Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/63429
Spotlight At the Center Guayaquil, Ecuador What is it like to sit at the geographical "center of the world"? From its location in the historic port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, ESPAE, the graduate Business School of the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, enjoys the metaphorical implications of its geographical loca- tion, as it strives to meet the needs of a growing nation in an increasing- ly global economy. With solid roots in Ecuador's history, ESPAE is keenly aware of the impact globalization has on the country's developing economy. As part of its mission, ESPAE builds relationships with other Latin American business schools, as well as schools in the United States and Canada, to strengthen the founda- tion for business education in the country. Students can participate in ESPAE's Global MBA, a joint pro- gram with Tulane University, as well as a post-MBA program offered at ESPAE's campus for students of the University of Quebec at Montreal. In addition, ESPAE offers a diploma in technology and innovation in agreement with the University of Texas at Austin. This network offers opportunities for student and faculty exchanges and study programs abroad, providing students a holistic vision of the world of business. Recently celebrating its 19th anniversary, ESPAE was the first business school to serve its region. The school offers professional and executive MBA programs, as well as 64 BizEd JULY/AUGUST 2002 of the World Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral Escuela de Postgrado en Administración de Empresas school also has started to refocus its graduate pro- grams to the man- agement of tech- nology and entre- preneurship. ESPAE's entre- preneurial focus is reflected in its courses, as well as in its annual Business Plan Contest and Fair, where MBA stu- dents share their business ideas with the business and investment com- munity. The Internet Forum, now in its third year, acts as a win- dow to the latest development and practices in e-busi- ness; Microsoft and Oracle have been sponsors of the Forum since 1999. During the past Clockwise from top: ESPAE main campus; a riverwalk near ESPAE in Guayaquil; EMBA students at Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business, New Orleans, Louisiana; monument marking the founding of ESPAE's parent school, ESPOL. a one-year program in health care management aimed at improving the quality and effectiveness of the region's health services. As part of its mission to offer innovative educa- tional programs to students, the strength, industry, and competitive- ness of its native Ecuador, says dean Juan Alvarado, is one of the school's primary missions and responsibilities. ESPAE is a member of AACSB z International. s three years, ESPAE has launched programs for the electrical and telecommunica- tions sectors, in hopes of informing and aiding the pri- vatization process. Developing the managerial