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Record number of applicants to NHH master's program
More than 100 students have applied to the CEMS Master’s in International Management at NHH, a significant increase from previous years.
NHH student Marte Elisabeth Lynne (24) is on a cabin trip with a student representative committee, eagerly awaiting news. The competition has been tough, and she knows the answer to her application could arrive at any moment. Ever since she discovered the program through a Google search in high school, she has dreamed of studying CEMS.
`I was so happy, proud, and relieved when the acceptance email finally came through´, says Lynne.
54 percent increase
She is among the students admitted to this year’s CEMS Master’s in International Management at NHH. The latest round attracted 102 applicants, a 54 percent increase from last year and 20 percent higher than the previous record of 85 set in 2023.
`I think more and more people are seeing the value of international knowledge and experience, and CEMS graduates gain specialised expertise in exactly that area,´ says Stig Tenold, CEMS Academic Director at NHH.
It’s not just the number of applicants that stands out this year. For the first time in seven years, women outnumbered men, making up 53 percent of those applying.
Ranked among the world’s best
CEMS was recently recognized as one of the world’s top master’s program, and is taken alongside a regular master’s degree.
- A program that awards a degree in international management in addition to a regular master’s degree
- Can be combined with all of NHH’s master-level specializations
- Includes mandatory international exchange and an internship.
- Consists of 33 schools across six continents
- Has more than 70 corporate partners
- Founded in 1988
- NHH became a member in 1992
Lynne will start the master's track this fall, alongside other newly admitted students, including 21-year-old Adam Mesgena Russom. “We’ve been told the workload will be heavier than in a regular master’s, but you earn two degrees in one, so it’s absolutely worth it,” says Russom.
`What are you most looking forward to?´
`The international experience,´ he replies without hesitation.
Exchange to leading international business schools
During their studies, students spend one semester on exchange at another CEMS school. Among NHH students, the most popular destinations are Cornell University in New York and the London School of Economics (LSE), and Russom has secured one of the two available spots at LSE.
`I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to study at one of Europe’s top schools, and I can’t wait, both academically and socially,´ says Russom.
Lynne, meanwhile, will be heading to Santiago. In recent years, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI) and Chile have become increasingly popular among NHH students.
`I’m looking forward to exploring South America, joining an international community, and gaining global perspectives,´ she says.
`I also hope to brush up on my Spanish and improve it,´ she adds.
Academic strength and personal qualities
NHH admits 50 students to the international management program each year.
`CEMS students combine strong academic ability with exceptional personal qualities. We hope that CEMS will continue to attract interest, but our goal isn’t simply to maximise applications. What matters most is selecting the right candidates,´ emphasises Tenold.
NHH is the only school in Norway to offer CEMS, and is part of a network of 33 leading business schools spanning six continents.
Sparking Success in Switzerland
Aleksandra Kjemhus runs her own AI company in Switzerland. “I’ve always known I wanted to pursue an international career,” she says.