Learning to disagree, and working with customers and employees who have polarized scenes are the lessons that will prepare a graduate from the Cellog School of Management for the real world.
Franceska Cornelly, Dean of Kelog School of Management, told Mint When a master has not reduced the attraction towards the Business Administration (MBA), what is taught in the classroom has changed to keep pace with a global environment. Edited Excerpt:
Is the attraction towards MBA courses decreasing?
No, in fact, the number of applications from students in India for full -time programs of Kelog increased from 2023 (927) to 11.5% to 2024 (1,034). This trend continues in 2025.
There are some new courses that you have introduced to help students adapt to change in your work environment?
A course that is not new, but a key is a predominant to the Kelog students because the epidemic is well before the crisis management. How do you communicate with your employees in the middle of a crisis, and not nervous? This is now important, but it has always been. In fact, the alumni came back to us during Kovid and after saying that whatever we taught them in the classroom helped. Now, we have added leading courses with sympathy; Sell yourself and your thoughts; Everything an MBA should know about climate change; Fintech and society; And for family business, keeping it all in the family.
In addition to courses, we have Ryan Institute on Complexity, where our research uses aspects of physics to understand social networking. They guide the insight to teaching, where students are taught how to use social networks to come up with commercial ideas like Uber or Air B&B.
Has AI been introduced in courses so far?
We started teaching AI and analytics six years ago. What we teach is how leaders can best use scientists on their teams and how to reorganize the team to activate those scientists working with AI. The key focuses to bridge how to bridge AI with business. We are presenting the next several voluntaries that focus on AI, coming from a different perspective of each business – finance, accounting, strategy, etc. Another course is human and machine intelligence and leading with the network.
Is there uncertainty in macroeconomy and a change in students worrying in governments and businesses?
Yes, they are nervous. But they understand that it is right to invest in themselves in the time of uncertainty. I always tell the students, ‘We are not worried about your first job. We are interested in their long -term career ‘. I tell the students that ‘we are trying to prepare you for pivot for new ideas’. It is about the divine point and what happens in a long time.
How have changes in political environment affected in America?
We launched a center of enlightened disagreement last year. Professor in social psychology is teaching students about working with customers and employees who have polarized views. We create a discourse to show that it is okay to disagree and may be a different priority from a different background. It is absolutely fine to feel emotional for your side, but it is not right to perform on the other side.
