In 2001 Baruch College began a global initiative to offer its cutting-edge executive master’s degrees in such countries as China, France, Israel, Singapore, and Taiwan. Since that time, over 1,400 students have graduated from these programs.
In the Q&A that follows, Zicklin School of Business Dean John Elliott offers a broad overview of these programs and explains why they are important to Baruch’s students in the United States and, by extension, to alumni.
BCAM: Can you offer readers a quick overview of the Zicklin School’s International Executive Programs?
Elliott: Currently we offer International Executive Programs in Singapore, Taiwan, France (Paris), and Israel. We offer various degree programs in different locations, including MS degree programs in computer information systems, finance, human resources, and marketing. Pending programs include an MS in entrepreneurship and the MBA.
BCAM: How have the Zicklin School’s International Executive Programs changed over the years?
Elliott: We have gradually added programs and changed locations. We just finalized a new contract with our international partner, which envisions significant growth over time in both degrees offered and locations.
BCAM: Does the remarkable student diversity on our Manhattan campus help us better understand the special needs of international executive education?
Elliott: Yes. Our faculty members are well prepared for the cultural realities of these international locations partly because the students they teach domestically are so diverse. Although our proportion of international students is low by comparison to many other U.S. colleges, our proportion of first-generation students and recent immigrants is quite high.
BCAM: Are each location’s programs specially tailored for that country?
Elliott: Yes, and no. We offer the same courses and the same degrees internationally that we offer domestically. So the overall structure of the education is common. However, the cases and examples used by the faculty members vary across the locations. Scheduling adapts to local customs, vacations, etc.
BCAM: What impact do Zicklin’s International Executive Programs have on the New York City campus?
Elliott: What comes to mind immediately is the tremendous influence these programs have on our faculty. Business is global, and our faculty members need to be global as well. Teaching in these locations deepens our faculty members’ understanding of international business. This happens in part because the students are active executives in diverse locations, in part because of the companies for which the students work, and in part because faculty members know that their courses become more relevant when they use regionally specific examples. Because of these reasons, faculty members become more knowledgeable about international business practices, and this knowledge broadens their teaching in the U.S.
BCAM: Do International Executive Programs generate a lot of word of mouth about Baruch College?
Elliott: These programs are part of growing and broadening our brand. The Zicklin School of Business aspires to be a beacon to international students of the highest caliber who may wish to study in the U.S., and our international presence underscores our prominence.
BCAM: Do these programs have an impact on study abroad opportunities for students in New York City?
Elliott: The International Executive Programs offer us the chance to expand our international study options for domestic students. Baruch College has many relationships with international educational institutions that enable us to offer student exchange experiences. In time we hope to create opportunities for domestic students to study in some of these international locations while taking Baruch courses from Baruch faculty members.
We also envision opportunities for students in New York to collaborate with students in international locations on cases or even live business problems. Teamwork across international boundaries is becoming common within global companies, and having this experience and developing the necessary skills will benefit our students in the workplace.
Related story: Planet Baruch