Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

Historical building of RSM in Kralingen-Crooswijk

Campus of the university with the buildings of RSM

The roots of RSM stretch back to the founding of Erasmus University as the Dutch School of Higher Commercial Education in 1913. Originally a business-oriented institution, the Dutch School of Higher Commercial Education was a private initiative established with the support of the Rotterdam business community.[8]

In 1966 Erasmus University (then the Netherlands Institute for Economic Science), commissioned an investigation into the feasibility of founding a Graduate School of Management dedicated to the subject of business administration. The result, inaugurated in 1969, was the ‘Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde/Graduate School of Management’, a joint initiative of the schools of economics, law and social sciences of Erasmus University, and the schools of civil, mechanical and maritime engineering and general sciences at the Delft University of Technology.

Main building RSM

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University first opened its doors in 1970 in the suburb of Kralingen, Rotterdam. The first 30 students began classes in the two-year ‘post-kandidaats’ programme (equivalent to a master's). The school became the first in the Netherlands to offer the degree “Doctorandus in de Bedrijfskunde” post-kandidaats, for students with a university qualification in a non-business discipline.[8]

In 1972 the school moved to new premises in Delft and was once again remodelled, this time as the Interuniversities Institute for Business Administration (‘Interuniversitair Instituut Bedrijfskunde’ or IIB). It had only one division, the ‘Interuniversitaire Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde/Graduate School of Management Delft’. In November that year the first 29 students graduated with the new academic degree ‘Doctorandus in de Bedrijfskunde’ (Drs.), and the Alumni Association VIB, the ‘Vereniging van afgestudeerden van de Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde’ was formally established.

In 1975 the curriculum was revised and, from 1977 onwards, the focus turned towards the internationalisation of the school. The first exchange programme was established in 1980 with the French Institut Supérieur des Affaires, visited by IIB-students Hans van der Laan and Rino Schreuder. The second exchange programme was established with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1986. The number of English-language modules with an international focus expanded. In 1984 the four-year ‘doctorandus’ programme was launched. The first European CEMS master's degree was conferred in 1991, a result of RSM's membership in the renowned CEMS network.[8]

In 1986 the Graduate School of Management Delft moved back to the premises of Erasmus University, and was renamed the Faculty of Business Administration. The doctoral programme was established in the same year. In 1993 the ERASM research school was founded, bringing together researchers from the Faculty of Business Administration and the School of Economics. It is known today as the Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM).

In 2000 the BSc International Business Administration programme (IBA) was established, an English-language bachelor (undergraduate) programme which aims to provide a truly international learning experience with a large proportion of students from outside the Netherlands.

In 1966 a consensus on the lack of suitable training and higher educational facilities for managers in the Netherlands spurred Dutch-based multinationals including Royal Dutch Shell, Unilever and Philips to establish the Foundation for Business Administration (Stichting Bedrijfskunde), which was attached to the Netherlands University of Economics at Rotterdam.[9] This started out as an institute for postgraduate management education, and later became Rotterdam School of Management (RSM).

The founders of RSM each donated two million guilders and included:

• Royal Dutch Shell
• Algemene Kunstzijde Unie
• Koninklijke Zout/Ketjen (Akzo Nobel)
• Amsterdam-Rotterdam Bank
• Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN AMRO)
• Unilever
• Philips Gloeilampen fabriek
• Koninklijke Hoogovens en Staalfabrieken (Tata Steel Europe)

In 1985 Rotterdam School of Management launched its International Full-time MBA programme, initially offered in both Dutch and English. In 1986 the ‘post-kandidaats’ IMSEC exchange programme was absorbed into the MBA, and a new IMScEC ‘doctorandus’ programme was launched.

In 2003 RSM joined four schools located in three continents to create the "Global Executive OneMBA".

In 2004 Rotterdam School of Management merged with Erasmus University's Faculty of Business Administration and the Erasmus Research Institute of Management to become Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM).

In 2006 the MSc General Management programme was established, a new master's degree for non-business graduates, now called the MScBA Master in Management.

In 2011 the school appointed Professor Steef van de Velde as dean, who was re-appointed for a second term in 2015.

In 2015 RSM opened an office in Chengdu, China. The RSM China office offers services to prospective students, partners, and alumni as well as maintains relationships with research universities and business schools.[2]

In 2019 the school appointed Professor Ansgar Richter as dean.

The admission procedure varies for bachelor and master programmes. Bachelor programme in International Business Administration at RSM was the most popular and among the most competitive programmes in the Netherlands, receiving 2,605 foreign student and 767 Dutch student applications for the 550 available places in 2018.[10][11] The admission to the programme are mostly based on previous academic performance as well as CV and motivation.[12]

For the master admission candidates are selected based on sufficient background in bachelor studies as well as academic performance, GMAT results and English proficiency.[13]

According to the Financial Times, QS and Forbes; RSM is ranked as follows:

• BSc in Business Administration / Bedrijfskunde (in Dutch)
• BSc in International Business Administration (IBA)

• MScBA in Management
• MScBA in Management (Part time)
• MScBA in Accounting & Financial Management
• MScBA in Business Analytics & Management
• MSc in Business Information Management
• MSc in Finance & Investments
• MSc in Global Business and Sustainability (formerly Global Business and Stakeholder Management)
• MSc in Human Resource Management
• MSc in International Management / CEMS
• MSc in Management of Innovation
• ERIM Research Master in Business and Management
• MSc in Marketing Management
• MSc in Organisational Change & Consulting
• MSc in Strategic Entrepreneurship
• MSc in Strategic Management
• MSc in Supply Chain Management

• Pre-master Business Administration / Bedrijfskunde (Dutch)
• Pre-master Business Administration (English)

• International Full-time MBA
• Executive MBA
• Global Executive MBA
• Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA (in cooperation with University of Cologne)

• ERIM Research Master in Business and Management
• PhD in Management

• MSc in Corporate Communication
• Full-time MBA, Executive MBA and Global Executive OneMBA
• MSc in Maritime Economics & Logistics
• MSc in Customs and Supply Chain Compliance

Through RSM's customised programmes, employees can access the latest in business and management thinking while engaging with some of the world's most influential thought leaders. These programmes are designed for each client by a team of expert consultants, and can be delivered in-house.

Led by internationally recognised academic and business experts, RSM's current portfolio of open programmes includes:

• General Management
• Leadership & People Development
• Finance & Accounting
• Strategy
• Marketing and Sales
• Management of Technology, Innovation and Sustainability
• Corporate Communication