| Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) | |
| Motto: | A force for positive change |
| Type: | Business school |
| Established: | 1970 |
| Colors: | Erasmus night blue[1] |
| Faculty: | 250 senior researchers and 150 PhD students |
| Dean: | Prof. Ansgar Richter |
| Students: | 10 000 |
| Address: | Burgemeester Oudlaan 50 3062 PA |
| Endowment: | €66.4 Million (2016)[2] |
| Affiliations: | AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB, CEMS, Erasmus University Rotterdam |
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (or RSM) 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 and in the world,[3] while ranked 1st worldwide according to the 2021 Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects in the category Business Administration.[4] RSM is also a member of the Partnership in International Management (PIM) network, and hosts a diverse international student body.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7]
In 1966 Erasmus University (then the Netherlands Institute for Economic Science), 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.
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 (equivalent to a master's). 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.[7]
In 1972 the school moved to new premises in Delft and was once again remodelled, this time as the Interuniversities Institute for Business Administration (‘Interuniversitair Instituut Bedrijfskunde’ or IIB). 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’ (Drs.), and the Alumni Association VIB, the ‘Vereniging van afgestudeerden van de Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde’ was formally established.
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.[7]
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 (ERIM).
In 2000 the BSc International Business Administration programme (IBA) was established, an English-language bachelor (undergraduate) programme which aims to provide a truly international learning experience with a large proportion of students from outside the Netherlands.
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 (Stichting Bedrijfskunde), which was attached to the Netherlands University of Economics at Rotterdam.[8] This started out as an institute for postgraduate management education, and later became Rotterdam School of Management (RSM).
The founders of RSM each donated two million guilders and included:
In 1985 Rotterdam School of Management launched its International Full-time MBA programme, initially offered in both Dutch and English. 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 (RSM).
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 Professor Steef van de Velde 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 Professor Ansgar Richter as dean. As of 2022, Professor Werner Brouwer has been serving as interim dean. A new dean is expected to be appointed in Fall 2024.
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.[9] [10] The admission to the programme are mostly based on previous academic performance as well as CV and motivation.[11]
For the master admission candidates are selected based on sufficient background in bachelor studies as well as academic performance, GMAT results and English proficiency.[12]
| Qsglobal: | 30 |
| Ft: | 86 |
| Qse: | 14 |
| Fte: | 18 |
According to the Financial Times, QS and Forbes; RSM is ranked as follows:
| FT European Business School Ranking | 13th | 10th | 9th | 9th | 12th | 15th | 14th[13] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Global MBA | 45th | 42nd | 31st | 37th | 55th | 66th | 86th |
| FT MBA for Women | - | - | - | 50th | |||
| FT Executive MBA (EMBA Program) | 60th | 54th | 54th | 51st | 59th | ||
| FT Executive MBA (OneMBA Program) | 24th | 29th | |||||
| FT Master in Management | 5th | 5th | 11th | 8th | 6th | 5th | 3rd |
| FT Master in Finance (Pre-experience) | 23rd | 22nd | 36th | 34th | 35th | 31st | |
| FT Executive Education - Open | 72nd | 58th | 59th | 65th | |||
| FT Executive Education - Customized | 65th | 66th | 63rd | 60th | |||
| QS World University Rankings: Global MBA | 25th | 27th | 29th | ||||
| QS Master in management | 13th | 13th | 18th | ||||
| Forbes International MBAs | 14th | ||||||
| QS Master in Marketing Management (world) | 16th | 19th | |||||
| QS Master in Finance (world) | 23rd | 26th | |||||
Through RSM's customised programmes, employees can access the latest in business and management thinking while engaging with some of the world's most influential thought leaders. These programmes are designed for each client by a team of expert consultants, and can be delivered in-house.
Led by internationally recognised academic and business experts, RSM's current portfolio of open programmes includes:
RSM's study association STAR is Europe's largest student ruled study association, with more than 6,500 members.[14] STAR's committees include Consultancy Castle, RSM STAR Case Club, Erasmus Recruitment Days, Management Week, and others. Additionally, there are numerous student clubs at RSM. The focus is on specific business areas as well as event organization.
In 1985, students of the RSM faculty founded the study association 'RSM Student Representation' (SR). The goal of SR is to voice student feedback toward the faculty personnel. SR strives for improving the education of the RSM via this way. SR has about 80 volunteers working for them, coordinated by a board of 7 board members.[15]
RSM students can take part in study exchanges with other leading business schools around the world.[16] [17]
Partner schools include :
Notable alumni of Rotterdam School of Management are awarded each year in the Distinguished Alumni Awards.[18]
| 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 (2005–2013), 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 | |
| Former CEO, Reckitt Benckiser | Post-kandidaats Opleiding Bedrijfskunde 1977–1980 | ||
| Sukhbir Jasuja | CEO, ITpreneurs | Full-time MBA 1998 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Niels Van Deuren | Founder, HousingAnywhere | International Business Administration 2006 |