ESSAM 2025
22 June - 5 July 2025
About ESSAM
Registration is now open
The European Summer School for Advanced Management (ESSAM) is a credit-bearing two-week MBA summer school for both full and part-time MBA students.
ESSAM provides MBA students with a unique learning opportunity consisting of lectures, workshops, a diverse range of guest speakers from leading organisations, team-based consulting projects and company visits. You will gain a competitive advantage in your MBA journey, become immersed in a new culture and grow your professional network.
Established over 30 years ago, ESSAM is organised by an international consortium of business schools, and therefore you benefit from working alongside top MBA candidates from around the world. ESSAM is hosted again this year by the University of Glasgow’s triple-accredited Adam Smith Business School, at both our Glasgow and Dumfries campuses.
ESSAM enables MBA students to compress some of their elective courses into 2 weeks. The University of Glasgow issues academic credit which other universities can validate for their own students. ESSAM suggests 10 ECTS for the full programme.
Why choose ESSAM
Enrich your MBA experience by attending ESSAM
You will get the opportunity to:
- Further enhance your international experience by learning from leading academics and guest speakers
- Grow your global professional network by connecting with MBA students from international business schools with diverse career backgrounds and cultures
- Develop your professional knowledge, leadership and experience in a team-based consultancy project with a local business
- Benefit from compressing some of your electives into 2 weeks
- Study with the triple-accredited Adam Smith Business School – ranked in The Top 100 Which MBA, The Economist Top 60 MBA in Europe in QS University rankings 2025.
How to apply
Registration is now open for ESSAM 2025
ESSAM 2025 is open to both full-time and part-time currently registered MBA students.
Application and Payment Processes
To apply for ESSAM in the first instance, please:
- provide a personal statement
- provide your CV
- email them to business-essam@glasgow.ac.uk.
Deadline
The deadline for applications is 18 April 2025.
Please note: A minimum of three years management experience is required for ESSAM.
Personal statement requirements
- Maximum 500 words
- Why you want to apply to the programme
- What attracts you to the ESSAM 2025 theme - Sustainability and Leadership in a regional context
- Curriculum vitae (CV) (Maximum of two pages)
- Where you are studying for your MBA
- Describe your work experience and responsibilities (3 years management experience is required)
Once you are offered a place on ESSAM and confirm your acceptance, we will ask you to complete our online booking form and payment. Please be aware that registration is only complete when the applicable fees have been paid online.
Please note: MBA students at Consortium Universities or Friends of ESSAM Universities are eligible for reduced rate fees.
Fees
Consortium University students: £3,600.00 (GBP)
Friends of ESSAM Universities students: £4,150.00 (GBP)
Standard ESSAM fee: £5,200.00 (GBP)
Your fee includes the two-week programme tuition, transfer from Glasgow to Dumfries, accommodation for one person in Glasgow and ensuite hotel accommodation in Dumfries, meals, course materials, company visits, cultural and social activities and excursions.
A return journey from Dumfries back to Glasgow Central Station will be organised at 9.00am on 5 July 2025.
Please contact the ESSAM team to check if you qualify for Consortium University or Friends of ESSAM Universities reduced rate fees.
Programme
ESSAM will be led by Dr Nick Quinn, the Director of the MBA and Executive Education at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow.
The teaching process is an intensive mix of lectures, group work, presentations, discussions, and individual study.
Leading the way to a sustainable future
ESSAM 2025 has a central theme of sustainability and leadership at a regional, sectoral and individual business level.
An exciting, challenging and engaging programme awaits our participants:
- A core based around the central theme and equipping participants to learn from a range of experts
- Team-based consultancy projects working with local businesses – applying your learning to practice
- A Scottish cultural and social programme
ESSAM 2025 will bring together international MBA and Executive MBA candidates from around the word to gain a deep insight into the themes of leadership and sustainability in the broadest sense. Themes covered by a range of speakers will include:
- Leading and decision making under uncertainty, and how to find sustainable solutions to difficult problems
- Building and leading sustainable teams
- Sustainability in business start-up – the succession challenge facing founders
- Challenges and opportunities facing sustainable tourism and business in a rural setting
A unique learning experience: Glasgow and Dumfries campuses
Hosted at the University of Glasgow, week 1 will be in the Adam Smith Business School on our Glasgow campus while week 2 will be in Glasgow, week 2 in our Dumfries campus in the southwest of Scotland.
- Week 1 will include panel talks and networking opportunities with industry experts, training for consultancy and working in teams on a challenge based in Glasgow.
- Week 2 will include working on a consultancy brief with a live client in the area of sustainable tourism in a rural economy and our core module delivered in part by the University of Glasgow School of Sustainability.
Candidates will be trained on how to crack a case and how to present with impact. These methods will then be employed in week 2 on the live consultancy project with a real-life client.
Theme
Sustainability and leadership at a regional, sectoral and individual business level.
ESSAM 2025 focuses on the critical intersection of sustainability and leadership, examining how these principles can drive transformation across regions, industries, and individual businesses.
Participants will engage with a comprehensive curriculum covering sustainability in business, start-ups, leadership development, succession planning, managing diverse teams, sustainable business practices, and sustainable tourism. Insights from leading industry and academic experts will provide both theoretical understanding and practical tools.
The programme also emphasises real-world application through team-based consultancy projects, where participants collaborate with local businesses to address challenges and deliver meaningful, sustainable solutions.
ESSAM 2025 offers an opportunity to engage, innovate, and lead the way towards a sustainable future.
Team-based consultancy project
The team-based consultancy project is a highlight for many of our students - providing you with valuable real-world experience. Working in teams, you will respond to a challenging client brief centred around ESSAM’s central theme. Guidance and support are provided by faculty, and the whole experience is facilitated by local industry partners. At the end of the programme, each team will produce a consultancy report and present to the company and faculty, with a panel of judges determining who will win the ESSAM grand prize.
Assessment
Components
The assessment of ESSAM has three components:
- Individual written assignment – 60%
- Group Consultancy Project – 40%
Credits
National credits and grades are awarded by the individual participant's home university based on the ECTS credits and grades achieved (ECTS = European Course Credit Transfer System). The University of Glasgow will provide the grades based on its own marking system and each individual’s home university may adjust as required by their system.
ESSAM suggests 10 ECTS for the full programme.
This is an intensive and immersive programme that requires full participation over the two-week period, ensuring that all participants fully engage and make the most of this exciting opportunity.
Social and cultural programme
During ESSAM students will have the opportunity to join in several social and cultural activities, including semi-formal dinners, an Awards Dinner, Ceilidh - Scottish traditional Scottish music and dancing - and cultural excursions.
We encourage students to join in with these opportunities as they are an excellent way of getting to know other ESSAM participants and to experience Scotland.
Hear from our students
"ESSAM was an unforgettable highlight of my MBA journey. Immersed in Scottish culture, I collaborated with a diverse cohort from Australia, South Africa, Thailand, and beyond, gaining invaluable global perspectives. The lectures and case studies laid a solid foundation for my work in strategy consulting. From exploring Scottish whisky to mastering culture change management and its organisational impact, the experience was both enriching and transformative. I highly recommend ESSAM to all MBA candidates seeking a blend of cultural immersion and practical business insights." - Carson, 2024, Loughborough Business School
"ESSAM has been a transformative journey for me—new friendships, diverse experiences, exciting places, and invaluable knowledge. It's another level of MBA; it's a platform for growth and creativity." - Tika, ESSAM 2024, University of Glasgow
"ESSAM 2024 was a transformative experience that combined academic rigour, cultural immersion, and professional growth. From tackling real-world challenges at Annandale Distillery to connecting with global peers, the program inspired me to think critically, embrace diversity, and lead purposefully in an interconnected world, even amidst extreme challenges." – Sim, ESSAM 2024, Rhodes Business School
“ESSAM FY24 was the most fun I have had during my MBA journey. From the organisers to the lecturers, industry experts and other students, collaborating and learning was an experience that not only broaden my perspective and opened my mind to innovative ways of working but also gave me a huge sense of confidence in my own abilities! This program is a must a do for anyone completing an MBA!” - Jess, Griffith University, Brisbane Australia
"The European Summer School of Advanced Management (ESSAM) Course was an unforgettable experience—world-class lecturers, exceptional staff, diverse venues showcasing Scottish culture. Students collaborated actively, creating a truly enriching and inspiring learning environment. Highly recommended for aspiring leaders!" - Paul, ESSAM 2024, University of Glasgow