Prof. Witold Or³owski, head of the Warsaw University of Technology Business School:

Crisis is a time when it is more difficult to invest, including investing in yourself-and this is what MBA programs are about. The reason is simple: investment is usually costly, both in terms of time and money. And that often becomes a problem during crisis.

On the other hand, this is an excellent time for improving your qualifications. Many people around the world are experiencing a break in their career and hence can devote some time to education. Besides, the more difficult the economic situation is, the more valuable managerial skills are. In an annual, global poll of managers at big corporations done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, respondents agreed that finding and keeping talented, highly qualified staff in their company is a priority. So it seems that investing in yourself at a time of crisis is a very good idea.

On the one hand, it is worth starting an MBA program right now. On the other, you have to handle the difficulties. The combined effect of these two phenomena will determine the popularity of these programs in the coming year. Our experience shows that interest in MBA programs in Poland is not much lower than in recent years. Meanwhile, we are noticing heightened interest on the part of foreign students. I hope that the desire to study will outweigh the difficulties.