In praise of purpose
Polimi Graduate School of Management has remoulded its brand and o erings around one overriding ethos to meet the needs of a changing world. Dean Federico Frattini describes how the cause of purpose now permeates its programme portfolio and outlook
W e are living in an age of deep transformation in both the business world and society. Globalisation, digitalisation and the challenges presented by climate change are contesting the conventional way to do business and schools have a responsibility to prepare future leaders for this change. A few years ago, this inspired Polimi Graduate School of Management to set out on a journey to rethink our brand, ethos and, ultimately, our educational o erings so that they are purposeful. Broadly speaking, purposeful teaching is an educational approach that emphasises the alignment of classroom instruction, curriculum design and overall educational experience with an exploration of the deeper meaning behind our actions. This encompasses raising awareness of the challenges we are facing and a critical inquiry into our behaviours. This method focuses on helping students understand the wider influence of what they are learning and gives them the tools to pursue sustainable, purposeful careers. At Polimi, we decided to redesign our full-time MBA in line with this new approach last year. Our new programme places a strong emphasis on incorporating purpose, social responsibility and ethical considerations into business education. We did this with the aim of preparing
a new generation of leaders to tackle the challenges of an increasingly complex, globally connected and technology-driven corporate landscape. We believe that this type of MBA programme is unique because it goes beyond traditional business education. It does this not only by integrating a broader perspective on the role of business in society, but also by putting the human being, with all its complexities, at the centre. Integrating industry insight Polimi puts this into practice in several ways, but one important aspect relates to the way we work with internationally recognised companies. This has created an extensive business network within the school community, allowing us to involve a range of diverse perspectives. In fact, the school works with companies on course o erings from the design stage onwards and this brings a huge number of benefits for our students. By combining academic coursework with practical learning opportunities inside organisations, our students gain a first-hand understanding of core business disciplines while also exploring emerging trends, innovative strategies and new practices. For example, we hold classes on company premises and run company visits where business leaders share new and experiential teaching methods. Our collaboration with industry also provides access to internships, case competitions, guest lecturers and partnerships, meaning our students are given a plethora
20 | Ambition MAY 2024
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