vol. XVII no. 2

				Page 2 Page 1 2 3 STATE: In addition to entrepreneurship, you have stressed technology and globalization as major areas of emphasis for the College. Discuss the role the College plays in preparing students in these two areas. SH: Technology has gone from being revolutionary to almost being old news. Nearly everyone has a cell phone. People use cell phones on the street or in meetings in ways we didn't even imagine seven years ago. In the future, cell phones with expanded functionality will replace personal handhelds or PDAs. Laptops are commonplace, as is working from distant locations. The need to be technologically savvy is much more accepted than it was seven years ago. We continue to emphasize technology in the College. Our computer information systems program is one of the best in the world, and we are constantly looking for ways to incorporate technology into all phases of our curriculum and the work of the faculty. Regarding our international initiative, I believe we as a society are at the dawn of a new international era. The tragic events of 9/11 created an awakening in the United States regarding not only how we are influenced by international factors, but more importantly how we are connected to the rest of the world in ways most of us couldn't really appreciate before. Americans who travel abroad now have more than a passing interest in what shapes other countries. They want to know more about the cultural values and institutions that will influence the future of the world. In our programs, we have evolved from being Western centric (focusing on Europe) to being much more global. We now place considerable emphasis on places such as China and South America, which are becoming major players in the world's economy. STATE: You have emphasized the city of Atlanta as a major selling point for the Robinson College. How does it give the College a strategic advantage? SH: Being such a terrific place for business makes Atlanta an ideal location to build one of the world's best business schools. Atlanta is seen as a leader in the high-tech sector, especially in the telecommunications industry. It attracts a young, diverse and highly educated workforce. It is the international hub for the Southeast. All these factors make it a great learning laboratory for students from around the world who attend the College. STATE: The Robinson College has many outstanding faculty members who are also great researchers. How does having a strong research component help in the process of educating students? SH: Research is all about learning. It is the key to a learning environment. When you learn with students around, you are also teaching. Often we try to draw artificial boundaries between research and teaching. One complements the other, and together they create an environment that develops thought leaders. STATE: Robinson has a large number of international students. Do you see this trend continuing? How beneficial is this to a business school? SH: Eighteen percent of our graduate students and 5% of our undergraduates are international. These numbers put us among the top schools in the nation for international diversity. Part of this is a reflection of the College and its location. Students appreciate this diversity and international exposure. It gives them a tremendous advantage as they prepare to work in a global marketplace. With the international exposure our students enjoy on campus and with study abroad opportunities, you create an unmatched learning experience. And, as we discussed earlier, we as a nation are just beginning to appreciate the breadth and depth of our connectedness to the rest of the world. Previous Page | Top | Next Page

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