Patience. Passion. Persuasion. European University.
| Auteur | Hendrickson, Christopher |
| Fonction | Business: mba special |
Since its foundation in 1973 in Antwerp, European University has been on quite the journey. It is fitting that the university's roots lie in Belgium, the heart of Europe, as it is from here that it was transported to major cities throughout the continent.
Recounting this journey from behind his desk in Montreux, Dr. Craen demonstrates palpable passion and excitement. He leans forward while telling of those early days when European University was formed: "We had the first English-speaking Higher Education program in Belgium ... the BBA we offered combined the strongest aspects of the American and European systems--in other words we created a system that merged the two and placed a strong emphasis on what we today call 'experiential learning'; learning by doing, learning by industrial visits, learning from case studies ..."
A healthy focus on hands-on experience still characterizes the EU approach, albeit today in an international setting; European University has its campuses in Switzerland, Spain and Germany, and its network of international partners spans the globe.
European University in Switzerland
Switzerland was the first country to host European University outside Belgium; Dr. Craen identified an opportunity: "Montreux was known as a region where you had boarding schools, finishing schools and hotel schools. The market was there and we came with our new system." Aiming to target the same market as in Belgium, European University specialized in family business and catered to young people who wanted to take over their parents' companies. "The marriage between hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge proved popular; we began recruiting students in May of 1985 and by September, there were already 80 students enrolled."
With fondness evident in his voice, Dr. Craen reminisces about how this time was the formative period for the European University that we know today. He tells of how Switzerland's global reputation for general quality and stellar academic institutions became a motivator for continual improvement.
This approach paid dividends as European University expanded further still, to open a new campus in...
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