Alliance at a Glance
Overview
Four Campuses. Two Schools. One Alliance.
The strategic alliance between Wharton and INSEAD is based on the shared belief that tomorrow's market leaders in management education must have global reach and be part of a global business education and knowledge network with a leadership position in America, Europe and Asia.
The Alliance leverages the strengths of both schools to deliver unmatched reach and resources to businesses worldwide. With this Alliance, both schools are able to engage in broader, more powerful collaborations:
- Opportunity for MBA and PhD students to study across three continents.
- New knowledge creation with the intellectual scope of both schools through a joint Wharton–INSEAD Center for Global Reasearch & Education
- Unique capability to design and deliver executive education programs for corporations and senior managers across three continents.
- Leveraging the strong alumni networks of both schools.
Milestones
- 2001-2009 - Since its creation, more than 800 MBA students have participated in the exchange
- March 2001 - Creation of the Wharton–INSEAD alliance
- Year 2002 - More than 100 MBA students participate in the first exchange
- July 2004 - Renewal of the Wharton–INSEAD alliance
- July 2007 - Renewal of the Wharton–INSEAD alliance
- April 2008 - Renewal signing event in New York
Alliance Leadership
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Thomas S. Robertson, Dean of the Wharton School |
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Frank Brown, Dean of INSEAD |
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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. |
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Laurence Capron serves as Research Director of the Alliance and Director for the Wharton–INSEAD Center for Global Research & Education. Capron is Professor of Strategy at INSEAD. |
Newsroom
Please visit the Press Room for specific media inquiries.
- FT.com: Dean Thomas Robertson offers commentary in an article about INSEAD's 50th anniversary, noting that the school's decision to open a Singapore campus was "very, very brave." (September 14, 2009)
- News Release: The Wharton School and INSEAD Renew Alliance for Four More Years
- Knowledge@Wharton: Interview with Professor John Kimberly, Executive Director of the Wharton–INSEAD Alliance and Professor of Management, on his new book,The Soul of the Corporation: Managing Your Company's Identity, written in collaboration with ESSEC Professor, Hamid Bouchikhi and published by Wharton School Publishing.
- Feature Story: MBA Students Participate in Simulation through the Wharton–INSEAD Alliance
- Joint Executive Education Programs
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) - Executive Dinner in Paris with Jean-François Théodore, Deputy Chief Executive of NYSE Euronext (November 12, 2007)
- Impact Conference on "Network-based Strategies and Competencies" (November 8-9, 2007)
- Business Journalists Seminar (January 9-13, 2005)
- News Release: Wharton and INSEAD Renew Alliance for Three More Years (April 2004)
- The Financial Times reports 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. (June 24, 2002)
- Wharton–INSEAD Economic Forum: 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.
FAQ
- What was the primary influence that led to the formation of the Wharton–INSEAD Alliance?
- How is this Alliance governed?
- What are the characteristics of a truly global business education, one of the stated goals of the Alliance?
- What are some of the new initiatives as a result of the Alliance?
- 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?
- How can INSEAD faculty collaborate with Wharton faculty?
- Has the Alliance been successful? What have been the greatest challenges to date?
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.
