Executive MBA Students Participate in International Seminar in Singapore and Vietnam
The Executive MBA Class of 2020 visited 3M in Singapore to hear from Kevin McGuigan, managing director, about why Singapore is a hub for the company’s manufacturing and commercialization efforts.
Thirty-four Executive MBA (EMBA) students in the UTSA College of Business visited Singapore and Vietnam this spring as part of the program’s international seminar.
“The international seminar provides students with diverse perspectives on how business is conducted around the globe,” said Bruce Rudy, faculty director of the college’s Center for Professional Excellence and associate professor of management. “This year we integrated the experience for both our general management and health professional tracks by providing company visits in a developed and an emerging economy in Southeast Asia.”
The 10-day trip began in Singapore with a tour of Orchard Road, Marina Bay, Chinatown and Little India. Company visits included A*STAR Central (ASC), an open innovation community and 3M Singapore.
“The opportunity to visit companies with diverse backgrounds in Singapore was an eye-opening experience,” shared EMBA student Fernanda Diaz. “After observing the culture and how companies are managed, it is easy to understand how Singapore is a strong economic force in South Asia.”
The class then broke into two groups. The general management track visited Perx Technologies to discuss artificial intelligence in customer engagement, while the health professional’s track visited KPMG Singapore to talk about the innovation and digital transformation of life sciences and healthcare in Singapore and the region.
“The KPMG meeting was an incredible overview of the provision of healthcare in Southeast Asia. It was enlightening to see that half a world away governments struggle with the same issues of access and funding care that we struggle with in the United States,” said EMBA student Daniel A. Johnson, M.D.
After an action packed couple of days in Singapore, UTSA EMBA business travelers boarded a plane and headed to Vietnam.
In Ho Chi Minh City, students visited Intel where they discussed how the company is driving STEM education and career paths for women. The class also visited Lazada in Vietnam, an e-commerce fulfillment organization, to hear about the company’s innovation and investment in last-mile delivery, as well as tour the sorting center and shop floor.
“It was inspiring to witness how companies such as Lazada, have created unique processes that allows them to operate in difficult locations providing employment to a large sector, which includes women and mothers,” said Diaz.
“The EMBA trip to Vietnam and Singapore was an incredible experience in which we were able to see in action, what we learned in International Business. The international seminar was a phenomenal experience to learn about the business and cultural environment in other countries,” shared Johnson.
“The international seminar is an important part of the EMBA experience,” said Rudy. “Throughout the trip, participants were asked to reflect on how government structures and cultures influence business. We want every student to come away from the international seminar with a greater awareness of their potential impact as a business leader in the local and global economy.”
The Center for Professional Excellence is the home of executive programs in the UTSA College of Business. Participants in the Executive MBA and Executive Education programs engage in collaborative and dynamic learning experiences that go beyond the classroom to be relevant in today’s rapidly changing global economy. Visit cpe.utsa.edu to learn more.
