New Executive MBA Program to Link 4 Continents

OneMBA is a 21-month program in which a total of 100 students internationally, including 25 to 40 senior executive master's of business administration students from UNC, will study both at UNC and at four other top-ranked international business schools.

These schools include the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong, the Escola de Administracao de Empresas de Sao Paulo of Fundacao Getulio Vargas in Brazil, the Rotterdam School of Management in the Netherlands, and the Graduate School of Business at Monterrey Tech in Mexico.

During the program, students will take five courses held at locations in Chapel Hill and in Washington, D.C.

They also will attend four "experiential learning modules," in which students will learn about the regional business practices from local professors at each of the four partner schools.

Robert Sullivan, dean of the business school, said the idea for the new program originated at an EMBA Advisory Board meeting.

"We were thinking about the future of global learning, since it is increasing in popularity," Sullivan said.

"This program is a model for deep relations with the best institutions internationally."

The OneMBA program, which will begin in August 2002 and will choose participating students in the spring, will be the largest of its kind in the world, said Penny Oslund, director of the EMBA program.

Other schools around the country have similar programs linking the United States and various European nations, but no other program connects Asia, Europe and North and South America.

"(The OneMBA program) is an innovative step forward," Oslund said.

"It's much more global than any of the other programs available and will increase global exposure and deep partnerships outside the U.S."

Oslund said she hopes that relations between the five participating schools will lead to student and faculty interaction.

"We hope the program will lead to not only to students working together but also to faculty research together," Oslund said.

"It would be an opportunity to work with the champs of business."

For EMBA students interested in participating in the OneMBA program, the cost is estimated to be about $64,000 for the 21 months.

This cost encompasses everything included for the program, including stays in Washington, D.C., Chapel Hill and the four international learning modules.

Despite the program's cost, Sullivan said OneMBA will increase the University's name recognition around the world and will improve its global reputation.

"There is nothing similar to (the OneMBA program)," Sullivan said. "It's absolutely unique and innovative."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.