Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University is the international business school of the Erasmus University Rotterdam located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. RSM offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught mostly in English, including MBA, executive education, and PhD programmes.
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University is ranked among the best business schools in Europe, while ranked in the top 30 in the world for Business and Management Studies according to the QS ranking. RSM is also a member of the Partnership in International Management network, and hosts a diverse international student body. In 2013, RSM became part of the Alliance of European and Chinese Business Schools, which is under the patronage of the European Federation of Management Development.
History
Erasmus University
The roots of RSM stretch back to the founding of Erasmus University as the Dutch School of Higher Commercial Education in 1913. Originally a business-oriented institution, the Dutch School of Higher Commercial Education was a private initiative established with the support of the Rotterdam business community.In 1966 Erasmus University, commissioned an investigation into the feasibility of founding a Graduate School of Management dedicated to the subject of business administration. The result, inaugurated in 1969, was the ‘Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde/Graduate School of Management’, a joint initiative of the schools of economics, law and social sciences of Erasmus University, and the schools of civil, mechanical and maritime engineering and general sciences at the Delft University of Technology.
Graduate School of Management
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University first opened its doors in 1970 in the suburb of Kralingen, Rotterdam. The first 30 students began classes in the two-year ‘post-kandidaats’ programme. The school became the first in the Netherlands to offer the degree “Doctorandus in de Bedrijfskunde” post-kandidaats, for students with a university qualification in a non-business discipline.In 1972 the school moved to new premises in Delft and was once again remodelled, this time as the Interuniversities Institute for Business Administration. It had only one division, the ‘Interuniversitaire Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde/Graduate School of Management Delft’. In November that year the first 29 students graduated with the new academic degree ‘Doctorandus in de Bedrijfskunde’, and the Alumni Association VIB, the ‘Vereniging van afgestudeerden van de Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde’ was formally established.
Internationalisation
In 1975 the curriculum was revised and, from 1977 onwards, the focus turned towards the internationalisation of the school. The first exchange programme was established in 1980 with the French Institut Supérieur des Affaires, visited by IIB-students Hans van der Laan and Rino Schreuder. The second exchange programme was established with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1986. The number of English-language modules with an international focus expanded. In 1984 the four-year ‘doctorandus’ programme was launched. The first European CEMS master's degree was conferred in 1991, a result of RSM's membership in the renowned CEMS network.In 1986 the Graduate School of Management Delft moved back to the premises of Erasmus University, and was renamed the Faculty of Business Administration. The doctoral programme was established in the same year. In 1993 the ERASM research school was founded, bringing together researchers from the Faculty of Business Administration and the School of Economics. It is known today as the Erasmus Research Institute of Management.
In 2003 the BSc International Business Administration programme was established, an English-language bachelor programme which aims to provide a truly international learning experience with a large proportion of students from outside the Netherlands.
Foundation for Business Administration (Stichting Bedrijfskunde)
In 1966 a consensus on the lack of suitable training and higher educational facilities for managers in the Netherlands spurred Dutch-based multinationals including Royal Dutch Shell, Unilever and Philips to establish the Foundation for Business Administration, which was attached to the Netherlands University of Economics at Rotterdam. This started out as an institute for postgraduate management education, and later became Rotterdam School of Management.The founders of RSM each donated two million guilders and included:
- Royal Dutch Shell
- Algemene Kunstzijde Unie
- Koninklijke Zout/Ketjen
- Amsterdam-Rotterdam Bank
- Algemene Bank Nederland
- Unilever
- Philips Gloeilampen fabriek
- Koninklijke Hoogovens en Staalfabrieken
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
In 1986 the ‘post-kandidaats’ IMSEC exchange programme was absorbed into the MBA, and a new IMScEC ‘doctorandus’ programme was launched.
In 2003 RSM joined four schools located in three continents to create the "Global Executive OneMBA".
In 2004 Rotterdam School of Management merged with Erasmus University's Faculty of Business Administration and the Erasmus Research Institute of Management to become Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.
In 2006 the MSc General Management programme was established, a new master's degree for non-business graduates, now called the MScBA Master in Management.
In 2011 the school appointed as dean, who was re-appointed for a second term in 2015.
In 2015 RSM opened an office in Chengdu, China. The RSM China office offers services to prospective students, partners, and alumni as well as maintains relationships with research universities and business schools.
In 2019 the school appointed as dean.
Academics
Admissions
The admission procedure varies for bachelor and master programmes. Bachelor programme in International Business Administration at RSM was the most popular and among the most competitive programmes in the Netherlands, receiving 2,605 foreign student and 767 Dutch student applications for the 550 available places in 2018. The admission to the programme are mostly based on previous academic performance as well as CV and motivation.For the master admission candidates are selected based on sufficient background in bachelor studies as well as academic performance, GMAT results and English proficiency.
Rankings
According to the Financial Times, QS and Forbes; RSM is ranked as follows:| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| FT European Business School Ranking | 13th | 10th | 9th | 9th | |
| FT Global MBA | 45th | 42nd | 31st | 37th | 55th |
| FT MBA for Women | - | - | - | 50th | |
| FT Executive MBA | 60th | 54th | 54th | 51st | 59th |
| FT Executive MBA | 24th | 29th | |||
| FT Master in Management | 5th | 5th | 11th | 8th | 6th |
| FT Executive Education - Open | 72nd | 58th | 59th | 65th | |
| FT Executive Education - Customized | 65th | 66th | 63rd | 60th | |
| QS World University Rankings: Global MBA | 25th | 27th | |||
| QS Master in management | 13th | 13th | |||
| Forbes International MBAs | 14th | ||||
| QS Master in Marketing Management | 16th |
Programmes
Bachelor programmes
- BSc in Business Administration / Bedrijfskunde
- BSc in International Business Administration
Master programmes
- MScBA in Management
- MScBA in Management
- MScBA in Accounting & Financial Management
- MScBA in Business Analytics & Management
- MSc in Business Information Management
- MSc in Finance & Investments
- MSc in Global Business and Sustainability
- MSc in Human Resource Management
- MSc in International Management / CEMS
- MSc in Management of Innovation
- ERIM Research Master in Business and Management
- MSc in Marketing Management
- MSc in Organisational Change & Consulting
- MSc in Strategic Management
- MSc in Supply Chain Management
Pre-master programmes
- Pre-master Business Administration / Bedrijfskunde
- Pre-master Business Administration
MBA programmes
- International Full-time MBA
- Executive MBA
- Global Executive OneMBA
- Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA
Research programmes
- ERIM Research Master in Business and Management
- PhD in Management
Executive Master programmes
- MSc in Corporate Communication
- Full-time MBA, Executive MBA and Global Executive OneMBA
- MSc in Maritime Economics & Logistics
- MSc in Customs and Supply Chain Compliance
Customised programmes
Open programmes
Led by internationally recognised academic and business experts, RSM's current portfolio of open programmes includes:- General Management
- Leadership & People Development
- Finance & Accounting
- Strategy
- Marketing and Sales
- Management of Technology, Innovation and Sustainability
- Corporate Communication
Student life
International partner schools
RSM students can take part in study exchanges with other leading business schools around the world.Partner schools include :
- In the USA: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, New York University, Ross School of Business, Northwestern University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, Duke University, Emory University, UNC Kenan–Flagler Business School, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Marshall School of Business, McCombs School of Business, Kelley School of Business, Cornell University Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.
- In Canada: HEC Montréal, McGill University, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, Schulich School of Business, Queen's School of Business, Darla Moore School of Business.
- In Asia: National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, KAIST College of Business, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Management Development Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Keio University, Singapore Management University, National Taiwan University, Universitas Gadjah Mada.
- In Europe: HEC Paris, London School of Economics, Copenhagen Business School, SDA Bocconi School of Management, ESADE, Universität St. Gallen, WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, University of Warwick, Manchester Business School, BI Norwegian Business School, University College Dublin, IE Business School, Grenoble École de Management, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Stockholm School of Economics, IESE Business School, University of Economics, Prague, University of Cologne, Sciences Po Paris.
- In Latin America: Universidad Torcuato di Tella, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores Monterrey.
- In Oceania: The University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Otago
Distinguished alumni
| Name | Notability | Class |
| Boudewijn Beerkens | CFO, SHV Holdings | Full-time MBA 1991 |
| Else Boutkan | Founder, Something Else | Part-time MBA 2002 |
| Asthildur Margret Otharsdottir | Chairman of the board, Marel | Full-time MBA 1996 |
| Maria van der Heijden | Founder of Women on Wings, owner of ComVerander | Part-time MSc Bedrijfskunde 2000 |
| Hans Smits | CEO, Port of Rotterdam Authority, now President of the Board of Trustees, Erasmus University Rotterdam | Post-kandidaats Opleiding Bedrijfskunde 1973-1975 |
| Saskia Stuiveling | President, Netherlands Court of Audit | Post-kandidaats Opleiding Bedrijfskunde 1970–1972 |
| Alexander Ribbink | Partner, Prime Technology Ventures, formerly Executive Board Member and Chief Operating Officer of TomTom | Full-time MBA 1990 |
| Bart Becht | Former CEO, Reckitt Benckiser | Post-kandidaats Opleiding Bedrijfskunde 1977–1980 |
| Sukhbir Jasuja | CEO, ITpreneurs | Full-time MBA 1998 |
| Johan H. Andresen Jr. | CEO, Ferd Norway | Full-time MBA 1993 |
| Meiny Prins | CEO, Priva BV | Part-time Bedrijfskunde 2000 |
| Hans van Ierland | Co-founder and CEO, Holland Private Equity | Full-time MBA 1990 |
| Diederik Laman Trip | Former CEO, ING Netherlands | Doctorandus Post-kandidaats 1970 |
| Feike Sijbesma | CEO, Royal DSM | Post-kandidaats Opleiding Bedrijfskunde 1987 |
| Joost Notenboom and Michiel Roodenburg | Cycle for Water | MScBA 2009 and BScBA 2009 & MScBA 2010 |
| Robert-Jan van Ogtrop | The Circle Economy | Doctoraal Post-kandidaats Bedrijfskunde 1980 |
| Jente de Vries and Lisanne van Zwol | Founders, Kromkommer | Both MScBA 2012 |