Are you ambitious and result-oriented? Are you able to interact with others and are you open to exchanging and receiving feedback? Are you excited by the prospect of blended learning rather than just papers and books? Then the specialisation in Entrepreneurship and SME Management could be right for you. The specialisation is part of the master's programme in International Business and is for students interested in setting up and managing small and medium sized businesses. The specialisation combines both management theory and practical experience with the existing opportunity either to set up your own student company or to assist the management team of a real-life entrepreneurial venture. The programme is a genuine exercise in ‘learning by doing’.

Entrepreneurship is about seizing the day, taking advantage of opportunities as soon as they avail themselves. Why wait until graduation to start gaining valuable experience in management? During the Entrepreneurship and SME Management programme, you’ll have the opportunity either to set up your own student company or to assist the management team of an established business. Throughout the programme you’ll gain the knowledge of strategy, organisation, marketing, finance, and accounting to take the helm and run just about any small-to-medium-sized business.

Management is all about being engaged: you should be open-minded, interactive and communicative and more hands-on than theoretical. At the same time, a manager is a good listener, ready to hear new ideas and perspectives in order to make more informed decisions. Entrepreneurial experience is a plus but not required; our students actually come from a variety of academic and experiential backgrounds, adding to the skills and experience brought to the student company. If you are practical, ambitious, willing to take strategic risks, and interested in setting up and/or running your own business, apply to Entrepreneurship and SME Management now and get in the game.

The Entrepreneurship and SME Management programme works with several organisations that can help you with both your career and your thesis and student company.

• The Centre for Entrepreneurship organises business plan competitions and round-table discussions with entrepreneurs, and invites well-known entrepreneurs to speak.
• The UM SME Portal gathers issues from small businesses used as case studies and company projects within the programme.
• Department’s researchers are connected to the European and International Council of Small Businesses and with EIM, a research institute focusing on small businesses.
• The UM Holding and UM faculties offer advice on your thesis or student company, including buying shares and advice on patenting issues.

As a graduate, you can look for work in:

• business start-ups
• taking over family businesses
• management functions in SMEs
• public research institutes
• venture capital firms and banks
• PhD research into entrepreneurship and related topics