The idea of a joint executive MBA program offered by the Kellogg School of Management and the WHU–Otto Beisheim School of Management developed in 1997 from mutual interest in attracting European executives to a program with a partnership between a U.S. and a German business school. The two founding deans envisioned an alliance that would combine the market strengths of each institution to create a truly global experience for young executives. Today, the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program is still defined by the cooperative spirit that led to its founding, and it has evolved into an international program. 

Our joint program aims to improve essential management skills of executives operating in global business. The unique blend of U.S. and European management teaching and experiences, as well as study weeks and joint classes with international students ensures exposure to diverse experiences and cultures. The program offers a global dimension to its participants in many ways. Students spend about 20 percent of their time with other international students during joint modules abroad. At the beginning of the second year, participants take part in a two-week international Live-In session at the Kellogg School in Evanston. The program also offers another international residential week at a Kellogg partner school — electively either in Hong Kong, Israel, Canada, or at the newly established Kellogg-Miami campus. The program ends with a module in Germany to which the WHU invites students from all other partner programs. But the international aspect is not limited to the teaching locations. Our students are part of an international body. In September, we launched our 10th joint executive MBA program. This new EMBA Class of 2008 has 45 percent non-German students representing 14 countries across Europe. 

The benefit of the Kellogg-WHU partnership is the bundling of teaching and research to create a joint executive program of high quality that provides participants with necessary global management skills and knowledge. Participants benefit from insights gained by the newest research produced by faculty of both WHU and Kellogg. Faculty from each school also conduct joint research projects.

Our program has proven innovative and successful. At its 10th anniversary, the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program is proud to look back on a remarkable time during which it educated about 450 executives around the world. The success goes beyond the professional achievements that the Kellogg-WHU alumni have already obtained. In October 2005, Kellogg-WHU was the only German EMBA program included in the Financial Times ranking. We have been ranked as the foremost U.S.-European MBA partnership, achieving the excellent result of being listed among the top five offerings. With respect to the accomplishment of professional objectives, the alumni survey proved this program No. 1 worldwide.