ADAM SMITH 300
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he University of Glasgow is in the midst of celebrating the tercentenary of Adam Smith’s birth. Can you elaborate on what influence his teachings have on the MBA programme currently offered? “In this tercentenary year, we
“The new facilities will also bring academics closer to the MBA students. The structure of the building will facilitate access to academic colleagues and business partners, triggering conversations that could re-energise research, as well as new learning paths and professional development opportunities for students. In addition, students may invite consultancy clients and mentors to these spaces for meetings.” Up until 2017, you were based at University of Los Andes in Colombia, where you worked as professor of strategy and supply chain management; what learnings and experience did you bring with you from there? “Besides being professor of strategy and supply chain management at Los Andes, I was the dean of the School of Management and I launched an executive MBA programme designed for CEOs, presidents and VPs of Colombian corporations and multinationals operating there, as well as for successful entrepreneurs. I was also the director of the EMBA and the full-time MBA at Los Andes. Those positions equipped me to better identify challenges and opportunities for the Glasgow MBA. “When I arrived in 2017, the Glasgow MBA was following a low-cost/low-price strategy. Now, in 2023, we have strengthened its market position; thus, the programme is closer to those we would like to be compared with in terms of value perceived and delivered, as well as tuition fees. Another aspect is that the programme requires both high-calibre students and academics/practitioners to have meaningful discussions where students learn from each other. The reality is that learning on an MBA programme is not only derived from lecturing, but from leveraging the knowledge within the cohort; especially when participants’ professional experiences are critically discussed and are enlightened with best practices and cutting-edge research.” What would you describe as Adam Smith Business School’s unique selling points (USPs) and how does it position itself in the market? “Broadly speaking, I would say that the school’s key strengths are firstly the richness and diversity of its academic body in Accounting & Finance and Economics & Management; secondly, the ‘magic’ of being part of the University of Glasgow, its long-standing recognition and efforts to be a university welcoming world changers; and thirdly, it is a business school that leverages the university’s strengths for the good of society. “Focusing my answer more specifically on the MBA programme itself, its USPs are first and foremost a small but very diverse and rich cohort in terms of nationalities, backgrounds and work experience. Secondly, it equips people to face and thrive under uncertainty with strong
have refreshed the Glasgow MBA structure to make Adam Smith’s legacy more relevant to the MBA. Specific learning experiences better align the MBA’s objectives with those themes inspiring the two professorships that Smith held at Glasgow, as a professor of logic and later of moral philosophy. “The first aims to assure that Glasgow MBA graduates are critical thinkers who check the logic of arguments when assessing them. Today’s world poses a higher risk of accepting at face value an avalanche of information without questioning sources, agendas and, even more fundamentally, the logic it follows to see if the arguments therein are reasonable and well supported. Secondly, since the 2008 financial crisis, many have questioned the ethical behaviour of MBA graduates in charge of financial institutions. At that time MBA programmes tackled the ‘problem’ by including ethics and social responsibility courses. “The Glasgow MBA offers a more integrated approach, rather than merely focusing on courses. From now on, students will have several programme-wide learning activities integrating knowledge with self-reflection. We expect students to consider what Smith would say if he were alive in the 21st century and to leverage lessons from his works that are still relevant today.” The school is moving to new premises at the start of the next academic year this September – what will this mean for the student cohort? “Moving to a purpose-built new facility will enable our students to enjoy 24/7 access to state-of-the-art facilities. The new MBA suite looks directly out to our world‑renowned Gilbert Scott Building with its iconic tower, cloisters and quads, spaces that students will still enjoy using on a regular basis. Students will have a dedicated MBA teaching room allowing us to implement new learning technologies and modes of delivery, including hybrid interactions and VR experiences. “In addition, it will provide a dedicated lounge for guest speakers, social events and experiential learning activities. Small group meeting rooms will facilitate class discussions and teamwork. Furthermore, MBA students will be closer to dedicated school spaces, including the Bloomberg/Finance room; therefore, those particularly interested in finance and investment banking will be able to leverage those resources for their benefit.
Ambition | JUNE 2023 | 19
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