In the past academic year we significantly expanded the double diploma programmes offer (DDP) for both the undergraduate (Double Bachelor Diploma Programme - DBDP) and graduate (Double Masters Diploma Programme - DMDP) level students. The offer of SGH Warsaw School of Economics has been systematically expanded since 2010 and therefore mostly the graduate level students benefited from the programmes and were able to choose from 10 DMDP European partners whereas there was only one DBDP available for undergraduate level students – the DBDP established in cooperation with our Korean partner, Kyungpook National University in Daeg.
In the past academic year SGH Warsaw School of Economics signed three new agreements concerning joint realization of DBDPs and therefore the chances of the students of SGH Warsaw School of Economics for obtaining two Bachelor's diplomas in the single course of studies improved. The new DBDP partners are University Viadrina (EUV) and Hochschule Pforzheim University (PFU), two German universities, and Guanghua School of Management (GSM) operating under Peking University (PKU).
For graduate level students the DMDP offer was expanded by signing agreement with two new partners: EDHEC Business School from France and Université Laval (ULaval) from Quebec in Canada.
It is prudent to at least shortly describe these new programmes and to discuss the GSM DBDP in more detail due to its unique character.
UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL Double Master's Diploma Programme
I would like to begin with ULaval DMDP, our first graduate level programme realized in cooperation with extra-European Partner. Until now, despite the fact that the DMDP offer was already extensive, it was limited to cooperation with European partners (including 5 DMDPs in neighboring Germany). Therefore the successful conclusion of DMDP negotiations with ULaval, with which we have a well functioning student and staff exchange agreement dating back to 2008, is pleasing. Due to the significant differences in the organization of graduate level studies in Poland and Canada this particular DMDP is characterized by strict and prohibitive requirements and specific solutions in the realization of the programme. It is addressed and available to SGH Warsaw School of Economics students of „Global Business, Finance and Governance” degree course realizing studies in English or Polish language and in case of ULaval it is available to the students of „Faculty of Administrative Sciences: MBA Global Business” or „Gestion Internationale (International Management)” or „Gestion des entreprises (Business Management)” degree courses.
The agreement signed for the period of 5 years foresees the exchange of 3 students per year. Despite the fact that the programme will be realized in English language the participating students of SGH Warsaw School of Economics and ULaval are required to command two languages because proving the command of French language through the completion of „Test de Français International (TFI)” is a necessary requirement for obtaining ULaval diploma. Each student participating in this programme will write two diploma works: so-called "Integrative Project" consistent with ULaval standards and Master's Thesis consistent with SGH Warsaw School of Economics standards. The agreement and appropriate annexes discuss in detail not only the study schedule for SGH Warsaw School of Economics and ULaval students but also the detailed requirements for obtaining both diplomas; therefore we invite all interested students to familiarize themselves with information at www.sgh.waw.pl/ddp website and with the agreement document.
EDHEC BUSINESS SCHOOL Double Master's Diploma Programme
The other new DMDP programme made available this year is the collaboration with EDHEC Business School, an excellent private university holding the accreditation of AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS accreditation (awarded by Foundation for Management Development) and Association of MBAs accreditation. EDHEC headquarters are located in Nice but the university also owns a campus in Lille where our students will study. This DMDP is available for the student of the four following SGH Warsaw School of Economics degree courses:
- Global Business, Finance and Governance and its Polish equivalent (see below)
- Globalny biznes, finanse i zarządzanie (Governance),
- International Business,
- Management – course in Polish language
Student of the three following EDHEC degree courses are eligible to participate:
- Global Business & Sustainable Business,
- Strategy, Consulting and Digital Transformation,
- Management,
Students of SGH Warsaw School of Economics can choose from between the first two of the listed EDHEC courses and the particular possible combinations of SGH Warsaw School of Economics and EDHEC courses are listed in study plans (6 models). During this DMDP students will spend the first year at home universities and the second and following year at the partner university and therefore will write mutually recognized diploma works at partner universities (SGH Warsaw School of Economics students will write Master Project worth 30 ECTS points at EDHEC and EDHEC students will write Master's Thesis worth 20 ECTS points at SGH Warsaw School of Economics). An important requirement for obtaining the French diploma is participation in the Internship worth 15 ECTS points. The exchange scope of 6 students per year was agreed upon. We invite students interested in participation in this program to familiarize themselves with EDHEC DMDP information available at www.sgh.waw.pl/ddp website.
EUV Double Bachelor Degree Programme
This year we also established DBDP with EUV, the university which SGH Warsaw School of Economics has been collaborating with for many years including the participation in 2010 DMDP. This programme will be available for SGH Warsaw School of Economics students from five degree courses:
- Global Business, Finance and Governance,
- Global Business, Finance and Governance,
- Finances and Accounting,
- Management,
- Zarządzanie – course in Polish language.
In turn, EUV students can select from Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration (IBA) or Bachelor of Science in Internationale Betriebswirtschaftslerhre (IBWL), because these programmes are available in English and German languages. The scope of the exchange with this partner was already established for the purpose of the existing DMDP and set at the level of 10 students for each university. This level of exchange will be adapted and divided between undergraduate and graduate students as situation demands.Over the course of SGH Warsaw School of Economics DBDP students realize two years of studies at the home university and move to the partner university for the third year. The requisite internship worth 3 ECTS points (90 hours) can be realized at any point during the studies (at SGH Warsaw School of Economics or at EUV). Bachelor's Theses written as the part of this DBDP will be written and defended at SGH Warsaw School of Economics and the partner will recognize and transcribe ECTS points for the German diploma.
HOCHSCHULE PFORZHEIM UNIVERSITY Double Bachelor's Diploma Programme
Hochschule Pforzheim University, our proven Erasmus+ partner, became a new German partner of SGH Warsaw School of Economics in the field of double diploma programmes. Despite the fact that the undergraduate studies at PFU last 7 terms and PFU students realize Internship worth 30 ECTS points in the seventh term this DBDP will last for the period of three years for the students of SGH Warsaw School of Economics. To fulfill the internship requirement for obtaining PFU diploma students of SGH Warsaw School of Economics will participate in an internship during the holiday period, before the Bachelor's thesis defense. The programme is addressed to the SGH Warsaw School of Economics students of the „Global Business, Finance and Governance” (in Polish and in English), „International Economics” and „International Economic Relations” courses and realized at PFU as the part of „International Business” degree course. All students participating in this DBDP will prepare and defend thesis at SGH Warsaw School of Economics. Up to five students from each university can participate in this programme.
Double Bachelor's Diploma Programme with Chinese diploma
During the last academic year SGH Warsaw School of Economics was invited by Guanghua School of Management of the prestigious Peking University (PKU) to participate in international double Bachelor's diploma programme. According to The Times World University Ranking PKU ranks in the 31st place in the global ranking and Eduniversal Business Schools Ranking awarded PKU 5 Palms of Excellence (UNIVERSAL business school with strong global influence).
The programme titled "FutureLeaders” is supposed to educate business leaders to approach and perceive economy and management on a global level. International group of students from 13 leading foreign universities and GSM will learn and share experiences concerning economy and management over the course of four years of study, first two years at the home university and the following two years in Peking at GSM. This offer is a specially and carefully prepared Bachelor's degree course including lectures designed to enable students to understand the functioning of Chinese economy, finances and management methods delivered by GSM professors, leading experts in these fields.
In April 2019 SGH Warsaw School of Economics signed Letter of Intent with GSM thus securing the status of founding member of this project and became the sole representative of Polish universities. During the meeting of the project partners organized in April 2019 in Peking SGH Warsaw School of Economics was represented by vice rector prof. Mariusz Próchniak.
In august 2018 SGH Warsaw School of Economics signed the agreement with Guanghua School of Management Peking University (GSM PKU) according to which students of the three undergraduate courses: „International Economics”, „Global Business, Finance and Governance” and „Management” in English language and their equivalents in Polish language will be eligible to participate in this international undergraduate degree course. SGH Warsaw School of Economics students who will qualify for this DBDP will study at home university for the first two years and after that they will continue undergraduate studies in Peking in the international group of students consisting of students from China and 13 excellent universities from around the world, including:
- Bocconi University [Italy]
- ESSEC Business School [France]
- FGV-Sao Paulo [Brasil]
- Queen’s University Smith School of Business [Canada]
- IE Business School [Spain]
- Erasmus University Rotterdam [ the Netherlands]
- University of Mannheim [Germany]
- Moscow State University [Russia]
- Keio University [Japan]
- Tel-Aviv University [Israel]
- University of Hong Kong [Hong Kong]
- National University of Singapore [Singapore]
- York University Schulich School of Business [Canada].
By deciding to participate in this programme students of SGH Warsaw School of Economics can, in the single course of studies, obtain SGH Warsaw School of Economics diploma for their degree course after three years of studies (after realizing the third year of studies at GSM and defending bachelor's thesis at SGH Warsaw School of Economics) and after completing four year of undergraduate course - the Chinese "Bachelor of Arts in Management” diploma certified by Peking University. Studies in this programme are addressed to the students of the indicated degree courses who in the academic year 2018/19 successfully concluded the first year of undergraduate studies at SGH Warsaw School of Economics, achieved excellent results and have very good command of English (B2 level at the least). The qualification process for the programme consists of two stages: internal recruitment will take place in the first half of October and on the turn of November and December representatives of GSM are planning to visit partner universities, including SGH Warsaw School of Economics, where they will conduct interviews.
It is to be emphasized that, in accordance with the studies schedule - prepared in cooperation with GSM for each degree course - a student is realizing core curriculum and during the third year, at GSM, he realizes specified schedule consistent with GSM requirements and is writing his bachelor thesis with the online help of his promoter. After conclusion of the third year at GSM SGH Warsaw School of Economics transcribes the achieved results and records and a student comes back to SGH Warsaw School of Economics to defend his bachelor's thesis and conclude studies by obtaining SGH Warsaw School of Economics diploma. The continuation of the programme at Guanghua during the fourth year enables student to obtain the second diploma - "Bachelor of Arts in Management" and thus certify possessing management competences with the Chinese diploma which is very rare on our market.
Realizing such programme requires being highly motivated and open to functioning in the international group comprised of students from 14 universities. The organizer of GSM studies offers the exemption from the study expenses for the period of two years of study in China, accommodation in the beautiful GSM campus and scholarship for the period of 20 months of study in China as well as Chinese language courses. Participation in this programme is undeniably a great challenge. As prof. LIU Qiao, the dean of GSM, proclaimed:
The program serves as a platform for bright students to establish sincere and lasting friendships, cultivate a multicultural vision and inclusive mindset, and join hands to embrace new globalization.
The academic supervisor of this DBDP at SGH Warsaw School of Economics will be dr Agnieszka McCaleb (co-author of the part of this text devoted to GSM programme) - who specializes in Chinese economy and is a Sinology graduate and thus a person well prepared to play the role of supervisor and GSM cooperation coordinator. Dr McCaleb will be the first contact person during the realization of this DBDP and as an individual well versed and competent in the realization of DBDPs and improving their academic aspects she will be of significant help to SGH Warsaw School of Economics students and future relations with GSM and the remaining consortium partners.
We both cordially invite the students of undergraduate courses starting their second year of studies at SGH Warsaw School of Economics to learn more about the new offer available for academic year 2019/2020 and to apply for double diploma programme offered in collaboration with SGH Warsaw School of Economics.
Taking up this challenge is well worth it!
More information available at www.sgh.waw.pl/ddp website.
Izabela Bergel - academic coordinator of double degree programmes at SGH Warsaw School of Economics
