MBA

Master of Business Administration

GOOD TO SEE YOU!

2
4
WELCOME ................................................04

COMBINE THE BEST ...............................08

ACADEMIC PROGRAM ............................12

THE GISMA EXPERIENCE .......................20

EXCHANGE PROGRAMS &

ALUMNI NETWORK..................................24

CAREER SERVICES ................................26

HANNOVER ..............................................28

APPLICATION ...........................................30

FINANCIAL AID .........................................32

CONTACT .................................................34

Design & Layout mittel zum zweck

www.mittelzz.de

DOMINO Medienservice GmbH

www.domino.sh

[2008 7th edition] The information given in this

brochure is subject to change without notice.

3
5
 WELCOME

4
Experience
international business

Globalization is an important theme in all businesses today. It is hard to find an

organization that is not affected by international trade that brings with it the need
to deal with international suppliers, customers and competitors. Cultural diffe-
rences in business practices can further complicate the lives of managers if they
are not educated to understand and manage global diversity.

There is no better place for managers to prepare for this challenge than in the
full-time MBA program at GISMA Business School. An American style MBA
program in a unique network of globally operating companies, located in the
German city known as the City of International Fairs, the GISMA MBA program
is N°1 in international education in Germany.

You will take classes with a student body representing over 20 countries, with
international faculty in an intimate setting that allows a great deal of interaction
between faculty and students. Teamwork is a key aspect of the program in class
work and in company projects, reinforcing the need to work together in a diverse
environment. In addition, you can complete one module at Purdue University in
the U.S. and participate in exchange programs in Paris, Madrid, Bangalore and
Peking, during the course of your studies.

Join us at GISMA and experience the world!

Prof. Dr. David Schoorman,

Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management,
Dean of GISMA Business School

5
 Gearing up for the real world

Our mission it is to empower management professionals to respond to the spe-

cial challenges and stringent demands of today’s highly global business environ-
ment.

Our curricular offerings and practical experiences put junior managers from
around the world in touch with a network of export-minded, internationally oper-
ating companies whose home base is Germany.

The GISMA curriculum takes its cues from challenges faced by today’s corpo-
rations, with a major emphasis on teaching practical skills. Case studies, group
assignments and simulations are all among the experiential methods used to
ensure that students are exposed to a maximum of intercultural, interdisciplinary
teamwork and problem-solving with practical relevance.

GISMA gives its students insight into its partnering companies through excur-
sions, guest speakers, student consulting projects, a job fair, and its dedicated
alumni.

GISMA students add experience with globally operating companies such as

Siemens, Volkswagen, Continental, Airbus etc. to their CV while studying at
GISMA and by starting to work with them after graduation.

Thanks to its inspired concept and backing by numerous commercial and

public-sector sponsors and partner organizations, GISMA rates among
Germany’s top business schools.

We at GISMA are proud of the students that make it into our program, and we
strive to make our students proud to be a part of GISMA Business School.

Dr. Annegret Zurawski,

Academic Director, GISMA Business School

6
Are you ready to move to the
next level in your career?

The best business leaders know their performance

relies on more than just attitude; it relies on knowl-
edge and skills. An MBA degree from Purdue Uni-
versity earned at GISMA Business School can give
you the tools you need to be a business leader in
the real world.

7
 COMBINE
THE BEST

4
8
Get your American MBA –
Made in Germany!
A Top US MBA…
■ MBA Degree from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management,
a business school that is consistently ranked among the TOP 25 worldwide
■ Highest international standards through AACSB Accreditation
■ International and experienced faculty from Purdue guarantee approved and
successful teaching methods
■ Exchange opportunity: one module at Purdue University
■ Purdue alumni network of 25,000 worldwide to help you stay connected

…Earned Through Studies in Germany.

■ MBA degree from Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH), a traditional
German university committed to excellence in teaching and research
■ 11 month condensed program format
■ Highly international student body
■ Interaction with GISMA’s extensive company network at Forum Days,
excursions and placement fairs
■ Limited student enrollment facilitates intense interaction with teachers
■ Extensive career services to help you plan your future
■ Exciting and challenging student consulting projects
■ Attractive, modern facility with state-of-the-art technology

Ana Julia Varela

Argentina

Our professors are from all over the world and bring a wealth
of experience and expertise. They provide us with an interna-
tional learning experience during and out of class time!

Charles Holtman
Canada

During the first module, my team consisted of five people

from four different continents. This has been the most value-
added aspect of my MBA at GISMA.

5
9
 Dual Degree Program

Purude University’s Krannert School of Management

Founded in 1869, Purdue University is a leading US univer-
sity system with students on five campuses. The university
today has over 69,000 students enrolled in its programs, with
some 39,000 enrolled on its main campus in West Lafayette,
Indiana. It has 14,900 faculty and staff across the entire
system.

The university is renowned for its quality of teaching and

research in many disciplines, most notably in engineering,
agriculture, technology, and management.

The MBA Program grows from the guiding principles that

have consistently placed the Krannert School of Manage-
ment at Purdue University among the top business schools
in the United States. Since its founding more than 50 years
ago, Krannert has provided professional management educa-
tion to people from a variety of backgrounds, including engi-
neering, technical, and scientific education and experience.

The highly successful cooperation between the Krannert

School of Management and GISMA Business School reaches
back to the founding year of GISMA in 1999.

Leibniz Universität Hannover

Since its foundation in 1831, the Leibniz Universität Hannover
has grown to be one of the largest institutions of higher
education in Lower Saxony. The student population of
21,000 is enrolled in around 75 degree courses ranging from
the fields of natural and engineering sciences, law, business
studies and economics, the arts, humanities, to the social
sciences and education.

The Leibniz Universität Hannover stands for excellence in

teaching and research and is guided by the motto “Shaping
the Future with Knowledge”.

With the advent of a formal partnership between GISMA

Business School and the Leibniz University of Hannover,
GISMA became the Leibniz University‘s official business
school while at the same time retaining its autonomy as a
privately funded, self-administering institution of higher
education.

10
4
at GISMA Business School

■ Airbus
GISMA Business School
GISMA Business School in Hannover, Germany, ■ Atel
was launched in 1999 as a joint initiative by the
state of Lower Saxony and visionary private-
■ AWD
sector enterprises. GISMA is a privately funded, ■ British American Tobacco
self-administering institution of higher education.
Our mission it is to empower management profes- ■ Continental
sionals to respond to the special challenges and
stringent demands of today’s highly global busi- ■ Deutsche Bahn
ness environment. ■ Deutsche Post World Net
Thanks to its inspired concept and backing by ■ EnBW Energie Baden-Würtemberg
numerous commercial and public-sector sponsors
and partner organizations, GISMA rates among ■ Georgsmarienhütte
Europe’s top business schools.
■ Grillo
Our curricular offerings and extra-occupational ■ Körber
courses put junior and senior managers from
around the world in touch with a network of export- ■ KPMG
minded, internationally operating companies
whose home base is Germany – a country at the ■ Land Niedersachsen
very heart of the pan-European marketplace.
■ Louis Dreyfus
We welcome young people from all over the world ■ Meyer Werft
who are serious about a real-world challenge.
GISMA promotes diversity so that its graduates ■ NiedersachsenMetall
are prepared to work in new environments and
international locations. ■ NORD/LB

Today, a whole range of globally active companies

■ PricewaterhouseCoopers
from Germany and the US are supporting GISMA ■ Salzgitter
in its mission to offer top-notch MBA programs.
Currently, approximately 100 students are study- ■ Sartorius
ing in GISMA’s management education programs.
Additionally, a growing GISMA alumni community ■ Schüco
spans the world, offering rich networking opportu- ■ Sennheiser electronic
nities among the 500 former students who have
already earned their MBA diplomas. ■ Siemens
From 1999 through 2007, graduates of GISMA‘s Steag
GISMA Partners

full-time MBA program received their diploma

solely from Purdue University. Starting in 2008,
■ Talanx
GISMA graduates now receive not only a U.S. ■ TUI
MBA, but also one granted by the Leibniz
Universität Hannover. ■ Volkswagen
■ Wintershall

11
5
 ACADEMIC
PROGRAM

12
4
Curriculum

The unique, accelerated general management program at GISMA Business

School is an impressive alternative to a traditional two-year MBA. As a student
at GISMA, you will complete the same core curriculum courses that are part of
a full two-year program. The one-year timeframe is challenging, but the solid
foundation of core courses complemented by focused electives is an excellent
preparation for furthering your career.

The coursework translates theory into application. Our professors are leaders in
their fields, both in teaching and in research. Their knowledge and experiences
contribute to the problem-solving skills students develop at GISMA. The case
study method of instruction and experiential learning opportunities enhance your
communication, persuasion, and team-building skills.

Schedule of course offerings

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5
Aug - Oct Oct - Dec Jan - March March - May May - July

Microeconomics Macroeconomics Financial Strategic Legal & Social

Management II Management II Foundations of
Management

Financial Managerial Marketing Operations Elective

Accounting Accounting Management II Management II

Quantitative Financial Strategic Principles of Elective

Methods I Management I Management I Information
Systems

Behavior in Marketing Operations Elective Elective

Organizations Management I Management I

Forum Days Quantitative Elective Elective Elective

Methods II

Elective Student Project Student Project Forum Days

Forum Days Forum Days Forum Days

Paul Gray
USA

I believe that the full-time GISMA MBA offers its participants an exceptional
value proposition. The program’s unique 11-month format means that students
can effectively develop a broad-based set of management skills while reducing
the opportunity cost of being out of the workforce.

13
5
 Core Courses…

Core Courses:

Core courses at GISMA equip you with a strong theoretical foundation

to handle the breadth and depth of situations that managers face on
the job. Our courses offer balanced, interdisciplinary coverage of all
functional areas of management so that you are prepared to recognize
and solve complex tasks and make effective business decisions.

Microeconomics
This course deals with the economic decisions made by individuals and compa-
nies, and how these decisions affect prices and production. The problems asso-
ciated with the allocation of limited resources and the spread of income are also
addressed. From a neoclassical standpoint, the course looks at market develop-
ments in relation to supply & demand as well as manufacturing and exchange
rates. A strong emphasis is placed on decision-making tools and approaches
which are of key significance in the business world.

Financial Accounting
This course teaches students how to record profit and loss data in line with re-
porting requirements, use asset and revenue accounts to keep track of business
finances, and analyze a balance sheet or a profit & loss statement. Case studies
are used to interpret business reports by drilling down to specific events and
decisions which led to certain outcomes, thus giving students a real-world grasp
of cause and effect.

Quantitative Methods I and II

In part I of this course, students learn how to make sound business decisions
on the basis of quantitative analysis. Among the methods applied to solving
management challenges are descriptive statistics, probability theory, simulation
models, interval estimates and hypothetical analysis. Part II of the course deals
with regression procedures, forecasting techniques and statistical modeling.

14
4
Managerial Communication Skills
This course presents the fundamentals of management communication and
interaction. Students gain hands-on experience with a wide variety of communi-
cative approaches and styles. The guiding principle of the course is: “Communi-
cation goes farther than information.” Every participating student holds at least
one (videotaped) presentation in front of the class.

Behavior in Organizations (OBHR)

Individual and group behavior are the central components of the study of behav-
ior in organizations. The focus of this course is on the managerial relevance of
motivation, group processes, leadership and organizational models for success-
ful management. The course employs case studies, exercises, discussions and
lectures.

Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics seeks to understand and explain phenomena such as inflation,
unemployment, interest rates and the balance of payments. This course investi-
gates the causes of macroeconomic fluctuations, their consequences and what
role government should play in dealing with resulting problems. Special atten-
tion is given to monetary and fiscal policies, including government deficits and
the effects of tax rates. Since the macroeconomic situation of most countries is
increasingly affected by international currents, these are also closely scrutinized
in the course.

Managerial Accounting
This course examines a company’s internal methods of costing goods or serv-
ices and how to interpret them from a managerial perspective. A variety of ma-
nufacturing and service industries are studied, thus providing insight into flexible
cost systems which provide the best match for each company in terms of its
particular technological field, competitive standing or multinational setting.

Financial Management I and II

This two-part course deals with the analysis of short-term working capital requi-
rements. Among the topics covered are cash budgeting procedures, pro forma
statements and short-term loan arrangements and asset management. The
second part of the course introduces the tools of financial risk management (fu-
tures, forwards, swaps, options). Through case analysis, it investigates their use
in the management of interest rate and foreign exchange risk. The objective of
the two courses is to provide a firm understanding of the tools used for financial
analysis and corporate decision-making.

15
5
 Further Core Courses

Marketing Management I and II

Part one of this course deals with an integrative analysis of major marketing
decisions, including product pricing, advertising, distribution and sales force
policies. Marketing starts with finding out what customers want, followed by the
creation of market strategies which address the needs of specific target groups
better than the competition. The second part of the course introduces students to
the analytical, strategic and tactical aspects of managing the marketing mix.

Strategic Management I and II

This two-part course is concerned with the roles and tasks of top executives.
The perspective is that of an executive charged with directing the total enter-
prise, from diagnosing the status quo to developing realistic responses to stra-
tegic and organizational problems. The course focuses on the means by which
a competitive edge can be created and sustained in today’s challenging and
complex business environment, while at the same time giving due attention to
corporate social responsibility and business ethics.

Operations Management I and II

This course deals with planning and controlling techniques as used by manufac-
turers and service providers in managing their operations. Students gain expo-
sure to the full spectrum of operational procedures and the types of decisions
that operations managers are faced with. The course highlights recent devel-
opments in actual business operations and provides hands-on experience by
means of plant tours, case analyses and research projects.

Principles of Information Systems

This case-oriented course focuses on information management systems and
data mining tools for managerial use, also exploring their organizational impact,
related HR issues and project management aspects in connection with informa-
tion management systems.

Legal & Social Foundations of Management

This course is concerned with the ethical and social implications of managerial
decision-making and its impact on a company’s employees, customers, sup-
pliers, distributors, stockholders and creditors. Students are introduced to inter-
national law in connection with the opportunities and limitations of cross-border
business. Special emphasis is given to the legal and socio-cultural differences
between the EU, the U.S., the Middle East, Asia and various other economically
significant regions and countries.

16
 Elective Courses:

Through elective courses, you can choose to concentrate on

functional areas to specialize your broad base of management
knowledge. Elective courses are a chance to branch out and
add skills in areas you need to develop for career success.
Your program entails participation in at least seven elective
courses.
The Consulting Project is a highly recommended elective in
which students master real business challenges in small teams,
under the guidance of a professor and in close interaction with
the company involved. This four-month assignment calls upon
students to apply everything they have learned: critical thinking,
case analysis, quantitative methods and – at the end of the
project – decision-making on the basis of sound data.

These are examples of elective courses that have been offered regularly at
GISMA in the past years:

■ Student Consulting Projects

■ Intercultural Management
■ International Financial Management
■ Operations Management: Practice and Models
■ Online Process Management
■ International Negotiations
■ Managing Emerging Technology
■ Strategic Marketing
■ Entrepreneurship
■ Global Strategy
■ Strategic Cost Management
■ Leadership
■ Portfolio Management
■ Brand Management
■ Change Management
■ International Marketing

For more information on offered core and elective courses please visit
our website at www.gisma.com

17
 Experience the real world

Thanks to GISMA’s extensive company network, students have close contact

with firms during the course of the program. Representatives of GISMA’s spon-
soring companies are regular visitors at the school and are eager to interact with
our students.

Plant Trip of GISMA Students

Forum Days
Fridays are used for Forum Days; special educational events designed to en-
hance the class-room experience and provide a practical perspective. Guest
speakers share their experiences and make presentations on leading-edge prac-
tices and emerging topics. Off-site visits have included tours of Volkswagen’s
assembly line at the largest single automobile plant in the world, the production
facilities at Continental Tire, a steel mill and the German Stock Exchange.

Marta Szpindor
Poland

The consulting project was an amazing experience as far as problem solving,

team building, communication management, and expectation management
are concernd. Looking at our performance as a team, no one would guess
that we are so different – and that these differences were the key to our ove-
rall success. We also managed to create this very particular relationship with
our business partners and altogether we achieved outstanding results!

18
4
 Company Consulting Projects
To gain practical experience most of GISMA’s students take the chance to work on a
company project during the course of their studies. Acting as teams of consultants,
students work in small groups and tackle a problem of current relevance to the client
company. During the four-month duration of the projects, students practice critical think-
ing, case analysis, quantitative methods, and data-driven decision making to analyze
complex business challenges. The project is developed and refined through extensive
contact with the company. A faculty member serves as an advisor for each project.

ADAC
GISMA students did consulting projects for:

■ Airbus
■ Atel
■ Baerlocher
■ Bahlsen
■ Bertelsmann
■ British American Tobacco
■ Carl Zeiss Meditec
■ Celanese
■ Cisco Systems, U.S.
■ Compuware, U.S.
■ Continental
■ Deutsche Bahn
■ Deutsche Krankenversicherung
■ ERGO Versicherungsgruppe
■ Fürstenberg
■ Georgsmarienhütte
GISMA Student Project Group
■ IBM
■ Sartorius
■ Sennheiser
■ Siemens
■ Spezial Chemie Leuna
■ TUI
■ Volkswagen
■ Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge
■ XEROX

Sven Deutschmann
Managing Director Topac MultimediaPrint GmbH
Bertelsmann AG, Gütersloh

If we had contracted our project with a consultant, we would have paid a lot
more, it would have been less fun, and we wouldn‘t have received such a
wealth of information. The student group contributed to a large extent in
saving us several months of work.

19
5
 THE GISMA
EXPERIENCE

4
20
Student Life – It’s what
makes the difference
“It’s like meeting the whole world every day”

The highly international student body, the innova-

tive spirit of a young and small school with limited
student enrollment, the light and communicative
atmosphere of GISMA’s facility, the extensive expo-
sure to professors, and the friendly and supportive Academic Background
staff make each new student feel part of the GISMA
family. Liberal Arts
Medicine 3% 3% Law
Our classes consist of a maximum of 60 students Natural Sciences
8%
9%
from more than 20 different countries each year. Computer Sciences Business
6%
Students’ professional backgrounds are as diverse 29%
as their nationalities. Class sizes are small at
GISMA. You can be a major player and have a no-
ticeable impact on the program. Interaction within 32% 10%
the group and with faculty is intense. Economics

In response to demand for leaders with team skills, Engineering

GISMA’s students work together in teams during
the first modules of classes. Team members are
required to complete assignments together. Your Average of last 5 years
team replicates on-the-job interaction and is a po-
Class size 60
werful tool for navigating the GISMA experience.
Work experience 4,5 years
Working side-by-side with students of diverse
cultural and educational backgrounds means that Women 40 %
students are constantly exposed to perspectives Age 27
and values different from their own. You’ll learn to
think outside your comfort zone. So, if you want to GMAT 620
be challenged, GISMA is the right choice for you! International Students 85%

Countries represented
Argentina ■ Armenia ■ Australia ■ Austria ■ Belarus ■ Bolivia ■ Bosnia ■ Brazil ■ Bulgaria ■
Cameroon ■ Canada ■ Chile ■ China ■ Columbia ■ Costa Rica ■ Croatia ■ Ecuador ■
El Salvador ■ Estonia ■ Finland ■ Georgia ■ Germany ■ Ghana ■ Greece ■ Guatemala ■
Hungary ■ India ■ Indonesia ■ Israel ■ Japan ■ Kenya ■ Macedonia ■ Malaysia ■ Mexico ■
Moldova ■ Nepal ■ The Netherlands ■ Nigeria ■ Panama ■ Peru ■ Philippines ■ Poland ■
Romania ■ Russia ■ Singapore ■ South Africa ■ South Corea ■ Spain ■ Tadzhikistan ■ Thailand ■

Turkey ■ Tuva ■ Ukraine ■ United Kingdom ■ USA ■ Uzbekistan ■ Venezuela ■ Vietnam

Gail Ho
Singapore

The international mix here at GISMA has given many students, myself in-
cluded, a deeper appreciation of the importance of cultural awareness and
mutual understanding. This is very relevant in today‘s business world, where
labor has become more mobile and borders are opening up.

21
5
 World-Class instructors

World-class instructors are the cornerstones of the academic program at GISMA

Business School. In addition to helping the students acquire the skills necessary
to become tomorrow’s business leaders, they are dedicated to providing students
with a positive educational experience, even beyond the classroom setting.
That means moving beyond typical lectures and exams to a variety of state-
of-the-art teaching methods, including lively class discussions, experiential
learning exercises, computer simulations, student consulting projects with
real companies and off-site trips.

The vast majority of our teachers come from our partner Purdue University
and bring the quality of the Krannert School of Management.

Lynda Thoman
Professor of Accounting

Teaching at GISMA is a unique and special opportunity. The exuberance in

class discussions is refreshing, the questions are stimulating, and the classes
can be informative from a cultural as well as from a content perspective. The
smallness of the program is a significant advantage and results in continual
faculty/student interaction. It exceeds the interactions I have observed in any
other program.

Diane Denis
Professor of Finance

At the master’s level, your courses deal less with what to do and more with
why. My philosophy on education is that I don’t consider my job to be teaching
students specific tasks they will have to do on the job – any one of these peo-
ple is bright enough to do that. What I’d rather do is affect the way they look at
an issue and analyze it. I view my job to be teaching them how to think, how
to see links.

22
4
Facilities

The ‘Rotunde’ in the main building is the heart of the GISMA campus. It provides
an inviting cafeteria for chats and casual meetings with fellow students, profes-
sors and staff. To keep you productive, drinks and snacks are provided in this
open atmosphere.

People often study or hang out here long into the evenings. Each student team is
assigned to a study room, offering flip charts, white boards, PCs with networked
printers and copy machines. Here you will find an optimal environment to support
your studies.

The library encompasses the full range of recorded management thought,

including a full-text database of periodicals and public data sources, access to
over 115 business, management and economic databases as well as links and
annotations to more than 150 Web-based resources.

Throughout the building, wireless network connectivity (WLAN) provides studen-

ts with instant access to electronic libraries, online databases, team files and the
Internet. The comprehensive student intranet allows you to create a program-
wide calendar, engage in discussion groups, download readings, upload home-
work and assignments, view video streams of speakers, and register for classes
online.

Students and faculty use the latest technology for presentations, teamwork and
individual research. Sophisticated videoconference equipment enables students
and faculty to connect with experts in the real world.

23
5
 EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS &
ALUMNI NETWORK

4
24
 Exchange Programs

During their studies at GISMA, students can choose to participate in different

international exchange programs. Credits earned in these exchange programs
count towards the requirements of the MBA degree:

■ You have the opportunity to spend one module (8 weeks) at Purdue

University’s Krannert School of Management in West Lafayette, USA.

■ You can participate in a 2 week company internship in Bangalore, India.

The internship consists of a project at a large manufacturing company.

■ You can spend a two-week residency at Tsinghua University in Beijing

featuring lectures, workshops and excursions to Chinese businesses
in the area.

■ You have the opportunity to participate in a one week elective course in

Madrid or Paris.

GAA – GISMA Alumni Association

Alumni Network

Since its inception in 2000, the GISMA Alumni Association has been dedicated
to serving GISMA Business School, its students and its alumni. The Association
provides opportunities for alumni and friends to stay connected with their alma
mater through communications, programs, and services that foster a lifetime
relationship with GISMA Business School.

Alumni are involved in GISMA’s programs through visits during orientation, and
participation in Forum Days. Today, GISMA’s alumni network consists of several
hundred graduates, dedicated to supporting our current students.

The worldwide alumni network of the Krannert School of Management is com-

prised of more than 25,000 members. GISMA graduates are integrated into this
network, too, and become lifelong members of Krannert’s Alumni Association.

Dr. Jürgen Großmann

President and CEO of the RWE Group and owner of Georgsmarienhütte
Holding GmbH
Since I participated in Krannert’s program some 30 years ago, I have consist-
ently enjoyed the benefits of the professional foundations I gained there.
I have also profited tremendously from the worldwide network of alumni and
am pleased to be able to now give back my experience from a career in
industry as CEO of a multi-billion EUR steel company and as an entrepreneur
employing 10,000 people.

25
5
 CAREER
SERVICES

26
4
 Career Services

Academic excellence is certainly the most important ingredient in an MBA Placement Results
program, but finding your dream job upon graduation is also a decisive factor.
Since its beginning, GISMA’s placement rates have been excellent. To help 85 % Placement Rate
you find the right job, GISMA’s Career Center offers the following activities and 95 % Job Offer Rate
services:
Career Counseling Services
GISMA placement professionals will help you assess your resume, coach you
on interview skills, and give you unbiased opinions about salary offers. In ad-
dition to one-on-one sessions, the Career Center sponsors seminars on topics
such as self-directed job searches and negotiating compensation packages.
GISMA’s Career Center provides you with free phone and fax services and
resume printing to help you stay in touch with recruiters. Videoconferencing
equipment is available for students to contact distant employers.
Online Resumes and Resume Book
Students’ resumes are featured on GISMA’s corporate website. Other Web
career services include permanent job postings by employers and an alumni
database. GISMA, in cooperation with Krannert’s career center, also offers a
wide array of company and job search information via its library and website.
In addition, GISMA publishes a Resume Book of each class and sends it to
several hundred companies in Europe that have expressed interest in learning
about GISMA graduates.
MBA Career Fair
Each year, GISMA holds a recruitment fair to bring students together with
company representatives. In workshops, company presentations and individual
interviews students will get an insight into career opportunities within these com-
panies and have the chance to develop their network of professional contacts.

Placement of GISMA graduates over the last 5 years

By Function By Industry
Marketing Consumer Goods
Automotive
Finance Financial Services
9% 3%
25% 22% Other Services
18%
Consulting Other Manufacturing 16%
Human Resources

15% 6% 9%
General Management
13%
12%
6% 18% 6% 22%
Consulting
Operations Management Pharma/BioTech High-tech
Business Development

Accenture ■ Air Berlin ■ Airbus ■ Amgen ■ Arthur Andersen ■ Atel ■ Audi ■ BASF ■
Bertelsmann ■ BMW ■ Bombardier ■ Booz Allen Hamilton ■ Bosch ■ Bose ■ Caterpillar ■ Continental ■ Daimler ■
Deloitte ■ Deutsche Bank ■ Deutsche Post Inhouse Consulting ■ Drueker & Co. ■ ECE ■ E.ON ■ Ernst & Young ■
Exxon ■ Gartner Deutschland ■ GE Bayer Silicones ■ Georgsmarienhütte ■ GE Money Bank ■ Hamburg Mannheimer ■
Hannover Rück ■ Henning & Company ■ Honeywell ■ HSBC ■ Infineon ■ Intel ■ Johnson Controls ■ Johnson & Johnson ■
KPMG ■ McKinsey ■ Mont Blanc ■ Otto ■ PricewaterhouseCoopers ■ Primondo ■ Roland Berger ■ RWE ■ SAP ■
Sartorius ■ Sennheiser ■ Siemens ■ TUI ■ UBS ■ Vodafone ■ Volkswagen ■ WABCO

27
5
 HANNOVER

4
28
Living in Hannover

The attractive city of Hannover, Germany, is located at the heart of an expanding

Europe, and is each to reach by plane (via the international Hannover Airport),
by rail (e.g. by high-speed ICE train) or by car. Hamburg and Berlin are just a
short train ride away – about one and two hours, respectively.

Hannover treats visitors to some surprising contrasts, with old-world flair and the
avant-garde often just a few steps apart.

The historic center of town, the Altstadt, features a picturesque array of 11th-
century half-timbered houses. Just a stone’s throw away you can see modern
architecture worthy of an upbeat city which not only hosted the EXPO 2000
World’s Fair, but is also the site of mega-events like CeBIT – the world’s biggest
IT exhibition. Thanks to its long tradition as a trade fair city, Hannover is home
to such prominent companies such as Continental, VW Commercial Vehicles,
Hannover Rück and TUI.

Among the more than 500,000 Hannoverians, the city is also populated by some
40,000 students from around the world. Hannover’s international flair is reflected
in the rich variety of restaurants offering foreign cuisine.

The selection of trendy bars, cozy cafés and traditional restaurants is huge, and
growing all the time. Those in search of parks and nature will feel right at home
in a city graced by the likes of the Royal Baroque Gardens of Herrenhausen, the
far-reaching Eilenriede forest along the eastern side of the city, and the lovely
Lake Masch just a few steps from the downtown area.

For more information on Hannover, visit the city’s multilingual website at

www.hannover.de.

Housing
Like most European graduate students, GISMA students live in apartments lo-
cated around the city rather than in campus dormitories. Hannover offers abundant
possibilities for housing, ranging from a small single room (approx. EUR 250
monthly) or a self-contained flat (approx. EUR 450) to a single-family house.

The GISMA Student Services Office works with leasing agents to provide
students with assistance finding accommodation.

29
5
 APPLICATION

30
4
How to apply

Each year GISMA selects a limited number of talented young professionals

who have demonstrated high potential to succeed in an international business
career. Student selection is based on a combination of an individual’s academic
performance, personal characteristics, and managerial experience as well as a
willingness to contribute to an international student body. The program is open
to individuals with a wide variety of professional, educational and cultural back-
grounds. A previous degree in business or economics is not required.

There is no typical GISMA student or typical background. Rather, GISMA seeks

to build an extraordinarily diverse group. The only way to find out whether you
belong is to apply. If you are interested in GISMA, we are interested in hearing
from you.

Application Requirements

For a complete application we need:

■ Online Application: Please fill in the online
application form you can find at
www.gisma.com, including two essays

■ GMAT: All applicants are required to take the

Graduate Management Admission Test. Further
information: www.gmat.org

■ TOEFL/IELTS: Applicants whose native language

is not English are also required to take the Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an
English test by the International English Lan-
guage Testing System (IELTS). Further Tuition
information: www.toefl.org / www.ielts.org Full-Time MBA Program: Euro 30.000*

■ 2 letters of recommendation: These must be
submitted – in English – by an employer (either
present or past) or professor
■ Official transcripts: Send original transcripts
indicating the credits earned and grades received
■ Certified copies of your university diploma
(certified by the university you have attended.
The copy of the diploma is only needed if
transcripts do not indicate the date of graduation
and the degree conferred)
■ Certified English translations of the documents
if not originally issued in English (certified by the
universities you have attended)
The costs for books, living, housing, and travel are not
included in the tuition.
The tuition and all related costs are deductible as an
educational expense under German Tax Laws.
Key Dates
Start of the program: August
Application Deadlines:
■ applicants from EU countries, the U.S. and Canada:
June 30
■ applicants from all other countries:
May 31
Applications are reviewed and evaluated on a continuous
basis throughout the year. Therefore, early application is
recommended.
* subject to change

31
5
 FINANCIAL
AID

32
4
Financial Aid

GISMA Business School enables qualified applicants to participate regardless of

their financial means. Various forms of financial aid are available:

GISMA Education Fund

Candidates can apply to the GISMA Education Fund for student loans. This
enables students to finance up to 85 percent of their tuition without the need for
parental sponsorship or bank guarantees. The amount to be repaid is based
on a percentage of the student’s anticipated post-graduation salary (as agreed
when the loan is granted). Repayment begins as soon as the graduate has
taken up gainful employment.

GISMA Foundation Scholarships

GISMA Business School is supported by the GISMA Foundation. This founda-
tion makes scholarships available to applicants with exceptional qualifications.
The goal of the merit-based scholarship program is to attract highly qualified
individuals to pursue their MBA studies at GISMA.

Applicants who would otherwise be unable to finance

their studies at GISMA are also eligible to apply.

To be considered for a scholarship a candidate

must submit a complete application including
test results, all supporting documentation and
two essays. All scholarship decisions are made
by the GISMA scholarship committee, which
meets as follows:
Date: December 1
Application Deadline: November 30
Date: March 30
Application Deadline: March 29
Date: May 31
Application Deadline: May 30

Scholarships by sponsoring firms

Scholarships are also offered by firms supporting the GISMA cause. The condi-
tions under which such scholarships are granted to possible future employees
are outlined by each respective HR department.

For further information on financial aid please have a look at

www.gisma.com

33
5
 CONTACT

34
4
Contact us

We encourage you to take the opportunity to visit GISMA and learn more about
our program and the benefits for you. Please contact us to arrange a tour of our
facilities, meet with current students and alumni, talk to members of the faculty
and sit in on a class or simply register for one of our regularly held information
days. We look forward to meeting you!

Admissions
GISMA Business School

Monika Baer
Recruitment Manager
Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 27
30625 Hannover
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)511-54609-36
Fax: +49 (0)511-54609-54
Email: mbaer@gisma.com

GISMA Office at
Purdue University

John Lewandowski
Assistant for International Programs
Krannert School of Management
Purdue University
2025 Rawls Hall
100 S. Grant Street
West Lafayette, IN 47905,
USA
Tel.: +1 765 496-6922
Fax: +1 765 494-9841
Email: lewandow@purdue.edu

35
5
www.gisma.com