Online MBA Programmes Emerge As Pandemic Prompts Temporary Closures

Some of the top MBA providers are planning to launch online programmes in the future.

In this year’s Singapore Business Review rankings of the largest MBA programmes, INSEAD MBA emerged on top, with a whopping 1,008 students enrolled in the programme. It is followed by S P Jain Master of Global Business with 239 students, and Manchester Global Master of Business Administration by Alliance Manchester Business School with 219.

Amongst MBA providers, INSEAD with just its sole MBA programme still has the most number of MBA students, followed by S P Jain School of Global Management and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School with 509 and 373 students, respectively. As a whole, the overall number of students in the top 33 MBA programmes and top 13 MBA providers fell 12.86% to 3,671 in 2020, compared to 4,213 in 2019.

In contrast, online MBA programmes have been on the rise. Aventis School of Management academic director Stanley Soh told Singapore Business Review that they received a spike in requests from prospective students who are considering taking an online MBA, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing digitisation of business school offerings.

In response to such demand, MBA providers have increasingly been bringing such programmes in Singapore. For instance, a spokesperson from the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) shared that they are offering five online or e-learning MBA programmes through Edinburgh Napier University with different specialisations, namely Leadership and Innovation, Marketing & Sales Management, Events Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Health Management.