A THREAT TO BUSINESS SCHOOLS’ SOCIAL IMPACT PROGRAMS?
So, does Philanthropy University pose a threat to business schools that offer social impact programs? “I don’t think it will,” says Mangan. “People who are intent on going to business school and studying social impact would do this in addition,” he says. Hu, who holds an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School, agrees. “For someone who decides to do an MBA, this is an amazing supplement,” she says, akin to attending a national conference where all of the leaders in social impact are gathered in one place.
The main targets of the program are not MBA students but rather current or aspiring managers and leaders in the social impact space—at nonprofits, businesses with a social mission, foundations and non-governmental organizations. “This is for people who are working and striving for social impact and are hungry for tools to make them better but lack resources for career development,” says Mangan.
Mangan also recognizes at least two additional target participant profiles. The first is concerned citizens around the world who are passionate about solving problems facing their community. “This platform gives structure and tools to those people as well and allows them to join the community of online learners,” he says.
In time, Mangan also hopes to work with companies who are interested in giving their employees the tools to have social impact. “Philanthropy University will be a tremendous platform for HR departments to help employees to volunteer and add even more impact to their volunteerism,” he says.
Of course, Philanthropy University also offers a resource for individuals not currently in the social impact sector who are looking to transition. For them, the benefits are clear, Hu points out: “There aren’t many programs of this caliber that are entirely online and that you can complete at your leisure for free in the sequence that you want.”
Market response will dictate how Philanthropy University grows its curriculum over time, says Mangan. Personally, he would like to see the program go deeper in terms of competitive strategy and the use of lean principles for social impact. “I believe there is room for a ‘Lean Startup for Social Impact’ course in the future,” he says. Eventually, he expects the curriculum to include both a set of core courses and a range of additional electives.
The end goal for Philanthropy University? The organization’s stated “100×20 vision” is “to impact the lives of 100 million people by 2020 by training hundreds of thousands of learners working for social good, elevating their cause and furthering their reach.”
Learn more about Philanthropy University.
