How Georgetown University pioneered the concept of global consulting projects
Georgetown University has established itself as a leading institution at the intersection of business and global affairs. How does Georgetown plan to continue evolving in these areas to stay ahead of emerging global trends?
While Washington, DC, will always remain integral to the global stage, business has been changed immensely by the rise of new economic strength and entrepreneurial ventures in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.
As a leader in international education, it is our responsibility to prepare our students to not just understand but experience and learn from the changing landscape as it exists today, and in the future.
Last year, we launched an Executive MBA in Dubai, which expands the reach of our executive and graduate programmes to students who may not have convenient access to Washington, DC, and broadens our business perspective in a new and emerging set of economies.
Building on the success of Georgetown’s prestigious Executive MBA, a highly ranked US programme, and leveraging the expertise of Georgetown McDonough faculty in Washington, DC, the Executive MBA in Dubai covers a range of business topics for senior administrators and includes two week-long residencies in Washington, DC.
Tell us about pioneering the concept of global consulting projects.
As a champion for global learning, our school pioneered the concept of global consulting projects nearly 30 years ago, and we continue to provide immersive learning experiences that expose students to real-world global challenges. Since the inception of the global consulting project, over 11,200 students have conducted projects in over 30 countries and 41 cities around the world.
Additionally, through partnerships with Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, we have created undergraduate and graduate degree programs and courses that focus on the intersection of business, policy, and global affairs.
We also launched the Baratta Center for Global Business to shape the future of globalisation through cutting-edge research, student learning opportunities, and convening and outreach with key business leaders, policymakers, and organisations who can address challenges on a global scale.
We believe that business does not exist in the ether — it lives at the intersection of business, policy and international relations, technology, and so many other fields — and it is our role as business schools to embrace interdisciplinary approaches to solving challenges that interact between business and other fields.
As we look ahead, Georgetown McDonough is working to develop a global network with major universities around the world to conduct cutting-edge research in global business, and we will continue to evaluate opportunities for international collaboration for research, student learning, and engagement with our global community — in Washington, DC, and across the world.
What are the key areas of focus for Georgetown University as it looks toward the future? Specifically, how are you addressing the business of sustainability, health, and the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the future of work?
With a mindset that business can, and should, be a force for good in the world, we have developed academic programming, co-curricular activities, and research opportunities that call upon businesses to partner with other industries to solve the world’s most complex challenges.
These “fields of the future” will continue to shape the world in the years to come. Our responsibility is to prepare the next generation to embrace these challenges, lean into innovation, and maintain a values-based approach to business.
We have launched three faculty-led initiatives — AI, Analytics, and the Future of Work, the Business of Health, and the Business of Sustainability — to produce interdisciplinary research, develop academic programs, and convene industry leaders and practitioners to address these challenges on a global scale.
As a result, we have introduced innovative degree programmes such as the MS in Business Analytics, which prepares students to use data to make value-based decisions, and the MS in Environment and Sustainability Management, which blends science and business principles that prepare graduates to achieve global sustainability goals for their organisations, and the MBA Certificate in the Business of Healthcare to prepare business leaders and medical professionals to tackle critical issues in the healthcare industry.
