Paul Danos, Dean Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth 
Earlier this month I participated in a wide-ranging interview for a French business publication together with Dean Bernard Ramanantsoa of the HEC School of Management and IESE Barcelona Dean Jordi Canals. I thought readers of this blog might be interested in a preview.
From the French business publication, Le MOCI - Moniteur du Commerce International
Recruiting the world’s best students is crucial for international business schools. What’s the competition like for the best students? What’s your strategy?
Among the top MBA programs there is tremendous competition for the best students. At Tuck we travel the world to talk to prospects in order to identify who could gain the most from joining our program. We identify them in a number of ways including lists of GMAT test takers and references from our alumni. Of course, the majority already know about Tuck and apply without our direct contact. We interview all applicants and we invite them to Tuck to get familiar with our special qualities. Once a student is admitted we have several events on campus and around the world that are intended to give a clear picture of what Tuck is like and the wonderful opportunities a Tuck MBA imparts.
European programs are progressing in the international rankings. How would you analyze this bright spell?
I believe that over time, our competitive realm will be more and more worldwide. For many decades going all the way back to 1900 when Tuck offered the first masters degree in business, the United States led the way in the number of top MBA programs. In the last few decades many other programs outside of the U.S. have progressed to our current situation where there are many competitive schools around the world. The U.S. market is mature in that there are many university-based programs in every region of the country, and there are many levels of quality and prestige. The real growth in MBA programs worldwide will come from outside the U.S. and there are many varieties of programs including two-year, one-year, part-time, executive, and distance. At Tuck our focus is on the two-year, full-time program.
Is recruiting great students advantageous for the alumni or only for the schools?
Alumni want their schools to be recognized for excellence and most of them believe in market forces. Therefore, they would not be pleased if their school could not successfully compete for the best. Of course, most of Tuck alumni work in major businesses around the world and they expect a certain level of quality in the students they hire. With Tuck graduates they expect ethical, well-trained, and knowledgeable leaders who are great at teamwork.
How are you preparing your students to face the new issues of globalization?
We are currently looking closely at everything we do with having a global mindset and with the skills necessary to be a leader in global businesses. We want to increase the number of cases and other materials in our courses that explicitly cover issues of globalization. We are also planning to add more opportunities for students to visit other countries for projects and for study during the program. We will make sure that our students are capable of leading organizations anywhere in the world. Tuck has been extremely strong in the financial services and strategic consulting areas, having one of the best placement records in the world in those two areas. To prepare them to be leaders in any business they chose, anywhere in the world, we make sure that our students have a comprehensive global management foundation and real depth in the global aspects of finance, strategy, and the other relevant areas of study.
Comments