5 reasons why students switch campuses
The first four months of the program are almost over, another short break is in sight – but also the first mass movement of students across campuses is ahead. At the end of Period 2, the people who have spent four months together will now split, as some of them move to Fontainebleau, and others stay in Singapore. From now on students will be able to tailor their program by choosing a variety of electives offered by INSEAD – the same on both campuses. Some of these people will not meet again soon; others will become even closer friends.
My partner and I came to Singapore with the idea to stay for the whole year. However, after an interesting conversation with an INSEAD friend, I slightly changed my view about the advantages of the two-campus model. He said that since INSEAD offers the opportunity to see two completely different lifestyles on two different continents, staying throughout the year would give you only half of the experience.
This conversation inspired me to ask around and collect more reasons why people move across campuses. This is what came out:
1. Explore two different lifestyles. The 12J students and partners, who have been on both campuses, converge around the opinion that student life in Singapore and Fonty is completely different. Singapore is a big, cosmopolitan city with lot of options for entertainment, art and leisure – helped by the fact that INSEAD is only 15 minutes from the heart of the city by public transport. In Fonty, most of the social life and parties happen around campus and at the homes of the students. Paris and its attractions are not that close, so it is useful to have a car – by train it will take you about an hour to get to the heart of the city.
2. Meet new people. A significant number of the students and partners will move across campuses, so if you switch campus you will not be alone in the new environment. Of course, to make the most of the experience you should also be looking for new friends at the new campus. If you do not move after Period 2, you will still experience an influx of unknown people who come from Fonty to Singapore (or the other way around), but at least the setting will be well known for you. It is up to you what you prefer. Just keep in mind that forging friendship needs time, so if you are switching campuses only for one period it might be more difficult to establish close relationships.
3. Visit new countries in Europe and Asia. Travel time with friends will bring many unforgettable moments during the MBA program. Spending some time on both campuses gives the opportunity to explore countries on two continents. Coming from Europe, for me Southeast Asia is much more exciting. Before moving to Singapore I never thought that I would be able to see so many different places in four months. I recently traveled to Myanmar with a group of 17 people from INSEAD and I am looking forward to the next destination. What makes each journey unique is the diverse group of friends who change the perspective and experience of the travel.
4. Look for a job. The job search process starts in Period 4 and continues till the end. Most of the students change campuses during that time in order to explore the business opportunities in Europe or Asia – whichever their preferred destination is for a job after INSEAD. One needs to plan ahead – to find a job in some industries requires efforts to network and build closer relationships, for which you need time and personal contact. Switching campuses for one period? Well, sometimes two months might simply be not enough to look for a job and network with key decision makers.
5. Be closer to family. One year is a long period, especially for maintaining family relationships. That is why it is not surprising that one of the main drivers for moving is to be closer to family and loved ones. Moving with children is more complicated, especially when they are at kindergarten or school age.
I am sure that you will eventually find your own reason among these five. Whichever it is, make sure you plan ahead and fully enjoy your experience at INSEAD, because time passes amazingly fast.









