Archive for April/2011

Did you follow with envy those forums where students talked about their experience at the IE Global MBA? Their high learning outcome, the value of their networking and their skills building in working in global virtual teams? However, as you are interested merely in Finance, a MBA program does not really fit into your career planning – at least not at this stage.

So, here is the good news: IE is launching the Global Master in Finance with the acclaimed learning environment of its Global MBA. The Global Master in Finance provides participants with in-depth knowledge of finance functions including: corporate finance, investments, derivatives, financial accounting analysis, economics for markets, private equity, and financial entrepreneurship. The program is enhanced by additional studies and tools that assist decision making in areas affected by the financial manager’s actions.

This program is intended for professionals who usually, but not exclusively, work in the world of finance, and who are unable or unwilling to leave their current employment while obtaining the skills needed to allow their career to prosper. The expected work experience is 1-7 years after graduation from university. Over 14 month, beginning in October, you will discuss case studies through the online forum discussions as well as the Saturday videoconference at 1pm (Madrid time) – still a reasonable timing for most of Asia-Pacific in the evening.

If you are curious, set your agenda for the evening of April 27 (12.00 noon, Madrid time, GMT+2), where you can learn more about the approach we are using in our Masters in Finance program. To register just use this link - and enjoy the new exciting new opportunity to continue your studies without leaving your job and residence.

London and New York remain important exchanges in global financial markets, however many exchanges located in the Asia Pacific region are gaining or have gained global recognition as major financial centres. Our intention with this scholarship is to support future financial leaders who will build a career in the Asia Pacific region, during and after their studies at IE Business School.

The Finance Asia Pacific Scholarships feature 5 scholarships of up to 40% of the tuition fees of the IE Masters in Finance Programs taught in English. All you need to have is the nationality from an APAC country as well as relevant work experience within the region. Of course, you have to go through the admissions process and get selected for one of the following programs :

• Master in Finance
• Master in Advanced Finance
• Global Master in Finance – the newly launched blended Master in Finance combining face-to-face with interactive distance learning.

For more details on the Scholarship, just click on the image above, for more information on the respective programs, simply connect the new Masters in Finance Blog.

By Enrique Dans, Professor at IE Business School, published on IE Focus

Social networks have the capacity to mobilize millions of people in defense of a cause, regardless of their location. The far-reaching impact of this is now starting to show.The expansion of social networks has had one extremely interesting effect: the proliferation of causes or claims capable of garnering the support of a large number of people, sometimes very quickly. When this occurs, the person promoting the cause in question cites the number of people involved as evidence of support, whereas sceptics and detractors try to downplay it by talking about of the scant value of support provided by merely using an index finger to click on a mouse. 

Who should we believe? Can we consider this type of group as tangible evidence of support, the virtual equivalent of a street demonstration with banners and slogans, or does the practically zero effort required to support the cause mean it is worth very little? The social importance of this issue is growing as the number of social network users increases: Spain has the highest number of social networks users in the world (according to the latest figures, we are talking about around ten million active users on Facebook and around eight million on Tuenti). As a result, many are starting to see social networks as a kind of “trend laboratory” or a gauge for measuring the “social mood”, a kind of permanent, real-time survey on the widest possible variety of subjects. Read more…