By being part of an international cohort of 40 students, selected by the respective home institutions, participants expand their intercultural and social competences. Cultural courses, particularly designed for the IBEA program, give students further knowledge to reflect on socio-political and economic issues.

Sharing the unique IBEA experience with energizing and driven people from all around the world creates friendships for a lifetime.

Not only does IBEA provide academic excellence to its students, but the program combines theory with practice to ensure quality at all educational levels. At each partnering institution, students work on corporate projects to solve business issues together with decision-makers from national and international companies. IBEA captures the need for a globalized workforce and trains the next generation of global leaders.

Participants also have the opportunity to expand their network on four different continents, to meet competitive employers and attend workshops and information sessions at the partnering schools.

Since the start of the IBEA program in 2015, each year around 40 students selected by their respective home universities join the program after three semesters at their individual home institution.
With the fourth semester, IBEA students study as one cohort for the subsequent four semesters, starting at the University of Mannheim, Business School, followed by the Darla Moore School of Business of the University of South Carolina and ESSEC’s campus in Singapore. The last study abroad semester is spent at the Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration in Rio de Janeiro.

Each school offers a customized business class for the IBEA cohort reflecting each school’s academic fields of excellence and a customized cultural course reflecting each country’s economic, social and cultural background. While studying abroad, students are exposed to regional business intelligence while working in teams on a designated corporate project at each partnering institution. In addition, IBEA students are able to take regular undergraduate courses offered at the host school in order to fulfill their home degree course requirements.

The final eighth semester will be, again, completed at the student’s home institution. Graduating students will receive a document of completion appropriately endorsed by all four institutions.

IBEA students must be admitted to one of the four institutions as a candidate for a specific undergraduate business degree awarded by that institution. Awarding of the degree is a requirement for completing the IBEA course of study.

The institutions will jointly recognize all participants who have completed all parts of IBEA by a document of completion appropriately endorsed by all four institutions.

For application to IBEA, please see the respective school’s website:

The Business School of the University of Mannheim constantly tops the list of German business schools and was Germany’s first institution which received the “triple crown” – the accreditations by AACSB, EFMD (EQUIS) and AMBA. Being the biggest business faculty in Germany and located in the heart of the 4th largest economy in the world, Mannheim maintains strong relations to the corporate world. Its corporate partners offer exclusive events for its students on campus and accompany students during their academic studies.

One of the leading business schools in Europe and founded in 1907 in Paris, ESSEC Business School strategically chose Singapore to extend its international presence and establish its Asia-Pacific campus. The economic dynamism of the city-state and its position at a multicultural and educational crossroads allows ESSEC to respond to the increasing demand for management education in Asia. ESSEC Asia-Pacific serves as a gateway to the Asian and European markets, allowing our business students to get an enhanced educational experience and learn how to deal with different cultures in our increasingly global and complex environment.