Leaders for emerging markets

12 July 2011. 140 representatives of internationally reputable business school from 28 states met at the Ipade Business School in Mexico City for the 6th Annual Conference of the Global Business School Network (GBSN). Dr. Jürgen Brücker (Dean External Relations & Development) and Elmar Friedrich (doctoral student at the Chair for the Management of Renewable Energies) represented the HSG. For the first time, the GBSN’s Annual Conference took place in the economically emerging Mexico – an ideal environment for a debate on “Developing Human Capacity in Emerging Markets”.

Platform for an international exchange

The list of participants ranges from INSEAD France and the Fundação Dom Cabral Brasil to the Lagos Business Schools from Nigeria. The mixture of representatives of universities from industrial, emerging and developing countries of all five continents creates a particular atmosphere for an intercultural and interdisciplinary exchange at the GBSN Conferences. The Annual Conferences are also a good platform for becoming acquainted with potential partner universities and exchanging experiences. Jürgen Brücker succeeded in reinforcing existing relations with globally renowned business schools such as the MIT Sloan School of Management and in initiating new partnerships.

Sustainability subjects in the business curriculum

In about 20 workshops and papers, issues like “Non-Traditional Marketing & Social Media” and “Current Trends in Responsible Management Education” were dealt with. The HSG, too, made a contribution: in a workshop, Elmar Friedrich presented the new CEMS course on “Climate Change Strategy Role Play” of the University of St.Gallen. He used this example to demonstrate how issues from the field of renewable energies and climate change can be successfully integrated into the curriculum of business schools.

Photo: Photocase/Totopoztle