New school year 2018: the TBS Aerospace MBA undergoes a makeover

From revisiting modules and enhanced teaching in management to increased sector specialization, the aerospace MBA program is being revamped to substantiate its reputed excellence since its launch in the early 2000s.

“Fifty years ago leasing did not exist in the field of air transport. Twenty years ago, it represented 20% of the market. Today the two biggest global manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, estimate that lease sales are close to 50%,” Sylvain Bourjade says. The professor’s article on the determinants of economic performance in air transport has just been published in a top-tier academic international journal Transportation Research PART A, under the title « Leasing and profitability: Empirical evidence from the airline industry ». Sylvain Bourjade and his co-authors Régis Huc and Catherine Müller-Vibes studied the impact of leasing on the performance of airlines, based on data collected since 1996 from 73 airlines around the world.

“The world is a different place from what it was 20 years ago. We’re able to speak to people across the globe instantaneously. We can get whatever we want, from wherever we want in the world, overnight. Between planes and computer screens, we can see the other side of the world in a matter of moments,” noted the Editor-in-Chief of Marketing News, Molly Soat, last year. An analysis fully shared by the TBS MBA Aerospace team, led by Dr. Christophe Benaroya, who initiated the restructuring of the program. “After 18 years of operation, the TBS Aerospace MBA program had reached cruising speed. Thanks to the accreditation audit, but also to the feedback from participants and alumni, and to the relentless input of the industrialists and experts involved in the academic and steering Committees, it became clear that a new generation of the program had to be launched,” he explains.

Strengthening the essentials

Three considerations guided the education team in the design of “new generation” program: strengthen academic teaching in management, concretize aerospace sector specialization and multiply the meeting zones between delegates.Interculturality is a strength of the program, it is its very essence“, emphasizes Dr. Christophe Bénaroya. Whereas, students were previously divided into two classes, part-time or full-time, they will now form a single graduating class, which will advance at two different paces but share several training sequences during the year. These encounters will take place in Toulouse, Bangalore, Montreal or Casablanca. “If between 10 to 15 different nationalities are present in the classrooms, there is nothing like following certain modules abroad to reinforce interculturality.”

In line with the new program’s objectives, three specialized tracks are proposed, two of which are offered on two sites: Space Business & Applications in Toulouse, Aviation Management in Toulouse and Montreal, Aerospace Value Chain in Toulouse and Casablanca. These specialties, taught over ten days, will be coordinated by a teaching researcher who will bring in experts to intervene. These options will also be offered to TBS alumni or external professionals, as a sneak-peek of the entire program for those interested.

On the management side, the teaching of core business functions (Finance & Accounting, Marketing & Sales, Strategy, Managerial Economics, Operations, Human Capital) is designed to help delegates see business challenges and opportunities in a strategic perspective. “Whether you have a technical expertise or already experience in a specific functional area, the core modules will provide the knowledge and tools to see business from a CEO’s point of view, to make better decisions. Think like a CEO,” remarks Dr. Christophe Bénaroya.

Harmonized classes

Carried out in 12 (long haul) or 18 (hub) months, the new program will increase interaction between delegates, offering groundwork before integration and a common introduction to both the “long haul” and “hub”. The delegates also get to meet up again in workshops and specialized tracks. In addition, for participants in Toulouse following the  long haul stream, a dedicated sequence is organized with the aim to enhance learning on the local ecosystem in order to broaden their vision.

To create harmonious classes, with a maximum of 40 students, the prerequisites for the program include a university degree (minimum a Bachelor degree or equivalent professional/non-academic qualifications), a minimum of 5 years professional experience, fluent english and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is recommended.

One of the main reasons for this new generation is to foster its development by increasing the number of staff, promoting exchanges and improving selectivity at the entry to the program. Through the hybridization of training rhythms, the MBA offers greater flexibility and a wealth of experience sharing during common training sequences and activities. Even the timetables and places where classes are held have been revised!” wraps up Dr Christophe Bénaroya

What they think about it :

« This new model shows a real evolution while keeping in line with educational objectives; the essence of its added value.  The new possibilities to specialize are clearly presented and allow for deeper exploration of subjects. The extension of the program to include external audiences is particularly appealing. This new model is perfectly adapted to recent trends and developments in the sector.”

Victor Dos Santos Paulino
Professor of Strategy and Innovation Management at TBS
Head of the SIRIUS Chair

« The renewal of the program is a good thing; I see the enhancing of the core modules, which further increases the program’s strength. The idea of a single cohort is also very positive. The recommendation of taking the GMAT to be admitted into the program is important; I would even make it a requirement!”

Nicolas Osorio-Lora
Head of Air Transport Systems, P3 aero systems GmbH, group P3
Graduate of the TBS Aerospace MBA 2008

Join the discussion One Comment

  • Vijay Sharma says:

    Great to see evolution and adjustments done for the program as our environment is ever changing and aligning ourselves to the current and future needs will only support our candidates in this very challenging market.

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