CEMS Magazine | May 2011
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bieger Chairman of CEMS & President of the University of St. Gallen
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CEMS started as a vision more than 20 years ago. The goal was to improve management education in Europe. At that time, the CEMS MIM was a unique Management degree which introduced such innovations as internships, business projects and the compulsory term abroad. Through continuous investment in quality, it became a flagship M.Sc. programme in international management and CEMS developed into a global alliance of 26 business schools, 69 corporate partners and two social partners, at the time of writing. CEMS is still strongly inspired by its vision of being a network which brings together universities of different cultural and national backgrounds with leading companies and NGOs. But after more than 20 years, it has moved on from its initial pioneering days. More and more organisations have to legitimise their investments in cooperations with clear and even measurable outcomes. Therefore, CEMS also has to produce and communicate clear values for its stakeholders. The CEMS management, the central office, the committee chairs and I, as chairman, are committed to developing CEMS and its value for its stakeholders. University education and especially Management education is facing a globalisation process. International competition for the best faculty and students is increasing. There is an important role for CEMS as a global alliance and platform for cooperations as known in other globalising service industries. The value for its members has increasingly to be the brand, the excellent core product - the CEMS MIM - but even more, the function of a platform for innovation, mutual learning and new products. CEMS should and will fulfil this role and differentiate itself by the strengths of the links between its members from other networks and cooperations in the education sector. Best regards,
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bieger Chairman of CEMS & President of the University of St. Gallen
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