News & Events

UK School Focuses on Asia

London business school, a graduate business college of the University of London, is introducing a new executive program in September to teach thought leadership to senior executives and policymakers who handle projects in Southeast Asia.

The five-day ASEAN Global Leadership Program is developed in partnership with management consulting firm SRW&Co. It's the first time the school decided to start a customized intensive course that focuses on the region at its London campus.

"The program is not about learning the ASEAN region," said Sabine Vinck, associate dean for executive education at London Business School.
"The program is about learning leadership - how you can use more effective leadership skills to deliver impact in the region."

Delving into both individual and company level, the aim of the program is to "help shape the development of leaders in an new economic area that still has to be developed," Vinck said.

The program has five components: leading in a global world, leadership and change, team and leadership, leading teams and innovation, as well as a conclusion exercise to consolidate and apply the learning. A new component will be taught each day.

A strong emphasis is put on imbuing students with new ideas and changing the ways they do things so as to have an impact on their businesses. Students will learn about themselves, how to interact with people and how to lead changes in a company.

Understanding cultural differences is another major takeaway point that the program aims to achieve. The program will teach students how to manage a team that is made up of people from different cultural backgrounds.

"What we are going to ask the students to do is not to reflect on cultural differences, but reflect on your team," Vinck said. "You have different nationalities in your team. Are they close culturally or are they different? What does that mean for the leadership?"

Another area is to learn about the European Union and the challenges it faces.

Students will learn through a mix of classroom teachings, group projects, guest lectures taught by business executives from London, and a field visit to the Formula One circuit in Silverstone. "We are going to get them to practice as a pit-stop team. That gives them a hands-on experience of team dynamics and learning to work with different people as a team."

On the last day, students will also be asked to create a fictitious company that will run for a day in the classroom. The conclusion exercise will help them reflect on the decisions they could make when it comes to driving a business forward by bringing changes, Vinck added.

The program, which runs from September 26 to September 30, will enroll a maximum of 30 students. Application is now open. Admission is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Although the program is aimed at c-suite (senior executives so-called because their titles tend to start with "chief") and board members from the corporate sector, as well as senior policymakers and regulators from the government sector, English proficiency is the only standard prerequisite for entry.

Applicants are not required to hold specific academic credentials.

Those who have substantial work experience in Southeast Asia are also welcome to apply.

"We have a focus on having an impact so we want the individuals who come on the program to do what they have taught - doing things differently in their businesses," Vinck said.

"So they have to have the possibility to do that."

Source:
www.thestandard.com.hk
1 Mar 2016