Opportunities

for Strategic Alliances

between US and European
Business Schools 

The case of TRIUM Executive MBA

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 TRIUM Global Executive MBA was launched
in 1999 by one American university and
two European schools

NYU Stern School of Business

London School of Economics

HEC School of Management, Paris

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 Agenda

Success story of a truly global program

What we have learned from Trium

Management

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 Being global is more than
a question of simple geography
TRIUM’s positioning as a Global Executive
MBA was innovative
6 modules in 5 of the world’s economic capitals
Varied learning methods exploiting
characteristics and advantages of 5 international
learning locations
Genuinely multicultural faculty team
Worldwide recruitment and alliance networks
3 powerful Alumni networks

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 Competitive advantages of a global
alliance

Design of a truly global program

Anglo/U.S. and Euro-zone partners
Asian & Latin American presence
Quality
Top faculty in all locations
Strong complementarity of 3 different academic
reputations and cultures
Three-way integrated design process
One joint degree from NYU – LSE – HEC

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 TRIUM course structure
Six intensive modules in 5 different
countries over 16 months
4 modules of 2 weeks each held in New York,
London and Paris
2 week modules held in emerging economies
(Asia and South America)

Distance learning apparatus (500 hours)

between modules
Preparation
Following up
Team prospect work

Major team project on strategy tutored by

faculty
AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -
Madrid
 A Modular Structure

2005 2006 2007

MODULE 2 – NEW YORK MODULE 6 – NEW YORK

Jan 2 WEEKS 2 WEEKS

« Global Strategies & Finance »
« The Challenges of Leadership»

MODULE 3 - ASIA

1 WEEK
April « Corporate Governance
& Ownership, Marketing »

MODULE 4 - PARIS

2 WEEKS
July « Strategy Implementation
and Control »

MODULE 1 - LONDON MODULE 5 – LATIN AMERICA

Sept 1 WEEK
2 WEEKS
« Managing Diversity,
« The Political Economy »
Managing Risk »

DISTANCE LEARNING & SUPPORT

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Madrid
 An upward trend of participant
enrolment

2003 : 28 participants - 10 nationalities

2004 : 35 participants - 20 nationalities
2005 : 37 participants – 17 nationalities
2006 : 53 participants – 23 nationalities

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 « A diverse group of people to learn
with and about » *
Nationalitie
s

Other
13%
Europe
32% Other
North America
Asia
North America Europe
41%
Asia
14%

* A participant testimonial

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 An original integrated model

High

Level of integration

Low

Traditional Global
Type of program

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 The combination of complementary
strengths
NYU Stern
World-renowned finance and international
business expertise

LSE
Global vision of international economic, political
and social policy

HEC Paris
Long experience of international business
management in Europe

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 Original Strategic Goals
of NYU Stern for TRIUM
NYU Stern strategic mission
Stature and global recognition
Create competitive advantage
Prestigious, distinctive partnership, “best of
type”
Trend in Business Education
Executive education growth opportunity outside
US
Staking a position in distance learning
Leveraging NYU Stern strengths
NYC location, ties to business community
Strength in Finance, Int’l Business

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 Original Strategic Goals
of European partners
Take advantage of new opportunities of
globalization in executive education sector
Create international credibility
Consolidate the notoriety of brands on
international markets
Enlarge business portfolio of international
corporate customers
Integrate distance learning dimension in
their offer
Stimulate innovation and high standards of
quality in all sectors (pedagogy, facilities,
service,…)

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 An integrated governance

Trium Board of Deans

Strategic issues
Political support
Trium Board of Associate Deans for
Executive Education
Operational decisions
Trium Staff
TRIUM
E x e c u tiv e D ir e c to r

M a r k e tin g D ir e c to r A c a d e m ic C o o r d in a to r A d m is s io n & A lu m n i D ir e c to r

A c a d e m ic D ir e c to r A c a d e m ic D ir e c to r A c a d e m ic D ir e c to r US N on US
N e w Y o rk London P a r is

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Madrid
 KFS The choice of sharing
1
organization
Responsibilities are shared among the
three core partners
Responsibilities rotate

Advantages
Feeling of ownership of the program by each
partner
Strong commitment of core partners in day-to-
day management of the program
Efficiency of decision process

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 KFS
2 Common financial accounts

Specific financial management of the

program
All direct expenses and direct earnings budgeted
separately from school accounting
Gross margin divided between investment for
program development and dividend for schools

Advantage
Dividend for each school independent of number
of participants recruited by that school

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Madrid
 KFS
3 Mutual trust

At all levels, mutual trust and respect have

proved necessary to manage the challenge
of differences

TRIUM alliance is based on 30 years of

academic cooperation between partners
through exchange networks (PIM and
CEMS)

Links among program faculty members are

of utmost importance

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 KFS Patience and energy
4
of staff members
High investment of personnel from the 3
partners
Integration of course contents
Management of the participant body
Organization and following up of the distance
learning apparatus

Personal enthusiasm and involvement have

been crucial

Innovative ideas have come to fruition

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 KFS Integration of cultural
5
differences
Impact of problematic cultural differences
were underestimated when launching the
program
Academic issues
Professional perspectives

Issues which had to be dealt with

Country specificities
School identities

AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -

Madrid
 Other achievements resulting from
TRIUM
Two double degree programs have been
defined
LSE MSc / HEC MBA Double Degree program
Double MBA degree between HEC and NYU Stern
School of Business

International Executive Custom Programs

Combined offers HEC - NYU

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Madrid
AACSB - World Class Practices in Management Education - May 2005 -
Madrid