Each week we collect MBA news to give you a quick overview of the latest trending topics from leading business schools around the world.
In your MBA News You Need digest for the week of October 22, 2019, we unpack the CEIBS campus expansion in Switzerland, top business schools for social impact research and teaching, the upcoming Yale SOM real estate conference, successful Berkeley Haas MBAs, and the qualities UCLA Anderson looks for in its MBA candidates.
CEIBS Expands Campus in Switzerland
CEIBS, the top business school in China, has doubled the size of its Switzerland campus with a major expansion in Zurich. The brand new building was unveiled during the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by CEIBS leadership and Swiss officials, on October 7th.
The campus expansion supports the CEIBS mission to provide “China Depth and Global Breadth” and to “build bridges between Europe and China.” According to CEIBS Vice President and Dean Yuan Ding, “Switzerland is a role model and ideally situated in the heart of Europe, and CEIBS brings European and western management know-how, values and practices to China. In return, CEIBS offers European and Western executives the chance to gain in-depth insight on how to successfully do business in China.”
The importance and strength of the European market make this expansion a strategic move. As more Western companies face competition in China, this expanded campus will help business leaders obtain valuable knowledge and practical value. The development was made possible due to the generous support of two CEIBS alumni.
Social Impact Initiatives at Leading Schools
The Financial Times asked business schools around the world to discuss their activities related to sustainability, ethics, and social purpose—as represented through social impact, faculty research, teaching, student projects, and additional operations. A panel of judges then assessed the best practices and presented the results.
Here are a few highlights from sustainability research:
- Duke Fuqua: Recognized for research completed by professors David Ridley, Bill Mayew, and Richard Larrick, and the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship.
- Harvard Business School: More than 700 business and environmental teaching cases and research have come out of HBS.
- INSEAD: Highlighted for the book Blue Ocean Shift, as well as other cutting-edge sustainability research.
- NYU Stern: Noted for the Center for Sustainable Business, which developed a Sustainable Market Share Index and Return on Sustainability Investment methodology.
- Stanford GSB: Highlighted for professors Anat Admati and Susan Athey, both of whom are leaders in sustainable and ethical research.
As for teaching, MIT Sloan was recognized for their USA Lab action learning courses. Berkeley Haas was also mentioned for its Sustainable and Impact Finance program.
See what more programs are doing now.
Yale to Host Real Estate Conference
Yale SOM will host a Yale Alumni Real Estate Conference on October 25th. The annual event brings together alumni, students, and faculty to discuss new ideas and trends within the marketplace.
Highlights of the conference include:
- A panel discussion titled “What Does the Next Real Estate Bust Look Like?” draws on industry professionals knowledgeable of the downturns in 2008 and 1998 to discuss what may happen next.
- A keynote fireside chat with Jonathan Gray, the President and COO of The Blackstone Group. Gray will discuss Global RE Investment themes, including the ten-year investment outlook for Blackstone and other investors.
- A panel discussion on augmented reality and virtual reality in real estate. Industry leaders will discuss data ownership, monetary compensation, and more.
- A talk by Murat Sagman, economist and founder of Sagam Strategy Consultancy. He will discuss “The Macroeconomic Investment Climate,” particularly in Europe and Turkey.
- A final panel discussion on “Investing in Infrastructure and Real Estate in the Age of Climate Change.” This panel will look at the status and impact of climate change and how practitioners, developers, and investors should prepare.
To see the full agenda and to learn more about all speakers, visit the Yale SOM registration website.
Berkeley Haas Highlights Alumni You Should Know
Berkeley Haas introduced readers to seven prominent business leaders, each of whom has an MBA from Haas as part of their successful paths.
- Kristin Richmond and Kristen Tobey: These two Berkeley Haas MBAs created Revolution Foods, which is transforming school lunches with healthy meals. The founders met the first day of their MBA program and launched Revolution Foods in 2006.
- John Hanke: Hanke is the creator of Google Earth as well as Pokemon Go, Ingress, and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. His company, Niantic, Inc., designed each of the augmented reality games. His company Keyhole, which was acquired by Google, led to Google Earth, Google Maps, StreetView, and Sketchup.
- Marc Badain: Badain is a 2001 MBA graduate and the current president of the Oakland Raiders.
- Chris Giles: Chief Operating Officer for the Oakland Athletics, Giles is an expert in sales, marketing, strategic planning, and business intelligence.
- Greg Greeley: Now the president of Homes at Airbnb, Greeley worked at Amazon as the VP of European Consumer Business, VP of International Expansion, and VP of Amazon Prime & Delivery experience.
- Rebecca Lynn: As the co-founder of Canvas Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture-capital firm, Lynn is an MBA graduate to watch. She’s led many of the company’s most successful investments.
For a more in-depth look at each Berkeley Haas MBA graduates, head on over to the blog now.
UCLA Anderson Looks for These Qualities in MBA Candidates
The admissions team at UCLA Anderson offered details on the “core qualities” it looks for in applicants.
Firstly, they recommend you start by asking yourself three essential questions:
- 1) Why an MBA?
2) Why an MBA now?
3) Why an MBA from Anderson?
Answers to these basic questions will illuminate whether you’re the right fit for the program—the most challenging part of the application process. The UCLA Anderson admissions team wants to know that you have a plan to accomplish your goals from the get-go, even if things change once you’re in school.
Other areas the admissions team looks at to see if you’re a strong candidate include:
- Great test scores (GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS) and undergraduate history. They want to know that you will succeed within a rigorous core curriculum.
- Your involvement in undergraduate clubs, in the workplace, and in the community. They look for leaders who want to make an impact while at Anderson.
- How prepared are you to achieve your goals? Your resume should highlight your career impact, skills, and more.
Read the full admissions blog here.
