The pandemic has increased the appeal of a degree that was already popular for the opportunities it offers to enter a wide variety of industries and roles. With graduate job prospects hampered by lockdowns and economic uncertainties, many students are opting to stay in higher education and study for a masters in management. For graduates starved of chances to travel, a MiM also holds out some hope of international mobility, visa rights and potential employment.

“Students feel it is a worthwhile investment in terms of career placement and business education, especially in times of uncertainty,” says Sophie Dimich-Louvet, director of student recruitment at HEC Paris, which has seen an 80 per cent increase in applications.

In Tomorrow’s Masters, a report published in the spring by education consultancy CarringtonCrisp and accreditation body EFMD, just over half of respondents surveyed said they planned to study for a business masters because they were concerned that there were fewer jobs for new graduates than before the pandemic.