Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/90487
IESE's newest Associated Business School is MDE on the Ivory Coast of Africa. Stay Connected year for more than 20 years we have run the International Faculty Program, a three-week program that equips faculty and administra- tors with the basic information they need to run a new business school. The IFP annually attracts between 30 and 40 participants from approximately 20 countries. IFP training includes modules on course design, faculty development, insti- tutional management, operations management, and leadership. Other sessions cover writing and teaching case studies, and coaching and men- toring students and faculty. For instance, the module on course design helps faculty con- struct courses in their own areas of specialization. They learn how to create semesterlong classes, distance learning programs, and seminars, whether these courses are aimed at undergraduates, graduates, or executives. As an example, a course such as Analysis of Business Prob- lems is almost entirely case-based and includes written assignments; it helps new faculty focus on critical and analytical thinking. The IFP also covers topics related to running a business school. The institutional management module is aimed at school administrators who need guidance in school manage- ment, program management, and development. One session deals with organizing faculty, ensuring coopera- tion between the various players at the university, and developing a mid- to-long-term strategic plan. Addi- 44 November/December 2012 BizEd tional sessions cover logistics—the director's perspective on how to run a business school—and other back- office topics. These are all important factors in the success of a program. Teaching. In addition to training the new school's faculty, we send professors from IESE to teach at the startup, particularly during the early years. A good number of our faculty have a deep interest in participating in a startup—not just because they're personally interested in the work, but because they believe that these projects are natural extensions of the mission of our school. At the same time, we can't have too many faculty gone at one time teaching at other institutions! So we assist new administrators as they assemble their own faculty. As we help new business schools develop, it is important that we strike the right balance between providing enough support and encouraging the new school to become independent. We might teach half of the ses- sions in the first year, then reduce our involvement little by little in the following years as the new school's faculty members gain more experience. We also encourage at least some of the new faculty to gain more academic expertise by enrolling in PhD programs at IESE or elsewhere. The more academi- cally qualified faculty these schools have on staff, the better they'll be able to compete in the global edu- cation market. Once we've helped a school launch, we expect it to become self-sustaining within five or six years. But we stay connected with all our Associated Business Schools to some degree. With a few schools we have a deeper connection and a more formalized way of meeting. For instance, every other year we have a joint committee meet- ing between IPADE and IESE. The groups are made up of the deans of both schools and members of the executive committees. We report what each school has been doing over the past two years, we exchange our views of the eco- nomic situation, and we discuss trends in business education. We also have very strong con- nections with CEIBS. Our faculty members have held visiting profes- sorships at CEIBS, and the two schools conduct a number of joint programs, including a PhD pro- gram that launched this fall. We also have MBA student exchanges with three of our Associated Busi- ness Schools—IPADE, CEIBS, and IAE in Buenos Aires, Argentina. More often, the ongoing connec- tion between IESE and an Associ- ated Business School is more infor- mal and personal. Faculty members might travel to one of the other schools to teach a course, give a graduation speech, or work with local companies. Over the years, IESE has bene- fited a great deal from our partner- ships with our Associated Business Schools. Primarily, we gain a deep understanding of the countries where they are located, including the societies that form them and