Please read Part I below before reading this post.
Diversity is a hallmark of Tuck, and the school is constantly moving on the path to become even more diverse than it currently is. But there’s one thing I’ve noticed at HEC that’s different and refreshingly so.
The case studies I’ve prepared for are not all Harvard cases and the companies being discussed are not all US-based. As a result, the perspective you get is much broader than the typical US / Harvard perspective of how things are. I somehow found that enriching and really informative.
At Tuck, quite a few cases I’ve read (and that’s a pretty limited sample to begin with) have the Harvard stamp and are about US-based companies. During this past year, I remember there being discussions of introducing more international case studies at Tuck. Having seen international cases in action at HEC, I think doing so will be invaluable to the already top-notch classroom discussions at Tuck.
Another area of obvious difference I’ve seen has to do with visiting speakers. I was fortunate to have direct access to so many visitors at Tuck this past year in spite of its relatively remote location. It’s hard for me to remember a day passing without an announcement of a high-profile visitor coming to Tuck – either to speak to a class or to participate in a panel etc.
The number of visitors I’ve noticed during the exchange program is a fraction of what I’ve seen at Tuck and the students don’t necessarily have the opportunity to interact with them on a personal level.
I felt the connection with students and the quality of the interactions I’ve seen at Tuck to be much, much stronger than I’ve noticed during my exchange program. Kudos to Tuck administration for keeping the MBA experience so personal. (Continue to Part III above)
Read the full article: Thoughts on Exchange Program – Part II