INSEAD and Wharton re-sign education alliance

INSEAD, the leading international business school, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, have signed an agreement to continue their educational alliance for another three years. Since 2001 students from both schools have participated in the alliance exchange programme which enables MBA and PhD students to study across three campuses: INSEAD’s in Fontainebleau, France and Singapore, and Wharton’s campus in Philadelphia

The Alliance leverages the strengths of both schools to deliver unmatched reach and resources to businesses worldwide. With this Alliance, both schools are able to engage in broader, more powerful collaborations:

• Opportunity for MBA and PhD students to study across three continents.
• New knowledge creation with the intellectual scope of both schools through a joint Wharton–INSEAD Center for Global Research & Education
• Unique capability to design and deliver executive education programmes for corporations and senior managers across three continents.
• Opportunity for faculties from both schools to spend time teaching and doing research at the Alliance partner’s campuses.
• Leveraging the strong alumni networks of both schools.

The Alliance’s four campuses also create new opportunities to offer enhanced value to multinational clients demanding global customised executive education and open enrollment programmes.

Thomas S. Robertson, Dean and Reliance Professor of Management and Private Enterprise, stated: “Wharton believes that there are three key elements of a truly global business education. First, a diverse student body working together both inside and outside of the classroom is essential. For example, this year's entering MBA class is more than 30% non-U.S., so they all bring different perspectives, which enriches the overall learning experience for everyone. Second, there needs to be truly global content in teaching materials, whether it be case studies or examples. Third, faculty need to be actively engaged in research that impacts global companies.

Students in the Alliance benefit from courses and opportunities illustrating the strength of both INSEAD and Wharton. For example, many Wharton students choose INSEAD for the Blue Ocean Strategy courses created by INSEAD Professors Kim Chan and Renée Mauborgne, while INSEAD students profit from the exposure to US companies and culture offered at Wharton.

Dipak C. Jain, Dean of INSEAD, commented: “The strategic alliance between Wharton and INSEAD is based on the shared belief that tomorrow's market leaders in management education must have global reach and be part of a global business education and knowledge network with a leadership position in America, Europe and Asia. The two schools also share common values regarding the role and importance of lifelong business education.”

The decision to form the Alliance came about as the result of each school’s mission to deliver global business education unmatched by other business schools. INSEAD and Wharton offer complementary centres of expertise and campus locations, creating a worldwide network unique among global business schools.

“In the last few years we have increased funding for joint research efforts between the two schools,” said INSEAD’s Alliance Director Serguei Netessine.  “We have a growing number of PhD students participating in the programme who can avail themselves of these research funds to conduct their work on three continents.  This academic year, we will also hold the first research conference to be organised by PhD candidates from the two schools in Fontainebleau, France, on the topic of global strategy.”

“It's really allowed Wharton students and faculty to take advantage of each school's breadth and depth of connections. There have been a very successful student exchange programme, several successful joint executive education programmes, new research collaborations, and various other initiatives in the works,” said John R. Kimberley, Executive Director, Wharton/INSEAD Alliance.