Kühne Logistics University
A multi-campus business school operates multiple locations, often across different countries or continents. Notable examples include INSEAD, branding itself The Business School for the World, with campuses in France, Singapore, the UAE, and the USA; ESSEC in France, Morocco, and Singapore; and CEIBS in China, Ghana, and Switzerland.
I’ve experienced such institutions from both perspectives: first as a student at ESCP Business School (then ESCP-EAP), studying in Paris, Oxford, and Berlin, and later in leadership roles at the same institution, which now spans six European countries. Today, I serve as president of KLU, a business school headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, with a newly opened Asia campus in Saigon, Vietnam, and planned expansions in Africa and the Americas.
For completeness, I also conducted part of my PhD at INSEAD and began my academic career as a professor at ESSEC. However, my primary understanding of multi-campus schools comes from my time at ESCP and KLU.
STUDENTS: OPPORTUNITIES TO SEIZE
Studying at a multi-campus business school provides global exposure, cultural immersion, and cross-cultural experience—assets highly valued by employers. But how does this differ from an exchange program at a single-campus school with international partners?
One key advantage is visibility. A physical campus in a country strengthens brand recognition, employer connections, and alumni networks. Even top schools are often little known abroad unless they have a global reputation like Harvard or Stanford. Exchange students, by contrast, receive limited career support and may face internship restrictions due to national regulations. Additionally, exchange spots may be competitive, while multi-campus schools typically guarantee international study opportunities from the outset.
Academically, multi-campus schools offer a seamless curriculum across locations, avoiding gaps exchange students may face when host institutions are unaware of their prior coursework. They also provide unique extracurricular opportunities, such as cross-campus student societies and flagship events like ESCP’s Regatta, organized by the Turin campus—still one of my favorite multi-campus gatherings. As KLU’s current president, I should probably also mention our annual Oscar Night, a highlight of KLU’s social calendar, held at our Hamburg HafenCity headquarters.
Potential drawbacks include having only one school’s name on your CV—though many multi-campus schools address this by additionally offering partner study options. Also, courses are often taught in English, limiting exposure to the local language and reducing opportunities for language immersion (cf. discussion below).
MANAGERS: OBJECTIVES TO MASTER
For administrators and managers, understanding why a school operates multiple campuses is essential. Is the goal to enrich student learning, expand recruitment and alumni networks, or support regional capacity building — such as KLU’s expansions in Asia, Africa, and the Americas? Each purpose presents unique challenges, too complex to cover in this post, but some issues likely arise regardless of the objective.
Tensions often emerge between headquarters and satellite campuses, with each side feeling misunderstood. Headquarters may frequently push for standardization based on their national context rather than considering the unique realities of each campus country, while satellite campuses typically emphasize cultural specificity and adopt a more entrepreneurial approach rather than a standardized one. Regulatory differences can make harmonization difficult — such as ESCP’s challenge of reconciling UK accreditation requirements for external examiners directly opposing German laws that guarantee professors full autonomy over exams and grading. Expanding from a European model to a global, cross-continental structure only increases these complexities, as I now can tell as KLU’s president.
Other recurring challenges include disparities in faculty salaries across countries, differing admission criteria, varying definitions of part-time study, and debates over teaching language — English fosters cultural diversity in the classroom, while local languages enhance immersion in the respective country.
To navigate these challenges, institutions should promote faculty and staff exchanges to build mutual understanding. While easier within a single continent, cross-campus collaboration is crucial on a global scale, too. Ultimately, knowing your institution’s strategic purpose and intended goal of its various campuses will simplify and guide better decision-making — a lesson I’ve learned from leadership at both ESCP and KLU.
CANDIDATES: OPENNESS TO CULTURES
The ideal candidates for multi-campus business schools — both students and deans — must be open to different countries and cultures. Deans, in particular, need substantial multicultural experience to be effective from day one.
However, experience alone is not enough — genuine openness is essential. A dean who does not enjoy traveling, exploring new cultures, and engaging with diverse national contexts may struggle in the role, despite an impressive international background — ultimately affecting the institution.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Kaplan, a leading expert in higher education and author of several influential books and articles, previously served as dean of ESCP Business School Paris, Sorbonne Alliance. He is now president of Kühne Logistics University, which has campuses in Hamburg, Germany, and Saigon, Vietnam, with plans for two more in Africa and Latin America.
