People and Places: November 2025

New Programs

Next September, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management in Germany will offer a new MSc in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, a redesign of its existing applied data science program. The new degree will broaden the scope beyond data-informed decision-making to provide an expanded focus on artificial intelligence and the latest technological developments. The refreshed curriculum includes content updates for eight program modules and two new courses: Generative AI Systems and Machine Learning Operations. Participants will still have access to electives from across the Frankfurt School’s master’s portfolio, equipping students with the skills to lead at the intersection of tech, finance, and business.

The Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary in western Canada is launching a new Master of Finance (MFin) program designed for recent graduates and early-career professionals with strong quantitative backgrounds. Set to begin in the 2026–27 academic year, the 16-month program will blend academic rigor with hands-on experience to prepare students for high-impact roles in finance, fintech, and capital markets. All students will enroll in two semesters of professional development courses to gain exposure to Calgary’s financial ecosystem before completing a hands-on internship or consulting project. International students who complete the MFin program will also be eligible for a three-year post-graduate work permit.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School has designed two groundbreaking degree programs in the Asia Pacific region that will begin enrolling students for the 2026–27 academic year. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management and CUHK Business School are jointly launching an MSc in Leadership for Experience Economy degree program. The interdisciplinary curriculum aims to empower participants to master the art and science of designing and managing authentic experiences for customers, employees, and communities through three core competencies: inspiration, investment, and innovation. In addition, CUHK Business School will partner with the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy to offer an MSc in Aviation Management. The one-year, full-time program will incorporate both technical expertise and business strategy, equipping students to navigate the complexities of modern aviation.

Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business has designed a new Flex MBA program tailored to working professionals attending the school’s Alexandria campus. Beginning in fall 2026, the flexible study plan will give students the option between in-person evening courses, online asynchronous coursework, or a combination that accommodates their family and personal commitments. MBA students will select their course modalities each semester, allowing them to continue their studies without fear of interruption from major life events or unforeseen scheduling conflicts. The streamlined 30-credit curriculum also condenses the previous 48-credit MBA structure into a focused plan of study that can be completed in just 24 months.

The Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto and Esade Business School in Barcelona are celebrating the official signing of a Dual Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree that will expand international opportunities for undergraduate students. Participants will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively collaborate in multicultural settings and respond to the challenges in an interconnected economy. Accepted students from each institution will complete the first two years of their four-year undergraduate degree at their home school, followed by their final two years of study at the partner school. The program is open to both direct-entry candidates from high school and students who are already enrolled in either of the individual BBA programs. Participants will earn a degree from both business schools.

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School has announced an AI and business program, the first of a suite of Flex Online “mini programs” aimed to equip working professionals with refined business capabilities that they can immediately apply in the workforce. The Flex Online AI in Business Program will explore future-focused concepts, including generative AI, business storytelling, machine learning, multimodal agents, and deep learning applications through a curriculum that requires no prior experience in AI or programming knowledge. Participants can take individual courses or complete four courses in a concentration to earn a credential in as little as 16 months.

Nottingham Business School (NBS) at Nottingham Trent University in the U.K. has partnered with the National Fire Chiefs Council to co-create an executive education program that will strengthen strategic leadership across the region’s fire and rescue sector. The flagship Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) will draw on the expertise of NBS faculty to tailor learning to address the real-world challenges in the sector. The ELDP will be delivered in a blended online and in-person format over 10 months. The first cohort is expected to begin in spring 2026 and will be limited to 35 participants per intake.

Collaborations

London Business School (LBS) in the U.K. has partnered with HSBC UK, a multinational banking and financial services company, to offer top-performing employees access to a personalized wealth excellence curriculum. LBS faculty will support HSBC’s new Wealth Academy, which was created as part of a larger initiative to attract and develop top industry talent. The professional development program was designed to complement HSBC UK’s existing Academy Pathway program and will provide employees at any level of seniority with a structured learning pathway to develop expertise and knowledge in areas from foundational wealth principles to advanced investment strategies. Structured in three core pillars, the program begins with a range of online, self-led learning pathways, followed by virtual or in-person workshops focused on customer-centricity, investment strategies, and financial planning. Outstanding performers who reach pillar three will gain access to a course delivered by LBS and an invitation to attend the Wealth Global Symposium held in China.

Excelia Business School in La Rochelle, France, and the Indian Institute of Management Udaipur are amping up their investment in student mobility with the launch of a new study abroad learning opportunity. Under the partnership, students at both institutions can spend one semester of their degree program at the affiliate school. In addition to learning about the complexities of business environments, students will develop a global mindset and exercise cultural intelligence.

Grants and Donations

The College of Charleston in South Carolina has announced a transformational gift from Beemok, the family office of Benjamin “Ben” Navarro and his wife, Kelly, to support the acquisition of a new facility for the School of Business. The Carroll Building site, near the entrance of the Union Pier neighborhood, will “offer students more unparalleled opportunities for experiential learning, internships, and community engagement,” says Paul Schwager, dean of the School of Business. Ben Navarro is the founder and CEO of Sherman Financial Group and co-teaches an intentionality course for first-year undergraduate students at the business school. The School of Business is home to more than 3,000 students.

Grambling State University in Louisiana has received a 2 million USD anchor investment from the Moorehead Family Foundation, making the Thomas and Joyce Moorehead College of Business and Entrepreneurship the first named degree-granting college in the university’s history. The gift will also provide scholarship support for students through a series of endowed initiatives, including the Thomas A. Moorehead Student Entrepreneur and Investment Fellows Program, offering immersive learning in entrepreneurship, investment strategy, and venture-building, and the Thomas and Joyce Moorehead Faculty Fellowship, to expand research, innovation, and inclusive excellence in business education. The current gift brings the Moorehead family’s total support for the school to 10 million USD.

Arizona State University in Tempe has received a 35 million USD commitment from the National Association of State Procurement Officials to elevate the role of procurement in supply chain education and research. The gift will endow the NASPO Department of Supply Chain Management at the W.P. Carey School of Business and provide additional funding for scholarships, the launch of new procurement tracks in undergraduate and graduate supply chain-specific programs, endowed faculty positions, applied research, and strategic partnerships.

Centers and Facilities

The Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, has announced the launch of the Sandler Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The name honors a recent donation from Jonah Sandler, an entrepreneur and member of the Dean’s Corporate Advisory Board, and his parents, Les and Renee. The new center will aim to ignite creativity, cultivate entrepreneurial thinking, and strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem. The gift will also fund a new entrepreneur-in-residence position to support student ventures and allow the college to expand its undergraduate degree and minor programs. A dedicated incubator space on the second floor of Rike Hall will be transformed into the Sandler Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is expected to open in spring 2026.

On 7 November, the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill formally opened its new Steven D. Bell Hall. The new four-story building will support UNC Kenan-Flagler’s growing student population and double the current space for student life and community engagement initiatives. Bell Hall includes 16 flexible classrooms equipped for simultaneous in-person and online teaching, a 40-seat outdoor tiered teaching space, 39 study rooms, a designated career area that includes an interview suite with 27 individual meeting rooms, and an inner atrium surrounded by a two-story dining room and additional gathering spaces. Constructed in line with sustainability needs, the design takes advantage of natural light and the installed photovoltaic system to achieve a 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel energy use. The building’s name honors longtime donors Steven Bell and his wife, Jackie, who donated 26 million USD to the construction of the newly opened building. The remainder of the project was funded through a combination of 105 million USD from the state of North Carolina and 90 million USD from various private donors. Bell Hall opens for classes in the spring 2026 semester; meanwhile, the renovations to the business school’s older facility, the McColl Building, are expected to take an additional 12 months.

Other News

Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, received approval to restructure the Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. School of Business, aiming to provide better integration between STEM and business. The new plan, which took effect on 1 July, reorganized the previous two-department structure, which included economics and management, into a nine-department entity. The new academic departments include accounting, economics, finance, management information systems, marketing, organizational behavior and human resource management, quantitative methods, supply chain and operations management, and strategic management. Plans are also underway for expanded growth of individual academic programs under the Daniels School umbrella, notably with the launch of a cohort of the Integrated Business and Engineering program at Purdue’s new expansion campus in Indianapolis. (A five-million-USD gift to establish the Allen Family Innovation and Integration Business and Engineering Lab was previously featured in our May 2025 People and Places posting.)

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