The average academic program does not include classrooms that
are 8,774 miles apart. Then again, the new Executive MBA program at
the Anderson School isn’t your everyday program.
A new EMBA program is being launched concurrently by the
Anderson School of Management and the School of Management at the
National University of Singapore to educate students on the topic
of global economics.
The goal of the new EMBA program ““ which will take place
in California, Singapore and China ““ is to provide
professionals with a better understanding of how to manage a global
business, especially with respect to the economy of Asia, and allow
them to hone their abilities in a particular aspect of business and
management.
“As the world economy and business become more integrated,
management schools are looking to globalize and give a global
outlook to students,” said Chris Erickson, one of two
directors of the new program.
The UCLA-NUS EMBA program offers students more than the average
EMBA program. It gives them the opportunity to learn about running
multi-national corporations while studying in different parts of
the world.
“It’s distinctive because upon graduation, students
will receive degrees from both universities, and that’s
rare,” Erickson said.
Another unconventional aspect of the program is its ability to
provide students with networking opportunities.
“The students will interact with local executives and gain
hands-on experience with running a global business. … It’s
a good opportunity for global networking,” said Chris Tang,
founder of the program and a UCLA professor. Tang currently serves
as associate dean to the School of Management at NUS.
Requirements for application into the program include a
bachelor’s degree from a four-year university, 10 years of
work experience and a current full-time managerial position.
The professionals ““ who will still be employed full-time
““ will become students once again when they enroll in the
15-month program, which will be held for two-weeks at a time and
allow participants to study in three different locales.
While studying in Los Angeles, students will live at the
Anderson School Guesthouse. The $88,000 fee includes the cost of
living, texts and readings and most meals during the residential
segments.
The curriculum covers a range of topics. Students can enroll in
such courses as “Corporate Entrepreneurship” and
“International Management Strategies”.
In a module titled “Negotiations Behavior,” students
will have the chance to merge psychology, sociology and economics
to improve negotiating skills.
The program, which is slated to begin in spring of 2004, will
bring together professors from UCLA and NUS.
The teaching faculty for the upcoming school year is still
somewhat undetermined, but many professors intend to
participate.
A large group of professors have been chosen, but when or what
they will teach is still uncertain, said Human Resources and
Organizational Behavior Professor Antonio Bendersky, one of the
potential professors.
The program is currently in the process of holding briefing
sessions around the world, giving prospective students more
information about the infant program.
Program organizers hope to attract students from around the
world, but professionals from Asia and Southeast Asia will be
particularly targeted, said Erickson.
Briefing sessions will continue for the rest of the year, and
the deadline for application to the program for the upcoming year
is January 31, 2004.
The program is especially relevant with respect to the recent
changes in the region. In May 2003, Singapore and the United States
signed the Free Trade Agreement, meaning that business
opportunities between the two countries will now probably increase,
Tang said.
With the entry of China into the World Trade Organization,
business professionals who can think globally with respect to Asia
are especially useful, Tang added.