INSEAD celebrates 10th Anniversary of Asia Campus in Singapore

INSEAD, the leading international business school, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Asia Campus in Singapore. This year marks a decade of success since INSEAD became the first global business school to create a second full-fledged campus independently in the region.

 “INSEAD was absolutely ahead of the curve by becoming the first business school to invest in Asia and establish the dual-campus model,” said J. Frank Brown, Dean of INSEAD. ‘The 10th anniversary of our Asia Campus is a true testament to the outstanding contributions of our board of directors, faculty, staff, programme participants and alumni from around the world.”

INSEAD established a campus in Singapore in January 2000 to serve as a hub in Asia for delivering the school’s internationally renowned MBA and Executive Education programmes, and for research by the permanent faculty. From an initial class size of 53 at its launch, the Asia Campus has since expanded to host more than 400 MBA students each year, along with 54 faculty members. The graduates are now part of the more than 41,100-strong alumni network worldwide.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “INSEAD has been a pioneer in establishing business education globally. As the region develops, INSEAD will play an important role in grooming ‘Asia-ready’ leadership talent. Singapore aims to be a ‘Home for Talent’, and INSEAD is an important partner to help achieve our vision.”

Leo Yip, chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board, said, “The strong growth of Asian economies has increased the importance of INSEAD’s role. Companies expanding in Asia will need managers who can operate effectively across Asian markets.  Asian enterprises that are internationalising will need managers who have global business skills. INSEAD’s Asia campus, leveraging Singapore’s Global-Asia capabilities, is well-positioned to develop these leaders.”

INSEAD’s History in Singapore and the Region

While the Asia Campus was officially inaugurated 10 years ago with the first section of the INSEAD Asia MBA programme, the school has a long history and deep roots in the region.

Over 30 years ago, INSEAD formed a Euro-Asia Centre to build a base of knowledge that would enhance the ability of European and Asian businesses to work together. The Centre conducted research, public and company-specific executive programmes and an annual business forum. Supported by the leadership of former INSEAD Dean Gabriel Hawawini and former Associate Dean of Executive Education Arnoud De Meyer, over 600 executive participants each year have come to the centre to participate in programmes taught by INSEAD faculty.

 “The proven success of the Centre for 20 years served as the foundation to enhance our presence and build upon our achievements in the region,” said Brown. ‘The market was poised for rapid growth which supported the development of a campus in the region and fitted well with the school’s strategy of cultural diversity and commitment to developing truly global business leaders.”

Unlike other business schools that have entered the region through partnerships with already established schools in Asia, INSEAD’s model took a more dynamic approach towards the local business culture and had faculty permanently based in Asia.

 “INSEAD was able to achieve its vision of ‘one school, two campuses’ through its long-standing presence in Asia and its ability to bring people, culture and ideas from around the world together,” said Professor Ilian Mihov, Dean of Research, INSEAD.  “The Asia Campus in Singapore was highly integrated with the existing Europe Campus in Fontainebleau and became a hub for other activities in the region. It was also extremely instrumental in attracting more MBA students and faculty of Asian origin and increasing research output on Asia.”

Looking to the Future: INSEAD in Singapore

As part of its long-term commitment to the education sector in Singapore, INSEAD will be deepening its presence here by exploring ways to further expand its facilities, in order to serve an expanding MBA and executive population’. INSEAD will also broaden the range of research activities it undertakes and look into launching new programmes such as a Master of Finance.

In line with the Singapore Government’s efforts to build the pool of managerial talent in Singapore and make the city state a vibrant education hub, INSEAD will strive to create a vibrant intellectual environment by continuing to redefine the nature of global management education through its programmes.  

INSEAD will mark the 10th anniversary of its Singapore campus with a series of exclusive events, including:

n The Leadership Summit Asia (12 November 2010; Singapore): Over 400 business and thought leaders will gather on INSEADs Asia Campus for a full-day summit on The Rising Power of Asian Companies, Governments and Consumers.

n Alumni Forum and Reunion (13 November 2010; Singapore): Alumni from the Asia-Pacific region and around the world will come together for a full-day of networking, panel discussions and faculty lectures.

n INSEAD Monsoon Ball (13 November 2010; Singapore): Held annually, the Monsoon Ball is an INSEAD tradition in Asia and opportunity for the wider INSEAD community to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Asia Campus.