You're reading: Some use war, recession as time to beef up credentials

Kyiv master's of business administration programs have had to adjust to the realities of war and they're not all that harsh, as it turns out.

Demand is rising as some employees are taking a break from working at a time of pay cuts and layoffs to enhance their skills, said Iryna Tyhomyrova, the president of the International Institute of Management.

A record 100 students are studying for an MBA at Kyiv Mohyla Business School, compared to 70 in 2013. It hopes to boost admissions another 30-40 percent for September.

Those still working are seeking more flexible formats in which they can come after work and have short, practical courses. “They want fast knowledge,” Tyhomyrova said.

They’ll have to get that knowledge at their own expense, as recession-battered businesses no longer have the costs for education perks. For instance, almost all the current MBA students at the Kyiv School of Economics pay for their studies.

“Companies are not able to pay for their employees but people understand the need to invest in themselves,” said Yuliya Tychkivska, the school’s vice president.

At Edinburgh Business School in Ukraine, no more than 15 percent of students are sponsored by their employers, said Natalia Kryvda, the academic programs director. That’s compared to about a third of students getting such support five years ago.

Even with rising applicants, tuitions have remained unchanged in the best case, or rising not more than 15 percent in the worst, in a Kyiv Post survey of six MBA programs.

Before the crisis, tuition at the International Institute of Business was fixed to the euro. The hryvnia’s plunge made it out-of-reach for most applicants for 2015 enrollment, even amid higher demand.

“We understood that we couldn’t make a profit off of this. In the social context, this would have been wrong,” said Yuriy Zelenin, the institute’s CEO.

Enrollment in the International Institute of Business’s MBA programs this academic year increased to 87 compared to 63 in 2013.

Edinburgh Business School also didn’t raise its MBA costs in Ukraine, even doing so for most of its 28 programs throughout the world. The Kyiv School of Economics fixed its short-term prices in hryvnias. At that, prices for 2016 enrollment are certain to rise, most MBA programs reported.

Another trend is rising female enrollment, accounting for 30 percent of the student body at the International Institute of Business compared to 20 percent in the prior year. The weakening economy has prompted women to pursue higher-paying careers, Zelenin said.

“There is a clear demand for new paradigms, new ways of thinking and adjusting to the new circumstances, taking decisions in the context of uncertainty,” said Tymur Demchuk, the manager of executive development programs at Kyiv Mohyla Business School.

Among new courses emerging is Edinburgh’s Management in Turbulence Streams and the International Institute for Business is partnering with the British Chartered Institute of Marketing for recent university graduates pursuing marketing.

Meanwhile, Kyiv Mohyla is training public officials for free.

Kyiv Post staff writer Ilya Timtchenko can be reached at [email protected].

Kyiv Post staff writer Olena Gordiienko can be reached at [email protected].