Thomas S. Robertson, Dean of the Wharton School






Frank Brown, Dean of INSEAD

John Kimberly manages the Alliance as executive director and reports to the deans of Wharton and INSEAD. Kimberly is the Henry Bower Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies and Professor of Management, Health Care Systems, and Sociology at the Wharton School.

Laurence Capron serves as Research Director of the Alliance and Director for the Wharton/INSEAD Center for Global Research & Education. Capron is Associate Professor of Strategy at INSEAD.

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Please contact the Wharton Media team for any questions.

• The Wharton School and INSEAD Renew Alliance for Four More Years
• Professor John Kimberly, Executive Director of the Wharton/INSEAD Alliance and Professor of Management presents his new book, The Soul of the Corporation: Managing Your Company's Identity, written in collaboration with ESSEC Professor, Hamid Bouchikhi and published at Wharton School Publishing.
• MBA Students Participate in Simulation through the Wharton/INSEAD Alliance
• Leading the Effective Sales Force December 10-14, 2007 (Philadelphia); June 2-6, 2008 (Fontainebleau); October 27-31, 2008 (Singapore)
• Strategic R&D Management March 2-7, 2008 (Philadelphia); May 5-9, 2008 (Singapore); June 15-20, 2008 (Fontainebleau)
• Wharton/INSEAD Executive Dinner in Paris on Monday, November 12th, 2007 with Jean-François Théodore, Deputy Chief Executive of NYSE Euronext.
• Wharton/INSEAD Alliance and Impact Conference on "Network-based Strategies and Competencies" November 8-9, 2007
• Wharton/INSEAD Business Journalists Seminar (January 9-13, 2005)
• Wharton and INSEAD Renew Alliance for Three More Years
  (April 2004)
• An article in The Financial Times  (June 24, 2002) reported on the successes of the Wharton/INSEAD Alliance after its first year. MBA exchanges, joint executive education programs, and faculty collaboration on research were highlighted as models for school partnerships.
• Wharton/INSEAD Economic Forum 2002
  The Wharton School cohosted an economic forum with INSEAD in Paris on May 16-17, 2002. The event focused on how business leaders will succeed in an environment of uncertainty and featured a gala dinner, a full-day conference with some of the world's most distinguished business leaders, and the announcement of the winners of the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award.
• Wharton Alumni Magazine (2001): Wharton Joins Forces With INSEAD

FAQs

Q1: What was the primary influence that led to the formation of the Wharton/INSEAD Alliance?

A: The decision to form the Alliance came about as the result of our mission to deliver global business education unmatched by any other business school in the world. Each school offers complementary centers of expertise and campus locations for a compelling worldwide network that no other school can offer. The two schools also share common values regarding the role and importance of lifelong business education.

The alliance with INSEAD extends our presence and enhances our offering to four dedicated campuses: Fontainebleau, Singapore, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. The Alliance’s four campuses also create new opportunities to offer enhanced value to multinational clients demanding global customized executive education and open enrollment programs.

Q2: How is this alliance governed?

A: The Alliance is governed by an executive committee of four people: the Executive Director Professor John Kimberly, the Research Director Professor Laurence Capron, and the Deans of Wharton and INSEAD.

Q3: What are the characteristics of a truly global business education, one of the stated goals of the Alliance?

A: Wharton believes that there are three key elements of a truly global business education. First, a diverse student body working together both inside and outside of the classroom is essential. For example, this year's entering MBA class is more than 30% non-U.S., so they all bring different perspectives, which enriches the overall learning experience for everyone. Second, there needs to be truly global content in teaching materials, whether it be case studies or examples. Third, faculty need to be actively engaged in research that impacts global companies.

Q4: What are some of the new initiatives as a result of the Alliance?

A: Executive education has been enhanced. In the open enrollment programs area, the two schools are co-branding selected existing programs. Leading the Effective Sales Force, the first co-branded Alliance program, is offered at Wharton’s Philadelphia and San Francisco campuses and at INSEAD’s campus in Fontainebleau, France.

INSEAD and Wharton focus heavily on research as a means of developing new business knowledge. Established by the Alliance, the new Wharton/INSEAD Center for Global Research & Education provides enhanced access to corporations and other participating organizations. It also raises global awareness of emerging business and societal issues.

MBA students from both schools can enroll for coursework across four campus locations worldwide — Wharton's in Philadelphia and San Francisco, and INSEAD's in Fontainebleau and Singapore. In addition, they are able to participate in unique and exclusive summer elective programs on Wharton's California and INSEAD's Singapore campuses. Credits are linked between the two schools. Each school offers its career management services to participants from the partner school, enhancing the global opportunities for MBA graduates of both.

The collaboration in delivery of PhD courses includes student exchanges, use of technology-supported learning, joint dissertation committees, and exchange of faculty.

Q5: Wharton offers a two-year program, INSEAD a one-year MBA program.  How do two-year MBA students take advantage of the four-campus option?

A: MBA students from both schools enroll for coursework across four campus locations worldwide — Wharton's in Philadelphia and San Francisco, and INSEAD's in Fontainebleau and Singapore. In addition, they participate in unique and exclusive summer elective programs on Wharton's West Coast and INSEAD's Singapore campuses. Credits are linked between the two schools. Each school offers its career management services to participants while at the partner school, enhancing the global opportunities for MBA graduates of both.

Q6: How can INSEAD faculty collaborate with Wharton faculty?

A: INSEAD and Wharton faculty have collaborated on research and teaching across many academic areas even before this alliance. This is one of the reasons why INSEAD is a good fit — we know each other and work together very well.

Q7: Has the Alliance been successful? What have been the greatest challenges to date?

A: Overall, Wharton has been very pleased with the relationship. The Alliance was launched at a very difficult time given the downturn in the economy, the bursting of the dot-com bubble, then September 11. This was a very big risk at the time. But it's been a very positive experience, especially under those circumstances.

It's really allowed Wharton students and faculty to take advantage of each school's breadth and depth of connections. There have been a very successful student exchange program, several successful joint executive education programs, new research collaborations, and various other initiatives in the works.

As with any venture of this kind, it's a learning process for both parties. Both schools knew there would be different styles, organizational cultures, operating procedures, etc. One approach isn't necessarily better than the other, just different. But we've been able to continue to move forward on multiple fronts.