The New INSEAD MBA Website is Live!

Among all of the many great questions I get asked at Information Sessions and other INSEAD events, there is one question that I get in pretty much every city, and at pretty much every event. Sometimes it’s asked to me, sometimes to the alumni, sometimes both. And there are variants on it, but it’s almost always asked, and it always goes something like this:

“You’ve said a lot of great things about INSEAD today. Can you tell us one thing you’d like to change or improve?”

It’s a great question – and valid – because every person, place and thing has strengths and weaknesses. And until a couple of weeks ago, I had a good answer:

“If I improve one thing,” I would always respond, “it would be our MBA website”.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Our website has always been the best first (and sometimes second and third) source of information for anyone interested in learning more about the INSEAD MBA, no matter where they are in their process. Many on the MBA team have worked hard over the years to keep content relevant, interesting and dense – and they’ve done, and continue to do, a great job. But I think all of us on the team will admit that when it came to visuals and user-friendliness, there were better examples out there. Our brochures have been beautiful for years (if I do say so myself) but our website needed some work.

So, while my answer was an honest one, it looks like I’m going to have to think of another reply. Because – again, if I do say so myself – our website has just gotten good. Not just good. Really good. I don’t want to be accused of plugging my own work or taking credit where it is not due, so I don’t mind telling you that I had absolutely nothing to do with the revamp. But my hat goes off to our Associate Director, Gopika Spaenle, and the design team she worked with, who have delivered us a virtual ‘home’ that we can be proud of, and which I know you will enjoy visiting. In addition to an entirely new look and feel, they’ve also added a number of really cool and really useful features. Here are a few of my favorites:

- The Typical Day

You’ve probably heard about how intense INSEAD is, and that our students spend almost the same number of hours in class over their 10 months at INSEAD as their peers do over 2 years on other MBA programmes. Are you trying to get your head around what your typical day will look like at INSEAD, and how you’ll fit in really important things like lunch, socialising, and sleep? Now you can check out a couple of sample schedules based on actual student activity at different points in the programme.

- The Video Vault

If you prefer pictures to words, I recommend the new Video Vault, where you’ll not only find our official “Introduction to the INSEAD MBA”, but also several student-produced videos providing a glimpse into student life and social activities on both campuses.

- Key Facts

If you’re pressed for time and just want the highlights, click on the ‘Key Facts’ tab at the top of the home page. There you’ll be able to scroll through 16 quick slides, covering everything from course offerings, class composition, career services, and the INSEAD alumni network – all in 20 words or less.

Of course, these are just the beginning. Check out the new site for yourself and let us know what you think. While you’re doing that, I’ll be working on thinking up a new answer to that question. I’d better hurry – it's bound to be asked in just a few hours at our Information Session in San Francisco tonight.