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AACSBAACSBAnnual Conference

April 23, 2007

Strategic Alliances in Internationalizing the Graduate Business School Curriculum:

Experiences and Lessons from Dual Degree Programs

José R. de la TorreDean, Chapman Graduate School of BusinessFlorida International UniversityMiami, Florida, USA

To Internationalize the Curriculum We Must Link Tools with Strategic Objectives

For 100% of our students the goal is to create international awareness

For 40% we want to offer specialized skills and training

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For top 15% we need immersion

For developing awareness we offer:• General IB courses in the core• Study trips• Diversity in the classroom and in the faculty

For developing specialized skills and training, we add:• A full range of IB electives• Visiting professors with specific cultural skills• International consulting projects• Courses in languages and culture• Exchange programs

But for the 15% elite:We have developed a series of dual degree programs in the context of a network of international alliances

100%

40%

15%

• They give a deeper exposure to international business issues than traditional exchange programs or study tours

• They are relatively easy to structure: each partner determines what elements of their core program must be required for its degree

• No need for extensive integration of curricula or reciprocity• Participants earn two degrees from two institutions in two countries• Students gain access to two networks of future colleagues and to

two sets of potential employers• Time and cost savings relative to two sequential degrees• Schools gain differentiating advantage• Potential synergies evolve covering student placement, faculty

exchanges, joint research, joint executive programs, material development, student projects, etc.

The Logic for Dual Degree Programs

Core courses in MBA program plus any required electives

Additional electives and specialization

Partner Business School

8-12 months

8-9 months

1 seminar4 courses

1 seminar4 courses

1 seminar3 coursesFinal Project

FIU -- Master in International Business

Dual Degree Structure – Inbound

Mexico: Tec de Monterrey U. Anahuac ITAM

Colombia: UniAndes UniNorte

Peru: ESAN

Chile: UAI Argentina: IAE

Brazil: COPPEAD USP

Venezuela: IESA

P. Rico: UPR

Portugal: ISCTE

France: EDHEC-Theseus Reims B School Sup de Co Montpellier

China: Qingdao U.

Uruguay: ORT

Spain: ESIC

Germany: HH Leipzig Munich B School

Greece: ALBA

Hungary: CEU B School

USA: FIU

Costa Rica: INCAE

Our Network Today

Some Issues that Surface• How to handle asymmetrical flows of students?

– Payment for services instead of even exchange– Loss in revenues, but gain in differentiation

• Housing issues• Establishing a management structure to support

programs and student issues• Access to placement services

– Close integration between both services, electronic data bases and virtual career fairs

• Keep relationships fresh and active– Annual meeting of all deans and directors– Bilateral and multilateral projects– Promotional trips are critical

Our Experience to Date

• Signed our first agreement in 2003; now have 25 universities in the Network

• Have received a total of 75 inbound students and sent out 38 students.

• Held three deans’ meetings to explore new initiatives• Expanded collaboration in career services and

placement efforts to a large extent• Exploring other forms of collaboration including faculty

exchanges, case development and scholarship programs