The University inaugurates its first academic year with two new degrees in Architecture and Communication that are fully compliant with the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). In his address during the inauguration of the first academic year of the new international university model launched by IE in April of this year, Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, Rector of IE University stated that â??The university we are building will be one of Europeâ??s most prestigious centers of learning, in line with the achievements of our business schoolâ?.
The Rector described IE University as â??A private institution with a public mission: that of educating global citizens, entrepreneurs who are committed to society and have an excellent working knowledge of their fields.â? He went on to underscore the fact that IE Universityâ??s innovative, market-oriented programs will also equip graduates with a solid grounding in humanities and management, given that â??humanities are the binding agent that integrate other knowledge, and the base for shaping individuals in the fullest sense of the wordâ?. Iñiguez de Onzoño also spoke about how behind every good business practice there is a good management practice, which is why IE University graduatesâ?? education will be equivalent to that of an MBA graduate, in that they will be entrepreneurial in their fields, change agents in their profession, and generators of value and social well-being.
After speaking about the Universityâ??s two new degree programs in Architecture and Communication launched at the beginning of the academic year, both of which are adapted to the European Higher Education Area, Ãñiguez de Onzoño announced that in the next academic year, following the receipt of the pertinent approval, IE Universityâ??s Santa Cruz la Real campus is set to launch new degrees in Business Administration, Biology, Law, History of Art, Construction Engineering, Journalism and Audiovisual Communication, Psychology, Tourism Management, and Systems and Technologies. â??One of the key features of these new degree programs will be their markedly international slant in terms of content, student profile, Spanish and English versions, strategic alliances and exchanges with leading international universities, and relations with global business organizations and institutions. The Rector of IE University explained that another of the main pillars on which the universityâ??s programs are based is the use of latest generation learning technologies, including plans to run almost half of some academic courses using high-quality online courses. â??This will enable students to combine program attendance with internships in firms and institutions, participation in social initiatives, or the acquisition of third or fourth languages anywhere in the world.â?
Iñiguez de Onzoño underlined that one of the main objectives is to attract the best students from around the world to the University. â??In order to achieve this, the selection process will include interviews designed to identify the diverse profiles we seek, and which embrace the concept of multiple intelligences. These processes will go beyond traditional entrance exam methods that evaluate analytical intelligence or memory, examining levels of emotional, relational, spatial, artistic, creative intelligence, together with the entrepreneurial spirit, all of which play a pivotal role in professional success.â? The Rector also pointed out that students will be selected regardless of their economic situation given that the University has implemented a scholarship system similar to that in place in major US universities.
Iñiguez de Onzoño also spoke about Segovia, the city where the University campus is located. â??Segovia is an open city with a historical legacy, unique culture and warm and friendly people, a place where everyone feels at home. IE University wants to contribute to the further cultural and economic development of this marvelous city through the creation of a top-level educational institution that attracts international academics and students who will forge long-lasting personal and business relations between Segovia and countries around the worldâ?.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: ZARYN DENTZEL
The keynote address of the inauguration ceremony was delivered by Zaryn Dentzel, founder and CEO of Tuenti, Spainâ??s most successful social networking site. Dentzel spoke to IE University students and graduates about the key factors for the success of his company. Dentzel shares the values of IE University: entrepreneurship and innovation. With his talent he has revolutionized social networking in Spain. During his address Dentzel insisted on the importance of accepting failures and learning form mistakes, something that is largely accepted in US universities but not yet widespread in Spain. He underlined the importance of teamwork rather than individualism. â??In the end, you are as good as the sum of the members of your team. An entrepreneur will never be successful if he or she does not have a team of highly qualified people who are satisfied with their work.â?
Rafael Puyol, President of the IE University Board of Governors, mentioned in his address some comments made by Steve Jobs, founder of Macintosh, in a conference at Stanford University in which he underlined the values that new students should bear in mind as they rise to the challenges that lie ahead. Values like perseverance, a love of what they do, the strength to accept failure and the maturity to assume success. The Secretary General of the University, Roberto Ruiz, presented the annual report for the last academic year. Javier Quintana de Uña, Dean of IE School of Architecture, took part in the presentation of the faculty, and Ana Cristina Sotomayor, an alum from the biology degree program, delivered a brief address on behalf of the students.
IE and Web 2.0
IE University is a pioneering institution in the use of technologies as a key feature of the learning model. This approach is evidenced in the blog www.deanstalk.net led by Rector Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, the Dean of Tuck Business School (U.S.), Paul Danos and Financial Times journalist Della Bradshaw, to promote debate in the field of management education. Furthermore, IE blogs (http://ieblogs.ie.edu) are now an international reference for both the business world and academic community. IE blogs received over a million visits in the first semester of 2008, registering an increase of more than 300% over the same period in 2007.
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