The University of Virginia Darden School of Business knows the importance of understanding business at a global level. That’s why it’s a required part of the Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA programs. Poets&Quants just named Darden “Best In Class for Student Immersions” in 2025.
“At Darden, global immersion isn’t an add-on or an optional “study abroad.” It’s built into the promise of the degree. Students don’t just study international business; they live it for a week, fully funded, in destinations that challenge assumptions and expand perspective,” wrote John Byrne for P&Q.
The Executive MBA program expands the global opportunities by requiring one Global Residency for Executive MBA students and four Global Residencies for Global Executive MBA students. These residencies lead by faculty allow students to step into what it’s like to do business “in the country, with the country, and for the country.”
Recent trips have included traveling to Chile, Morocco, Spain, Australia, Germany, South Korea, Argentina, Ghana, India, Israel, Vietnam, and Finland.
Check out this video about the experience of Executive MBA students in India.
The Batten Foundation Worldwide Scholarship, funded through a $15 million gift from the Batten Foundation and matched by UVA’s Bicentennial Scholars Fund, guarantees every Full-Time MBA student a global immersion course. The Darden Center for Global Initiatives (DCGI) heads an impressive schedule for students to travel the world with hands on learning experience from global companies.
P&Q went on to say, “No other top business school has made global learning this accessible, this academically structured, or this connected to leadership development. When you combine full funding, faculty-led depth, and a roster of destinations that stretch from Iceland to India, Darden’s model doesn’t just expand horizons—it redefines what a world-class business education looks like.”
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