Taking Business Across Continents

Why global is no longer just a mindset at Georgetown. 

If you ask Paul Almeida, dean and William R. Berkley Chair, about the one place he would choose to teach global business, his answer is still Washington, D.C. But he quickly follows this question with one of his own – one that has led to the recent international expansion of the Executive MBA (EMBA) program: why do we have to choose only one place in the world to teach global business?

His short answer? You don’t. Here, Almeida shares his thoughts on why Georgetown is embarking on a new global program in one of the top business hubs in the world: Dubai. 

McDonough has been a leader in global business education for many years now, but from Washington, D.C. Why is now the right time to launch a degree abroad?

Washington, D.C., will remain central to the global stage, but business has been changed immensely by the rise of new economic strength and entrepreneurial ventures in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. There is no city that greater exemplifies the dynamism of new business more than Dubai. We are witnessing a convergence of new economic and business opportunities in emerging markets across the world, and as a leader in international education, it is our responsibility to prepare our students to understand the changing landscape as it exists today, and in the future.

 What is your vision for EMBA Dubai?

EMBA Dubai will be a wonderful complement to our Washington-based programs and will become a bridge between two worlds: the established, powerful presence of Western business in the United States and the rising, innovative, and entrepreneurial approach to business in the Middle East. 

Grounded in our Jesuit tradition and a commitment to academic excellence, we will continue to provide the rigorous instruction and rich experiential learning opportunities that Georgetown is known for, while offering an in-depth look at global business in a different and dynamic part of the world. EMBA Dubai will allow us to offer programs to executive students who may not have direct access to our programs in D.C., and it also will allow us to learn and extend our expertise by understanding business in a new and emerging set of economies. Dubai offers enormous potential for new interdisciplinary programs and research, as well as significant alumni engagement opportunities abroad.

How does this program reinforce our mission as a Jesuit institution? 

Our history as a Jesuit university is rooted in global curiosity and discovery. EMBA Dubai is another stepping stone on a long journey set forth by our founders, who believed in the spirit of exploration, of intellectual inquiry, and of intercultural understanding. It is through new global opportunities, such as EMBA Dubai, that we advance our mission of global entrepreneurialism and continue to enrich who we are as a Jesuit educational institution. 

This story was originally published in the Spring 2023 Georgetown Business Magazine.