Stories
Stories
From Das’s Desk
As this issue arrives, the staff in External Relations is analyzing the results of our recent all-alumni survey, which aimed to better understand the learning needs of alumni. Whether you earned an MBA or a doctoral degree, or graduated from a comprehensive leadership program in Executive Education, each of you has experienced both moments of growth and times of great challenge as you have navigated your career and life. The question we hope to answer with the findings of this survey is whether and how HBS can be a valued resource throughout your lifelong trajectory.
What have we learned at this stage of our exploration?
- Alumni have different needs at different stages of their career and life paths, and those needs are most often triggered by moments of significant change.
- Most MBA alumni only return to campus for their reunions. Further, a majority of those who attend reunions see them as a source of opportunistic learning rather than an integral component of their personal and professional development.
- Executive Education alumni are somewhat more likely than their MBA counterparts to return to HBS for continued learning and development.
- While it is not always easy to travel to Boston for a few days of learning, alumni are eager to connect with HBS when faculty and others from the School visit their city or region.
- Women continue to have unique needs for professional development, and HBS alumnae see the School as a trusted convener to discuss these shared experiences and as a source of support.
- Alumni list leadership development, high-level industry insights, and the impact of technology as the top subjects for additional learning or information.
So what will we do with this information?
As we dig deeper into the results, we will share them with you, seek your feedback, and then use that information to shape how we leverage the School’s resources to support your lifelong learning strategy. We anticipate this will ultimately incorporate a blend of educational programs, peer-to-peer learning, content from across HBS, career services, online toolkits and other resources, new networking options, and more.
As we dig deeper into the results, we will share them with you, seek your feedback, and then use that information to shape how we leverage the School’s resources to support your lifelong learning strategy.
In the meantime, we will continue to offer unique programs such as The Reflective Leader and alumni-led initiatives like Alumnae Circles. Also, we will expand our collaboration with Executive Education to promote a selection of its topic-specific programs to relevant segments of the alumni community. Together we will find new ways to bring the best of HBS to you whenever you need it, wherever you are, and in the form that creates most value for you.
Das Narayandas is Senior Associate Dean, External Relations and Harvard Business Publishing, and the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration.
(illustration by Scott Chambers)
Post a Comment
Featured Faculty
Related Stories
-
- 08 Dec 2023
- HBS News
New Leadership Role and Structure
-
- 01 Dec 2023
- HBS Alumni News
Leadership Transition for External Relations
Re: Janet Cahill (AMP 189) -
- 20 Oct 2023
- HBS Alumni News
Highlights from the Fall 2023 Alumni Board Meeting
Re: Rupal Gadhia (MBA 2004); Patrick Mullane (MBA 1999); Andreas Stavropoulos (MBA 1997); C. Fritz Foley (André R. Jakurski Professor of Business Administration Senior Associate Dean for External Relations); Leslie A. Perlow (Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership); Srikant M. Datar (George F. Baker Professor of Administration Dean of the Faculty) -
- 23 Jun 2023
- HBS Alumni News
Highlights from the Spring 2023 Alumni Board Meeting
Re: Janet Cahill (AMP 189); Angela Crispi (MBA 1990); Andreas Stavropoulos (MBA 1997); Shikhar Ghosh (MBA Class of 1961 Professor of Management Practice of Business Administration); George Serafeim (Charles M. Williams Professor of Business Administration); Matthew C. Weinzierl (Joseph and Jacqueline Elbling Professor of Business Administration Senior Associate Dean, Chair, MBA Program); Robin Greenwood (George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Research); Jeffrey J. Bussgang (Senior Lecturer of Business Administration); Srikant M. Datar (George F. Baker Professor of Administration Dean of the Faculty); Debora L. Spar (Jaime and Josefina Chua Tiampo Professor of Business Administration Senior Associate Dean, Business in Global Society Unit Head, General Management); Samuel G. Hanson (William L. White Professor of Business Administration)