People and Places: October 2025

New Programs

The Darla Moore School of Business and the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management (HRSM) at the University of South Carolina in Columbia have announced the addition of a new joint graduate degree. The combined Master of Sport and Entertainment Management (MSEM) and Master of Science in Business Analytics program takes two years to complete. The Darla Moore School and HRSM also offer a combined MSEM/MBA degree program that is designed to help students deepen their understanding of sport and entertainment management while also developing a strong foundation in core business disciplines. Plans are in progress to offer additional joint programs at the Darla Moore School’s Professional MBA facilities in Charlotte, Charleston, and Greenville.

The University of Miami’s Patti and Allan Herbert Business School debuted its Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (EDBA) program last month, welcoming 28 senior leaders to the inaugural cohort. The program will provide participants with the skills to implement evidence-based strategies and improve their ability to communicate insights to diverse audiences. The three-year part-time program is offered in a hybrid format that blends online coursework with intensive three-day campus residencies each semester. Participants will complete required coursework during the first two years before focusing on dissertation research with faculty from Miami Herbert in the final year.

Starting in spring 2026, the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley will launch an AI in Business graduate certificate, which focuses on empowering students with the means to leverage AI thoughtfully, strategically, and responsibly to maximize their impact. The certificate will encompass four key pillars: technology, management, strategy, and impact. To earn the certificate, students must complete UC Berkeley Haas’ Business for AI course and six additional units chosen from a selected list of courses. Core courses cover topics including data mining and analytics, security, ethics, and the use of AI in entrepreneurship, healthcare, new product development, and climate research. The certificate is designed for MBA students.

The School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, has designed a human resources concentration in the Stetson MBA program. In addition to learning how to align talent strategy with organizational goals, students will practice job analysis, training and performance management, and compensation and benefits as well as demonstrate the ability to lead a culture change. The new concentration builds on Stetson’s existing specializations in accounting, data analytics, and finance.

Earlier this month, Porto Business School launched its Advanced Program AI for Business, an executive education program that trains senior executives and managers to integrate artificial intelligence into their organizations’ strategies. Through three core modules, the curriculum explores AI’s use in marketing, operations, and value chains; its impact on business models; and its ethical, legal, and operational risks. The program will be delivered in a blended online and on-campus format, with 60 hours taught at the school’s Portugal campus and 30 hours taught online.

ESCP Business School and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) are teaming up to launch a dual degree program designed to prepare graduates with deep insights into both the European and Chinese markets. Taught entirely in English, the 14-month Global Master in Management program will include immersive experiences in Shanghai, Paris, London, and Zurich. Participants will earn a degree from both business schools. The first cohort will begin in August 2026 and will include a six-month work placement.

The Lutgert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, with support from edtech company Risepoint (formerly Academic Partnerships), has announced a new STEM-designated MBA program in business analytics. Delivered entirely online, the 36-credit program is aimed at professionals who wish to integrate data into their finance, healthcare, marketing, or technology roles. Students will gain hands-on experience with predictive modeling, machine learning, data visualization, and ethical decision-making. The new STEM MBA will replace the data analytics concentration within FGCU’s general MBA program to create a more streamlined curriculum.

The University of Mannheim Business School in Germany is amping up its investment in quantitative analytics fields with the launch of two new full-time master’s programs. The Master in Finance, Accounting, and Taxation blends core business principles with a focus on data analytics to prepare students for success in a future-oriented career in finance departments and banks. In addition, the Master in Operations and Supply Chain Management is designed to help students develop a holistic view of the value chain through descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytical methodologies. All students will take courses in logistics, sustainable operations, and supply management. They will also choose at least two credits from electives, allowing students to adapt the program to their personal career goals. Mannheim Business School also announced that the programs will be taught entirely in English and that courses will begin in the fall 2026 semester.

The School of Business at Yale University and ESSEC Business School are partnering to launch two new consecutive degree programs that will benefit graduate students at both institutions. Students in the Yale Master of Advanced Management and ESSEC Global MBA programs will have the opportunity to take part in this new learning experience through which they will split their studies between Yale’s campus in New Haven, Connecticut, and ESSEC’s campus in Cergy, France. Students in the ESSEC Master in Management and Yale Master of Management Studies in Global Business and Society programs will also be able to participate in this study abroad opportunity. Students starting in September 2026 will be the first to take advantage of the new offering. Participants will earn a degree from both business schools.

RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, has redesigned its Executive MBA program to offer specialist study options and broaden students’ global networks. In the new program, participants can choose to specialize in the areas of leadership and technology, strategic artificial intelligence and business analytics, public policy, arts management, fashion entrepreneurship, or health leadership. Learners have access to an industry guest speaker program, international study tours, global networks, and work-integrated learning projects with business, social, or ethical impact.

The Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba (UM) in Canada is launching a Leadership in Action microdiploma focused on building leadership experience with practical skills. The microdiploma is open to students enrolled in an undergraduate program at Asper, current UM students, or working professionals who want to pursue a professional development opportunity. The coursework will provide participants with the personal knowledge, best practices, and skills to become an effective leader and allow organizations to thrive. Learners can choose to complete the program in as little as two semesters and have up to two years. The program will begin in winter 2026.

New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Martin Tuchman School of Management is expanding its undergraduate programs to offer a major in applied artificial intelligence. The Bachelor of Science in Business with AI degree will start in spring 2026 and prepare participants to navigate both the technical and strategic aspects of AI in the business world. Students can choose to study specialized courses—with topics covering AI-driven text analytics and AI strategy and implementation—with opportunities to engage with local industry through internships, mentorships, and other experiential learning initiatives. In their final year, students will also complete an AI-focused capstone, developing solutions for business clients or startups.

Collaborations

The Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance educational opportunities in accountancy and finance and strengthen faculty development. The partnership will focus on the co-development of executive education programs, workshops, and student-centric seminars that align with international standards. In addition, the ACCA will lead professional development initiatives, including train-the-trainer modules, designed to enhance teaching capabilities.

The Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and the Phyathai-Paolo Hospital Group recently signed an academic collaboration agreement to promote and support the execution of high-quality research and innovation projects that are applicable in both academic and industry contexts. Under this partnership, both parties will use their respective knowledge and resources—including personnel, laboratories, research tools, and databases—to maximize mutual benefits. The agreement will also encompass the expansion of the Center for Phyathai-Paolo Rapid Innovation Acceleration, which includes the joint 7 Wonders Hybrid Learning development program.

Starting this fall, UNSW Sydney is expanding its partnership with OpenAI to provide 10,000 staff members with access to the secure and advanced capabilities of the ChatGPT Edu platform. The enterprise agreement will allow university staff to benefit from using AI tools to complement and enhance their research and teaching activities while protecting their intellectual property. All fixed-term and permanent staff at the Australian university will be offered an optional training before receiving their license, which is expected to take place over the coming months. UNSW also shared that it will purchase carbon offsets verified under a reputable standard to mitigate the emissions associated with the ChatGPT Edu agreement. The announcement follows a 10-month pilot that was led by the UNSW Sydney Business School. Of the 800 staff participants in the trial, 98 percent wanted to retain access.

Grants and Donations

Singapore Management University (SMU) has received a total of 3.85 million SGD (about 3 million USD) from alums Jay and Marilyn Ng. A portion of the money will endow the Jay and Marilyn Ng Greenhouse: Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a collaborative space that aims to bring people and possibilities together, fueling a vibrant ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship. A second portion will support the SMU Financial Literacy, Inclusion, and Technology Club to advance financial literacy among young adults and underserved communities. Finally, the gift will also fund a one-time full four-year scholarship as well as two awards, including the Jay and Marilyn Ng Study Award. Offered in perpetuity, the latter needs-based award will support two undergraduates each year from SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business or School of Accountancy. Together, these commitments allow the university to invest in its focus on interdisciplinary learning, entrepreneurship, and regional engagement.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia has received a 60 million USD commitment from longtime donor Bruce Jacobs. The gift will endow the Bruce I. Jacobs Master of Science in Quantitative Finance (MSQF) program, the school’s first new degree offering in 50 years. The program is designed for Penn students who have a quantitative background and career aspirations in quantitative asset management and related fields. Students who complete the MSQF program will gain skills in quantitative methods, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and financial markets. Admitted students will complete their bachelor’s degree, followed by one additional year of coursework that will include a hands-on research project aimed at addressing a real-world challenge. The inaugural cohort will begin their studies in fall 2026.

In September, West Virginia University’s (WVU) John Chambers College of Business and Economics in Morgantown received a 2.49 million USD gift from the John Templeton Foundation that will enable the university to upgrade its business ethics curriculum and research efforts. The funding will establish a first-of-its-kind postdoctoral fellowship in business ethics and support the production of new research outputs, including a new book by David Schmidtz, a professor and presidential chair of moral science at WVU. The new commitment will also go toward the recruitment of five permanent faculty members who will deliver new sections of an enhanced business ethics course, which all Chambers College undergraduates are required to take. The course material produced will be made available for instructors at fellow business schools to use when implementing their own version of the program.

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business has received a multimillion-dollar gift from the National Retail Federation and the NRF Foundation, whose president and CEO is alumnus Matthew Shay. The 6 million USD gift will create the NRF Business of Retail Initiative, which will offer all students at Georgetown McDonough the opportunity to explore the retail sector inside and outside of the classroom. The initiative endows the National Retail Federation Chair in Retail Studies, the National Retail Federation Summit, two National Retail Federation MBA fellows, and research grants.

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