INTERVIEW
Do you think that management education has a responsibility to play a leading role in the reconstruction of Ukraine? “The war’s impact has been devastating, but Ukrainian executives and managers are still going to school. It means they believe in the future of Ukraine. They feel that their individual contribution is important and that the kind of country they and their children will live in rests on their shoulders. “For this reason, I do believe management education will play a leading role in the restoration of Ukraine. E ective management is critical for any successful business. If Ukrainian managers have strong skills, it will help companies and organisations to become more competitive in the global market and accelerate economic growth. Management education can also help build an e ective public sector management system. Leaders in possession of good management and decision-making skillsets will improve the e ectiveness of public administration and contribute to the development of the country as a whole. “In addition, management education promotes a good corporate culture in Ukrainian companies. It also helps embed high ethical standards and corporate social responsibility. This, in turn, will boost the con dence of international partners and investors in Ukrainian business. “Every time I welcome a new cohort of students, I see people who are eager for new ideas and contacts. They come to study today so that they can create both their own future and the future of Ukraine. That makes me feel stronger and inspires me to continue what we are doing. After all, as I tell all our students, education is always about the future.” Should business schools around the world do more to include politics and international relations in their programmes? “Business cannot exist outside politics and our MBA programme discusses the elements of politics that most a ect business. Today, we need to act more decisively because business education is not just about enhancing knowledge and expertise, it also shapes the way we see the world. For me, it’s clear that global business schools should incorporate the development of students’ strategic understanding of politics and international relations. Business education must provide students with a wide range of knowledge and skills that will help them manage relations with other countries e ectively and understand global issues.”
How is your school planning for the future in a time of such uncertainty? “Of course, planning during a time of war is a challenge for any business school in Ukraine. We have become experts in resilience and crisis management. We need to be exible and adaptable, ready for rapid and unpredictable changes. We also need to implement innovations and technologies in a timely manner. For example, we have several secured classrooms with all the necessary equipment. It means that we have everything we need to survive air raids, rocket attacks and power outages. “It’s also important for us to stay in close contact with the business community. This is relatively easy for us because our 7,500 graduates help us understand the needs of the business community and this means that we can incorporate the latest and most e cient practices into our programmes. “Lastly, we must continue to expand our collaborations and international partnerships to become more global and ensure a timely, high-quality interaction, as well as an exchange of knowledge and experiences, for all our participants. “We are con dent that management education will play a critical role in the future, so today we need to think about our contribution to the development of the educational management system in Ukraine. Our task is to train a new generation of teachers, develop new programmes and update educational legislation. This system should include the best international practices and experience.”
Iryna Tykhomyrova is the president of MIM Business School, based in Kyiv, Ukraine. Under her leadership, the school – often referred to as MIM-Kyiv – has become a regional educational hub and established itself as a platform for dialogue between business, civil society and government agencies. Tykhomyrova is also vice-president of the Baltic Management Development Association, a member of the board of trustees for the charitable foundation of Ukrainian national newspaper, Den (The Day) and a member of the board of directors for the Kulzcyk Foundation Polish-Ukrainian Sisterhood Programme
15
Business Impact ISSUE 3 2023
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online