People and Places: September 6, 2022

New Programs

Fudan University in Shanghai has announced several initiatives designed to expand the impact of its MBA program. In the Fudan MBA Technology Innovation Youth Camp, select students will strengthen their capabilities in technology innovation management by taking customized courses after they complete core first-year courses; they can also participate in technology-themed reading sessions, company visits, lectures, and international study tours. The new Future Development Module will advance students’ sustainable leadership skills through three mandatory courses that address digital management; organizational behavior and leadership; and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics. Fudan’s revamped MBA curriculum will include new courses and electives that focus on the humanities, technology, new industries, investment and entrepreneurship, and business analysis and management; it also will incorporate hands-on activities that include business challenges, consulting projects, and startup competitions.

Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, has launched an executive PhD program designed for full-time working professionals who are interested in a flexible, accelerated curriculum. The new offering expands the university’s existing PhD in business. The three-year part-time program, which launches in fall 2023, will combine synchronous instruction with two-day campus residencies held twice each semester. During the first two years, candidates will focus on advanced analytical techniques and research methodologies; in the third year, candidates will work with faculty advisors to complete dissertations on business analytics, experience design, or leadership.

KPMG and the University of Leeds in the U.K. have partnered to launch the Family Business Leadership Academy. The 30-week program is designed to equip those leading family businesses with the tools they need to remain resilient through the future. The program incorporates virtual and in-person learning, peer networks, hands-on projects, and mentoring sessions with KPMG leaders. Classes will cover leadership and team-building skills, succession planning, governance, ownership issues and models, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion.

In 2023, the University of Sydney’s Business School will offer a new two-year Master of Professional Accounting and Business Performance. Accounting analytics courses will cover topics such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud-based accounting technology platforms, while courses focusing on leadership will help students develop skills in emotional intelligence, communication, and persuasion. Students will be able to take two elective units from a wide variety of options, including opportunities for industry placements and projects. The program is fully accredited by CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants.

In May 2023, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia is launching a global cohort of its MBA Program for Executives intended to be more accessible to participants from Asia, North America, Latin America, and Europe. Seventy-five percent of the program will take place live online during early morning and late evening hours Eastern Standard Time. The rest will take place in person during residential weeks at Wharton’s Philadelphia and San Francisco campuses and during the program’s international learning trips. Faculty will customize class materials to suit the needs of the global cohort, and the school is investing in new technology to enhance the virtual experience.

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business in Washington, D.C., is now offering its Flex MBA program in an online format. Students in the online program will participate in synchronous and asynchronous coursework, as well as two weeklong residencies that are part of the school’s Global Business Experience consulting project. Students will be integrated into the broader Georgetown community through student club involvement, access to the MBA Career Center, and opportunities to participate in on-campus activities such as workshops and Intensive Learning Experiences. Like the traditional Flex MBA program, the online option can be completed in as little as 24 months or as long as five years. Students who have completed prior graduate coursework can request approval to transfer up to 12 credit hours into the program to shorten the duration required to complete the degree.

The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business in College Park is relaunching its Online Master of Science in Business Analytics program with increased flexibility for early- to mid-career working professionals. The program’s new iteration replaces required, synchronous class sessions with both asynchronous learning and periodic live touchpoints with the faculty. The 30-credit program will have fall and spring start dates and can be completed in as little as 16 months. Students will use essential tools like Python, R, SQL, and Tableau as they build skills in the business application of predictive analytics, data management, statistical modeling, and decision science. Course topics range from Predictive Analytics and Big Data/AI to electives in disciplines such as marketing, finance, and supply chain analytics. The first cohort begins in January 2023.

The University of Essex in the U.K. is offering an online summer course to help students be university-ready in the wake of their studies being disrupted by COVID-19. The six-week Essex Preparation Programme, which is offered at no cost, enables students to explore issues such as independent learning, critical thinking, and academic integrity. More than 1,750 students participated in the program last summer, attending 12 live Zoom workshop sessions as well as an online course. This year’s program will be integrated with other student preparation activities during Welcome Week at Essex. The course is open to anyone applying for undergraduate study at the university; while taking the course is optional, students who complete it will qualify for a scholarship worth 250 GBP (290 USD). This year, for the first time, Essex also is offering a Masters Preparation Programme for postgraduate students.

New Centers and Facilities

This fall, the Oklahoma State University School of Accounting (SOA) in Stillwater will launch the SOA Communications Center, designed to help accounting students develop effective written, verbal, and visual communication skills. JTaylor—an accounting, assurance, consulting, and tax service company—is the lead donor in making the center possible. Peter Margaritis will serve as the director.

Other News

The Algorand Foundation has announced the 10 winners of its Algorand Centres of Excellence (ACEs) Program, which will distribute awards totaling 50 million USD over five years. The foundation’s mission is to grow the blockchain ecosystem of Algorand, a cryptocurrency company and protocol. The grants will be used to fund college courses, hackathons, and accelerators; multidisciplinary research in blockchain and cryptocurrency; real-world solutions and cases; and social impact and sustainability projects. Five U.S. schools will receive awards: the University of California at Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Florida, Yale University, and Purdue University. The other five winners include Monash University in Australia, Roma Tre University in Italy, Technical University of Munich in Germany, the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

This summer, the Luxembourg School of Business and the Zagreb School of Economics and Management in Croatia hosted the Adriatic Leadership Academy, a new program designed to develop the next generation of conscious leaders. Thirty students from 14 countries sailed the Adriatic Sea and stopped at seven Croatian islands to participate in formal and informal learning. Each Mediterranean island offered students a new narrative and a new perspective on historical, social, and political realities. Among the presenters were Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, former president of Croatia, who discussed geopolitical inflection points and their implications for leadership; George Yeo, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, who shared insights about the role of China as a data-driven country; and Raj Srivastava, the Indian ambassador to Croatia, who analyzed India’s role in the world.

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