Darden and AIM partnership

I was perusing the Darden website and blogs and came across some very interesting news. Good news actually. The Darden School of Business has just signed a partnership with one of the top Asian MBA schools and incidentally is located in my country--the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).

I'm happy to hear that Darden is establishing strong relations with Asian schools and expanding their reach and connection to the Asian market and its upcoming leaders in business.


Darden Announces Partnership with the Asian Institute of Management
April 28, 2010

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business announces the signing of a partnership with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), located in Manila, Philippines.
Mr. Edilberto C. de Jesus, president of AIM, traveled to Darden for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two schools.
“AIM is well known to us as a leader in graduate management in Asia,” said Darden’s Dean Bob Bruner, “and we are kindred spirits in the way we create classroom experiences.”
Like Darden, AIM uses the case method as a primary mode of learning in its programs. AIM was founded in Makati City in 1968 with a grant from the Ford Foundation; its case method curriculum was developed with an advisory group from Harvard University.
“AIM and Darden share roots,” said de Jesus, “and we look to learn from the experience of Darden as the field of graduate management education evolves.”
The two schools will engage in joint faculty research, joint case writing, exchange programs for graduate students, collaborative executive education programs and scholars from both schools will be invited to participate in conferences and lectures.
“From AIM, we at Darden seek to deepen our perspective on the Philippines and East Asia,” said Bruner. “The Philippines have enjoyed remarkable growth, which stretches the creativity of business leaders, and more mature economies like the United States can learn from this.”
Founded in 1954, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business improves society by developing principled leaders in the world of practical affairs.

Source:
http://www.darden.virginia.edu/html/news_article.aspx?id=21299

Why blog?

The last time I opened Microsoft Word to write an article was probably two years ago. Hmm… Let me add a qualifier to that: This does not include the monthly financial commentaries I write on the company’s topline and bottomline results. But come to think of it, those monthly writing exercises actually helped delay the formation of cobwebs in my right brain. Right. Those just appeased the regional and global controllers that we were spending their money right.

Anyway, what I’m saying is that I’m happy to be typing away trying to engage any readers out there.

So, how do I plan to engage you or what do I plan to blog about?

Short answer: my MBA adventure at the Darden (University of Virginia) School of Business

Long (checklist) answer:
-my (expected difficult) transition from a five-year stint in the corporate world to the world of MBA
-the ins and outs of the Darden MBA
-the changes I will go through and embrace
-the homesickness I know I will feel (big lump in throat)
-the diverse people I will meet and become friends with
-the cultures I will learn about and experience
-the travels I plan to take
-my musings and reflections on school, career, and life in general
-the lessons I will learn and mistakes I will learn from
-any other escapades as a Pinay MBA student in the US
-and any other relatively mundane adventures

Why am I writing?

Short (beauty pageant-like) answer: Because they say that this will be the best two years in my life

Long (-er) answer: Because they say that this will be the best two years in my life and I’ll be damned if I won’t have lucid memories of it by the time I’m sixty.