Program

DBA Doctorate in Business Administration

Executive MBA FH

CAS Certificate of Advanced Studies FH General Management

CAS Certificate of Advanced Studies FH International Management

CAS Certificate of Advanced Studies FH International Marketing

CAS Certificate of Advanced Studies FH Applied International Management and Affairs

FIBAA Accreditation: equal to AACSB (US) and AMBA (UK)
Further information about FIBAA.

Swiss Federal Council Approved: The only private University officially recognized by the government to award federally recognized EMBA FA degrees




International: Faculty, Curriculum, Students, Partners, and Approach

Acknowledgement of registration?
The contract between the program participant and Kalaidos University of Applied Sciencies comes into effect upon receipt of the registration form by the school, duly signed by the participant.

Are all exams in English?
Yes, all assignments, projects, exams and other tasks necessary to graduate will be conducted in English.

Can I pay in installments?
Yes, a max. of 3 installments are possible. Kindly note that in this case an extra administration fee of CHF 100.00 will be added.

Educational Approach?
International management applies and adapts concepts of traditional business administration to an international context and expands the knowledge of these processes. The focus is on: the adjustments organizations make, in order to succeed in various countries, the cross-border management of operations, and evolving organizational forms and management practices.

At Kalaidos  University of Applied Sciences, we also emphasize the practice-oriented approach to learning, which includes:

• Reflective learning
• Applied case studies
• Group work
• Company visits
• Presentations and assignments

What do I need to be aware of if I need to terminate the contract?
Participants may cancel their contract prior to the end of each semester. Cancellation must be conducted by registered mail one month before commencement of the next semester. For cancellation during a semester, the full semester fee is still owed.

What happens if I cancel the contract prior to commencement?
For cancellation after registration but prior to commencement of the course, the following fees will be charged:

What is a University of Applied Science?
The Swiss Universities of Applied Science - officially named «Fachhochschule» in German - are higher-education institutions that have been established by the Federal Law on Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulengesetz) of October 6, 1995.
Comparable institutions of a similar nature in other countries are the UK education Polytechnics or the German Fachhochschulen. With regard to business education, they are similar to the various colleges of business and management at many U.S. universities.
In Switzerland, the universities and the universities of applied science have traditionally engaged in a division of labor: while the former emphasize research, the latter have always prided themselves on their closeness to practice, recognizing trends early on and using practitioners with academic credentials to teach many of their courses.

What is the deadline for registration?
Applications are considered in the order of their arrival. Final deadline for registration is 14 days prior to commencement of the course. However it is highly recommended to make a reservation which would be valid for a maximum of 3 weeks.

What is the maximum number of students in a class?
The maximum size of a class is 22.

What is the relationship between KUAS and IMI?
The International Management Institute is an integral component of the federally accredited Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences (KUAS), one of only nine such universities accredited by the Swiss Federal Council. The Institute is responsible for the international relations of the University as well as running all programs with an international focus and content.

When do I have to pay the semester fee?
Semester fees are due in full prior to commencement of the semester. No refunds for absence due to military service, illness, vacation or work-related causes will be made. An additional 6% interest p.a. is charged for overdue fees until full payment.

What is a DBA and how does it differ to a Ph.D.
Both doctorates involve the development of substantial original work. The DBA, first developed in the early 20th century at Harvard University, was originally designed to recognise the research and knowledge needs of business management practitioners. The DBA differs from a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) through its focus on practice, policy or strategy within the context of the individual's workplace or another professional practice. The US Department of Education recognizes the DBA as "equivalent" to the PhD.  In the United Kingdom, the Economic and Social Research Council recognizes PhD and DBA programs equally at approved institutions.

How long does the DBA program last?
3 years part-time minimum.

How many DBAs are awarded worldwide per year?
90-100

Can I do this working full time?
Yes, the program is intended for the working professional.

Is a working position a must doing the DBA program?
Not necessarily. Being employed is not a must. However, adequate business experience is a must! This will be considered during the admission stage.
Professional experience can also arise from a career within a non profit organization.

Will there be courses in Zurich?
The full program is conducted at the University of Gloucestershire Business School (UoGBS) in Cheltenham. However, with a minimum of 8 participants, we will run a cohort in Zurich.

How big are the classes?
DBA cohorts are limited to 15 or 20 participants. You enjoy a rich and stimulating atmosphere, where everyone can contribute.

What is the deadline for registration?
Applications are considered in the order of their arrival. Final deadline for the completion of registration is 4 weeks prior to commencement of the course.
However, kindly note that a few weeks must be considered before cohort start in order to approve the Research Proposal.

When must the semester fee be paid?
Semester fees are due in full prior to commencement of the semester (1-6). Invoices will be sent out by KUAS and the fees have to be paid to KUAS (not to UoGBS).  No refunds for absence due to military service, illness, vacation or work-related causes will be made. An additional 6% interest p.a. is charged for overdue fees until full payment.

How can the learning focus be described?
Participants benefit from our focus on their development and the collaborative learning environment. One of the  major resources on any DBA programme is the skills and knowledge of the cohort. Collaborative learning ensures you have many opportunities to benefit from their experiences – and to share your own.

How are the courses structured?
The DBA is a structured route to doctoral level achievement, with four modules before the research phase. You achieve an understanding and perception of managerial work that cannot be attained by other means.

The initial modular element lasts 18 months, after which you present your research plan, supported by a literature review. You then enter the research phase, which takes a further eighteen months (minimum).

Your extended research investigation must focus on a topic of importance to both you and your organisation. At its conclusion, you present and defend a thesis in viva voce. DBA students achieve the standards demanded for all doctoral-level work.

The modules
Research Methodology and Methods
Action and Case Research
Systematic Literature Review
Reflective Professional Development

Are their extra services available from Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences (KUAS)?

Yes, KUAS provides a range of services in Zurich to help you achieving the best outcome in your doctoral research such as:

Admission Consulting - KUAS Research evaluates the submitted research proposal for adequacy in terms of idea, implementation feasibility, and general writing quality.

• If fine, it informs admissions of adequacy.
• If there are deficits, KUAS Research will call the potential candidate to discuss the research proposal, and provide recommendations for a resubmission.

This service is part of the admissions procedure. Please contact us for the Research Proposal Guidelines.

Research Consulting - During DBA enrollment, KUAS Research provides up to 20 research consulting hours for a doctoral candidate as additional support and to complement the University of Gloucestershire program as needed. This support is to coach the candidate on research methodology and dissertation design issues. This research support is available if needed and included in the tuition fee. Requirements beyond 20 hours can be organized on a payment basis.

Special Services - Doctoral candidates may request dissertation review or oral defense preparation on a payment basis. A dissertation review covers assistance and feedback to the substantial original contribution made by the doctoral candidate.

Administrative / Organizational Services
The IMI team will be happy to assist with any organizational / administrative questions you may have.

What teaching materials are needed?
The University of Gloucestershire will provide all the teaching materials needed for the programme. They will be distributed by the academic staff involved in the given module, as well as downloadable at WebCT, an interactive intraweb tool which will be introduced to you when you start.
Students do not need to bring any teaching materials with them, apart from the usual notepad and pencil or laptop if they wish.

Will the supervisor service be provided by UoGBS?
Yes. The average number of supervisor per student is two. More are possible; many students work with three supervisor. Minimum two supervisors must be university internal and provide at least two successful supervision references. One external supervisor is possible but must be approved by UoGBS.

How often do I travel to Cheltenham?
During the initial modular (18 months) you have 4x one week class attendance (the modules, see above). Apart from this it depends on your individual agreements with your supervisors how often a personal attendance is required or whether you can discuss questions via e-mail, web, phone. Often supervisors travel abroad therefore meetings could also be arranged abroad, e.g. in Switzerland.

Will I have to defend my final Thesis?
Yes. The defend takes place at UoGBS. Examiners are at least two university internals and one university external selected by the university.

What study facilities can I expect at UoGBS?
The UoGBS provides a large academic library as well as computer terminals for students to work on.

Are there any recommendations for travel arrangements / accommodation?
Both Birmingham and Bristol / Airports are around 50 miles (80 km) from Cheltenham and Gloucester, and are easily accessed using public transport. A taxi pick up can be arranged from Birmingham International Airport (see below). London Heathrow airport is less than 100 miles (160 km) from Cheltenham and Gloucester. There is a rail / bus link via Reading and a direct National Express coach service.

For hotel / guest house recommendations please feel free to contact us.

Can a pick up from the airport be organized?
The University has a link to a taxi provider in Cheltenham who could be hired for a pick up. Flight numbers, arrival- and departure time, etc. need to be known in order to book the taxi in advance. The pick up is on own expense.
Birmingham International Airport would be ideal as the connection Birmingham - Cheltenham is fairly straight forward and takes only up to 1 hour.