How Business Schools Can Make EMBAs More Attractive to Women

Closing the gender gap among students is a top priority for many business schools. After all: more diverse cohorts can contribute to redressing the gender imbalance in the top ranks of business and enrich the classroom learning experience.

Where most schools struggle is with their part-time Executive MBA courses. The gender pay gap and difficulty associated with balancing study, work and family commitments has kept the EMBA out of reach for the majority of women. According to figures from the Executive MBA Council, of all EMBA students last year, 30 percent were women, an all-time high but far below parity.

However, most business schools are going to great lengths to enroll more women into their EMBA programs, including running glossy advertising campaigns and offering generous scholarships.

Some have been successful. At French business school Grenoble Ecole de Management, 30 students last week enrolled in a part-time EMBA course. More than 50 percent of them were women, says MBA programs director Phil Eyre.

He believes that offering electives in luxury brand management and sustainable business has helped to attract more women into the course, as they may want to work in those areas.

Making EMBA more flexible

So, what are the keys to gender balance? Some methods may seem obvious. Markus Mädler, director of the EMBA at Germany’s Frankfurt School of Management — which is comprised of 29 percent women — says that flexible modules are key to curbing gender inequity.

With family and household duties still resting on women’s shoulders in many cultures (though this is changing), the effect on work/life balance can make it hard for women to pursue an EMBA.

“It is much more difficult for a woman to attend block modules — sometimes lasting up to two weeks — because those extended periods of absence require a significant effort to organize their families, children and households,” Mädler says.

So, Frankfurt implemented a “family-friendly” design: modules can be taken at weekends and in multiple locations, he says.

“It simply is easier for a woman to step out for two or three days only, and on weekends when kids don’t have to go to school and partners are more likely to be at home.”

He adds that the problem is often psychological. “Our female participants confirm that the mountain seemed more unsurmountable before entering the EMBA,” says Mädler.

“Once in the program they realize — and prove to themselves — that they can do it. Sometimes there is nothing better than a little bit of blind trust in yourself.”

Tackling high costs

With women earning comparatively less than men, tighter budgetary constraints can be a barrier to an EMBA. At Imperial College Business School in London, tuition fees for the 23-month, part-time EMBA are £57,000.

But, like many schools, Imperial is aware of this challenge and offers a solution: scholarships of £25,000 to outstanding female students in partnership with the 30% Club, which campaigns for gender parity in business.

“Our scholarship takes people who are already senior in their companies but are looking to take that further leap up to board level,” says Crystal Grant, Imperial’s director of admissions.

“The EMBA is designed for senior executives looking to move into the most senior positions in their organizations, which is where women are typically least represented.”

Clear career outcomes for women

Communicating the positive career outcomes of an EMBA is important in attracting women to the courses, according to Michael Desiderio, the Executive MBA Council’s executive director.

“Schools have put an emphasis on attracting women to their program and also, more women are recognizing that an EMBA could prove beneficial to their career progression,” he says.

“The fact that EMBA programs are now much more proactive about marketing directly to prospective students, in addition to corporations, has also helped spread the word about the effectiveness of EMBAs on career progression.”

Julie Driscoll, an Imperial EMBA alumnus, received a scholarship. While studying for her EMBA, she received a promotion, from portfolio director to managing director of Pure London, the UK’s leading trade fashion event.

Driscoll says the scholarship was instrumental in her career advancement: “Getting the scholarship gave me exposure that I wouldn’t have had ordinarily. It obviously got me onto the program, too, where I learnt a lot of things I didn’t know before, like accounting, finance, macro- and-microeconomics. Those were really important and quite transformational subjects for me.”

Julie also benefited from the other features of the scholarship, including the opportunity to attend networking events. At one event she saw Helena Morrissey, the founder of the 30% Club. Julie was inspired by the business executive’s ability to balance a career and family of nine children.

Tailored support can make the difference

Special support for women, such as student-run clubs, can also help to attract a more diverse student body. A mooted “confidence gap”, with some women less likely to feel confident about their qualifications and abilities, can deter them from pursing an EMBA, with its competitive admissions process, says Frankfurt’s Mädler.

“We observe that women are less assertive than men in presenting their qualifications, abilities and achievements, in particular in their CVs, resumes and written application materials,” he adds.

“You would not believe how often we then uncover truly exceptional talents during our interview process, once the female candidates engage personally with us.”

At Imperial, for example, Grant says that the EMBA course includes personalized coaching and support, “which is ideal for women who aspire to top management positions as it gives them the tools and confidence to progress to new heights in their careers”.

Indeed, improving gender diversity in EMBAs doesn’t just enrich the classroom learning experience, but can contribute to curbing the gender gap in the boardroom, concludes Desiderio at the Executive MBA Council.

He says: “Gender diversity in the classroom leads to diverse thinking; diverse thinking leads to better business solutions. The business community is in need of more women in leadership roles and EMBA programs are designed to help develop leaders.”