MBA Program Sets Record: 712 Students

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NEW CLASS HAS FIVE SECTIONS AND 360 STUDENTS, WITH 84 PERCENT FROM ABROAD MBA Program Sets Record: 712 Students

lThe incoming MBA Class of 2019 is made up of 360 students of 57 different nationalities. The new students join a second-year class of 352 members, bringing the total number of full-time MBA students on the Barcelona campus to 712, the largest number in IESE’s history.

The 2017-2018 academic year is the first time ever that both first- and second-year classes have five sections of students. The fifth section of the MBA was incorporated last year due to the 28 percent increase in the number of applications received since 2010. The rise in applications is largely thanks to the positive global positioning of the program in rankings and the increased presence of IESE around the world with its different campuses (Barcelona, Madrid, New York, Munich and Sao Paulo).

The number of women in the program is also growing, with women now making up 32 percent of the class. The Class of 2019 class is extremely international, with 84 percent hailing from outside Spain. Of the international students, the countries with the most representatives are the U.S., Brazil, India, and China. There has also been a 40 percent increase in German students in the program.

But nationality is not the only way in which the Class of 2019 is diverse – the number of students from non-traditional industries, such as social media, e-commerce and I.T. has grown to 24 percent.

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TIGHT SCHEDULE? TAKE A COURSE ON YOUR CELL PHONE

New Digital Courses for Alumni

The Alumni Association’s new short courses for cell phone and tablet are enjoying an enthusiastic response.

lNow there’s no excuse for not continuing your education. Even the tightest schedule has a one- to two-hour window for taking a short course specially designed for IESE alumni. From their phones or tablets, alumni can participate in a new kind of course, which includes videos from IESE professors, readings, questions and exercises, and the chance to exchange messages with other participants.

This new platform was launched in May with the condensed course “Innovation Fundamentals,” which delivers IESE’s insight on the topic via ten ten-minute sessions. More than 2,100 people have registered for the program, which has enjoyed an enthusiastic response from participants. Jeferson Cheriegate (PMD Sao Paulo ’16) said, “Interesting tool, easy to use and great to get the alumni community together sharing ideas.” A second course, “Boosting Employee Management,” is already under way, and the two courses together boast a total of 5,100 registered participants.

Members of the Alumni Association have been sent a link to these courses, which are available to all interested alumni – just one way that the Alumni Learning Program continues to expand its offerings, with growing diversity in digital programs.

The short courses, lasting one to two hours, offer a condensed version of IESE’s teachings on a given subject. The courses are organized into sessions containing readings, videos and exercises in a format specially designed for mobile devices.

EXPERT SERIES: A UNIQUE WAY TO EXTEND YOUR EDUCATION

Learning to Learn With the Best

l One of the main challenges posed by globalization and digitalization is overhauling the way that managers learn. New technologies have created advanced tools with which to implement the latest educational methods. In this context, continuous education is emerging as a priority in managerial development. But what is the best way to learn? And what are the latest developments in the field of adult education?

IESE has been at the center of this debate with the launch of the Expert Series. The series features online conversations among IESE professors and renowned world experts who share their view of education’s present and future. During the 2016-2017 academic year, five webinars were held for more than 2,500 registered participants. Participants followed the conversation live online and were able to submit questions. Speakers included Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte; Edward D. Hess, professor at the Darden School UVA; Annemie Ress, founder of PurpleBeach; David Blake, CEO and co-founder of Degreed; and Nick Shackleton-Jones, director of Learning & Performance Innovation at PA Consulting Group.

The Expert Series will continue in the 2017-2018 academic year, with top-level speakers such as Alison Johns, CEO of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education; Nick van Dam, global chief learning officer at McKinsey; Richard Culatta, CEO of Iste; and Dona Sarkar, leader of Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program.