Every year, professors from around the world convene on the IESE campus to take part in the International Faculty Program (IFP), a four-week journey that empowers global faculty to enhance their teaching and leadership competencies.
“The IFP gave me a new lens that allowed me to see the world in a different light. The classroom became a borderless world of learning wherein ideas were shared, opinions challenged, mentors formed and teaching techniques discovered,” observed Regine Cinco of the Philippines, a recent IFP graduate.
In the 2017 IFP edition, 22 professors who represented five continents and 15 nationalities gathered on the Barcelona campus. Guided by IESE faculty experts, participants expanded their knowledge of key management education fundamentals, including course design, effective communication, case writing and dynamic teaching methodologies, with an emphasis on the case study method. They also gained a framework to identify their unique strengths and areas for improvement.
Many Nationalities, One Way to Learn
IFP Academic Director Prof. Miguel Ángel Ariño emphasizes how the program is designed to challenge the status quo of the participants’ academic work. “We want them to go beyond merely sharing scientific knowledge. It is a learning experience, not just an exchange,” he said.
Beyond the formal IFP curriculum, the cultural richness and international interchange catalyzed by the diverse backgrounds of the participants provide a singular global experience. In the last edition, 86% of participants were international, hailing from South Africa, Croatia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Ivory Coast, Equador, Kenya, Mexico, Bulgaria and Poland.
In addition to the two residential weeks of the program, participants have the opportunity to experience online teaching through online discussion of cases for two weeks in their home countries.
The Case Method: A Way to Learn
A trademark of IESE, the case study method is one of the main pillars of the IFP; participants learn to draft, analyze and effectively employ case studies.
“The case method is becoming more and more utilized within the world of business education because of its efficiency. We want the program participants to walk away knowing how they are going to reach specific teaching goals,” explained Prof. Ariño.
The IFP dates back to 1991 when IESE first started delivering seminars for professors from Central and Eastern Europe. Twenty-six years later, more than 500 professors from over 70 countries – many from emerging countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America – have benefited from the expertise and content of this unique program.
Graduates have gone on to teach and conduct research in more than 200 business schools, economy and business administration faculties and other educational institutions. Said one participant: “Being in an environment where the sole purpose is learning is an incredible opportunity to observe, participate and ask questions about all aspects of faculty training.”
