and that is by design. This 18-month, part-time programme is built for professionals with full-time careers. With immersive in-person sessions just three days a month, you will apply what you learn in real time and experience immediate value in your workplace.
Is 30 or 35 too late to start an MBA?

Absolutely not: 30 or 35 is a great time to start an MBA.
In fact, the average age of our MBA students falls in the early to mid-30s, but our classrooms bring together a rich mix of life stages. We welcome professionals in their late 20s who are ready to take a strategic leap, as well as those later in their careers who are evolving their leadership or shifting focus.
What matters most is your mindset. Whether you're stepping into your first managerial role, launching something new, or looking to lead with greater purpose, our program is designed to meet you where you are and help you grow into where you want to go. It's never too early or too late to sharpen your vision, expand your influence, and lead with heart.
What’s the difference between the MBA International Business and the Executive MBA Leading with Purpose?

The MBA in International Business and the Executive MBA: Leading with Purpose are both transformative, part-time programs designed for working professionals but they serve distinct audiences with different leadership goals.
The MBA in International Business is best suited for early to mid-career professionals (typically with 5–7 years of experience) looking to step into leadership, pivot careers, or scale a business. It emphasizes hands-on learning, entrepreneurial thinking, and global business fluency, with an inclusive, human-centered approach to developing purpose-driven leaders. In contrast, the Executive MBA: Leading with Purpose is designed for more senior professionals (typically with 7–10+ years of experience) who are already in leadership roles and seeking to deepen their strategic, ethical, and societal impact by strengthening their ability to lead across stakeholders and navigate complexity at the highest levels of an organization.
While both MBAs empower students to lead with vision and integrity, the key difference lies in their depth of focus: one preparing future leaders for global agility, and the other shaping current leaders for purposeful transformation.
What kind of career support does the VU MBA offer?

Career development is a core commitment woven through every aspect of our MBA experience. From day one, we equip you to apply what you learn directly to your professional life, while helping you clarify where you want to go next and how to get there.
Throughout the programme, you’ll gain tailored support through individual guidance, peer learning, leadership coaching, and mentorship. You’ll engage with professionals across industries and functions, expand your knowledge of career paths and sectors, and develop the confidence to lead, pivot, or launch something new.
Our community also connects you to an active alumni network and a wide range of partners, including local and international companies, start-ups, NGOs, and innovation hubs, through field visits, speaker events, and relationship-building opportunities designed to grow your network and broaden your vision.
Whether you’re evolving in your current role, exploring new possibilities, or scaling your own venture, the VU MBA is committed to helping you grow with purpose, with direction, and with a network that stays with you far beyond graduation.
Can I take classes online?

We believe leadership is best learned through shared experience, real-time collaboration, and the energy of being in the room together. That Is why our program is delivered fully in person and we don't offer online classes. The classroom is where ideas are tested, perspectives are challenged, and lifelong networks are built. By immersing yourself in this face-to-face environment, you will gain far more than knowledge: you will gain the relationships, presence, and confidence that define impactful leadership.

Please contact the MBA Admission Team for more information

Ģ��Ƶ

School of Business and Economics for Professionals

1081 HV AMSTERDAM

Ģ��Ƶ