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I Success by Association BY FRANZ H. HEUKAMP ESE Business School opened its doors in 1958 with the help of Harvard Business School faculty; we understand first- hand that well-established business schools can provide a unique and valuable service in getting new busi- ness schools off the ground. There- fore, it's hardly surprising that, as IESE has grown to be a global business school with multiple inter- national campuses, it has simultane- ously sought to help launch inde- pendent business schools in many countries around the world. These Associated Business Schools, as we call them, typically seek to carry out the same mission as IESE: to develop business leaders who aspire to have a deep impact on people, firms, and society through their professionalism, integrity, and spirit of service. But all of these asso- ciated schools achieve this mission within their own frameworks and cultural settings. IESE's first Associated Busi- ness School startup was IPADE in Mexico City. Since its founding in 1967, it has graduated more than 30,000 students, who have brought their knowledge and skills to both private companies and public administrations. IESE also collabo- rated with other business schools in Europe to help launch the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), which was opened in Shanghai in 1994. Today its EMBA is one of the biggest MBA programs in mainland China. IESE has been involved in the founding of 15 other business schools on four continents, mostly in emerging nations. We believe that all of our Associated Business Schools now play or eventually will play significant roles in aiding their home countries to take their places on the global business stage. We also believe that by helping these business schools take off, we are helping their nations, their people, and even the global community become prosperous and stable— thus creating more opportunities for people and local development. In some ways, for IESE, this is about "paying it forward" and continuing a virtuous cycle. Laying the Groundwork Generally speaking, we help new schools get off the ground by offer- ing assistance in three main areas: Advice. At the beginning of the process, we simply act in an advi- sory role. All of these startups were developed through partnerships with outside organizations, includ- ing businesspeople, academics, and governmental agencies. While IESE typically serves as the main academic partner, we never simply decide to start a school from scratch. More commonly, we are approached by businesspeople from another country who want to launch a business school to improve the level of management in their region. When they reach out to IESE for help, it is usually because they have a personal con- nection with our school—they have taken courses at IESE or they're acquainted with some of our pro- fessors. We always collaborate with these business leaders, and sometimes we also collaborate with other universities, as we offer our support in founding new schools. One of our first recommendations is usually that the startup group drum up additional interest from the community by gathering 50 to 100 business leaders. We emphasize that without local support, the school is unlikely to succeed. And while IESE will offer advice on raising money, and we might suggest projects the new school can undertake that will win support, IESE doesn't get involved in raising the funds or set- ting the salaries of the professors at the new school. We do consult on other top- ics relevant to starting a business school, such as what the facilities should look like. If the founders are considering buying a new building, one of our professors might visit the proposed sites and raise questions or concerns. For instance, the faculty advisor might suggest the new school locate in a specific part of the city so that it develops more urban appeal. Or he or she might recommend building a landscaped garden so stu- dents have a place to gather. During early stages, we also address a host of other criti- cal questions. Which should the school launch first, an executive education program or a degree pro- gram? What should the curriculum encompass? What kind of technol- ogy should the school implement? Answers to these questions will help the school's administrators deter- mine how its programs will develop. Training. The core of our assis- tance revolves around training the faculty at the new school. Every BizEd November/December 2012 43