Dubai, at a crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and home to a wide range of industries. This is one reason it is an ideal hub for international business education, said Paul Almeida, Dean and William R. Berkley Chair at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
The presence of international business schools here gives students a dual advantage, Almeida added. On one hand, they can absorb the traditional and established ways of doing business in the West. On the other, they can learn about the innovative and entrepreneurial approach in the Middle East.
Economy Middle East met Almeida recently when he attended orientation activities for his institution’s Executive MBA program, which was launched at the DIFC Academy in September 2023. The program is the first Executive MBA in the UAE from a top US business school, and aims to transform the landscape of business education in the region.
Here are excerpts from an interview:
What unique opportunities does the Middle East offer for international business schools?
Business has been changed immensely by the rise of new economic strength and entrepreneurial ventures in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region. As a leader in international education, it is our responsibility to prepare our students to understand the changing landscape as it exists today, and in the future.
Through new educational opportunities in the Middle East, we are able to provide the rigorous instruction and rich experiential learning opportunities that Georgetown is known for while offering an in-depth look at global business in a different and dynamic part of the world. Through new partnerships in the UAE and the broader Middle East region, we are able to expose our students in Washington, D.C., to new global perspectives in the Middle East while ensuring our students at our Dubai campus have the opportunity to learn more about Western business practices and policies in the United States. This cross-cultural learning approach enriches our classrooms and academic research, enhances international understanding, and prepares our students to become dynamic leaders on the global stage.
What strategies are you employing to strengthen collaborations and partnerships with institutions in the Middle East?
Last year, we launched an Executive MBA in Dubai at our DIFC location, which expands the reach of our executive programs to students who may not have convenient access to Washington, D.C., and broadens our business perspective in a new and emerging set of economies. Building on the success of Georgetown’s prestigious Executive MBA, a highly ranked U.S. program, and leveraging the expertise of Georgetown McDonough faculty in Washington, D.C., the Executive MBA in Dubai covers a range of business topics for senior administrators and includes two week-long residencies in Washington, D.C.
In addition to the Executive MBA in Dubai, we also offer an Executive Master’s in Leadership at Georgetown University Qatar and the WIn Fellowship program in partnership with the Atlantic Council to support rising women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE.
We also are proud partners of the University Leadership Council to advance knowledge building, talent development and entrepreneurial acumen in the UAE, as well as associate members of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, which is dedicated to advancing business ties between the United States and the UAE and supporting key focus areas for development, including higher education. And we are pleased to offer our courses as a member of the DIFC Academy.
Looking ahead, we are about to launch an inaugural UAE board of advisors to leverage the expertise and insights of esteemed business leaders, government leaders, and alumni in the MENASA region to shape our future of business education in the Middle East. We look forward to building on our global capabilities in the region in the years to come.
What are some of the specific initiatives or programs that your school has implemented to foster global citizenship among students? How do you measure the success of these initiatives?
We believe business has no borders. It is imperative that our future leaders experience international perspectives firsthand, learn to emphasize collaboration across disciplines, and view the world’s problems as their own. Through exposure to real-world international experiences and a curriculum that highlights the complexity of global business issues, we ensure that each of our students graduates from our programs with a global mindset.
Our school pioneered the concept of global consulting projects nearly 30 years ago, and we continue to provide immersive learning experiences that expose students to real-world global challenges. Through partnerships with Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, we have created undergraduate and graduate degree programs and courses that focus on the intersection of business, policy and global affairs. We also launched the Baratta Center for Global Business to shape the future of globalization through cutting-edge research, student learning opportunities, and convening and outreach with key business leaders, policymakers, and organizations who can address challenges on a global scale.
How can business schools leverage technology and innovation to effectively manage and disseminate knowledge on a global scale?
At Georgetown McDonough, we ask our students to embrace innovation as an opportunity to reimagine what business could be, and then we work to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to turn those visions into reality. We are building initiatives, degree programs and experiences that are focused on the skills students need to solve the world’s most complex issues – connecting business principles to fields such as public policy, healthcare, sustainability and AI, and the future of work. And we use our values-based approach, rooted in our centuries-old Jesuit tradition, as a guide to ensure the work we pursue continues to serve the common good and make the world a better place.
As we instill these values in our students, we also need to ensure our program formats reflect new innovations in teaching technologies. Our executive-level programs are designed to maximize in-person learning experiences while ensuring flexibility in program delivery through a combination of in-person and online classes, as well as in-person residencies. These hybrid formats have allowed us to provide unique, only-Georgetown learning experiences – from virtual consulting opportunities with real-world international clients to joint classes between our Executive MBA Dubai and D.C. cohorts. Technology allows us to expand our global presence and connect our Washington, D.C., and Dubai campuses together in new and meaningful ways.
What do you see as the main factors driving Dubai’s emergence as a hub for international business education?
There is no city that better exemplifies the dynamism of new business more than Dubai. Situated as a crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, Dubai is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and is home to a diverse range of industries that are changing the business landscape as we know it. We see our presence in Dubai as a bridge between two worlds: the established presence of Western business in the United States, and the rising, innovative and entrepreneurial approach to business in the Middle East. As our world becomes more interconnected and complex, it is critical that future business professionals understand both regions and the roles they play in addressing global business challenges.
The UAE and Georgetown University are similar in their approaches to creating a better future, with an embrace of innovation and the belief that business can be a force for good in society. Our Executive MBA students in Dubai will continue our shared aspiration to lead the way for a better world.
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