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Flexibility, skills, artificial intelligence: Logol’s challenges were born at MIP

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Flexibility, skills, artificial intelligence: Logol’s challenges were born at MIP

Marco Farina, 2015 Flex EMBA alumnus, tells about the establishment of Logol and what he learned from his participation in the master’s programme. Starting from the ability to work remotely, using new technologies

Why is technology, often, surrounded by a negative sentiment? And why isn’t its potential completely embraced? These are the questions from which Marco Farina, 2015 Flex EMBA alumnus of MIP Politecnico di Milano, started to set up Logol, a Swiss company that since 2017 has been active in the field of artificial intelligence. «My idea», explains Farina, «is that too often digital transformation services are managed in an improvised fashion. The objective was and remains that to bring real skills within companies, skills that can translate into a real value added for business. And in this process artificial intelligence now plays a fundamental role».

Logol’s operational pillars

There are four pillars on which Logol’s business model is based, says Farina: «We are first of all advisors. Our main goal is to support companies in their approach to AI». The second pilaster, instead, is tied to the idea for which Logol was born:  «We were established as a company without a physical office. Smart working is part of our mentality, and it’s this same attitude that we want to bring to the companies that turn to us. This process mainly involves the migration of server infrastructure to the cloud. In the transfer of this sensitive data, data security is fundamental, and AI helps to increase the level of security».

The third pilaster involves business applications. «Today companies must be lean, if they want to be competitive. Today’s gold is data, so the planning of an information system must be carried out using modern applications that allow you to have a holistic vision of the company».

The last pilaster involves pure AI. «After having rationalized the company’s technologies and processes, we apply artificial intelligence to the reference technology, whether it’s a chatbot, the optimization of warehouse stock or customer engagement in ecommerce».

Logol makes flexibility one of its strengths and works with both medium-small and large companies: «In the world of small and medium businesses we position ourselves as the sole interlocutors, because we step in to totally redesign their technological approach», explains Farina. «In our relations with larger companies, with which we don’t have an exclusive relationship, we express our expertise in more specific areas».

The Flex EMBA experience: a rehearsal for flexibility

Before setting up such an innovative company, Marco Farina attended the Flex EMBA programme. An experience that proved useful to him from different points of view: «First of all, I felt the need to strengthen my skills. I had already studied computer engineering at the Politecnico, but I still needed to acquire the expertise necessary to understand the management of business processes». The master’s also allowed Farina to forge important relationships with his colleagues: «The relationship with them was fantastic, and still is, seeing that we are still in touch. Uniting us, now and then, was the desire to challenge ourselves with the goal of improving. The possibility of interacting with people with very different educational and training backgrounds, thus adopting always new points of view, represented a real value added». The FLEXA format fit well with his needs in that particular moment of his career: «It was a decidedly demanding moment, flexibility was fundamental». A flexibility that represented an important testing ground, on which to develop those smart working methods on which Logol would be built: «For two years we got used to interacting as if we were in front of each other. This is fundamental: these are practices that we, as entrepreneurs and managers, must pass on to our collaborators. The workers of the future will be people who interact in this way».

Milan’s Local Food Hub against food waste: more than 150,000 meals recovered for a total of 77 tonnes of food

Posted on | by Mirja Calgaro | Leave a Comment on Milan’s Local Food Hub against food waste: more than 150,000 meals recovered for a total of 77 tonnes of food

Last 14th January, the local Food Hub located at Via Borsieri 2 in Milan (District 9) celebrated its first birthday and an incredible success: 77 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 154,000 meals, were saved from going to landfill in its first year, with 21 non-profit organisations, 11 supermarkets and 5 company canteens involved in the initiative.
And a new Food Hub in District 3 is ready to open its doors.

The Deputy Mayor in charge of Food Policy, Anna Scavuzzo, said: “This has been a great success for the Via Borsieri Hub – it has laid the foundations for other districts. The figures show that if everyone involved works towards a common goal, it is possible to create an effective and supportive network capable of meeting the needs of a big city like Milan. With the participation of two important new players, AVIS Comunale di Milano and Banca di Credito Cooperativo di Milano, we are now ready to open another Hub in District 3.”

In 2015, Milan introduced a new Food Policy to pioneer a more sustainable food system throughout the city, introducing a multidisciplinary and participative approach under which city authorities act as drivers and enablers. A top priority in this food policy is to reduce food waste, and the best way to achieve that goal was to bring local players on board, namely the city’s research centres, institutions, private sector, foundations and social actors.

To translate this priority into concrete action, in 2016 the City of Milan, Assolombarda (the Lombardy section of the Italian Entrepreneurial Association) and the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano signed a memorandum of understanding, entitled “Zero Waste”, drawn up to reduce food waste and implement a new method for recovering and redistributing surplus food which would then be donated to people in need.

The design and experimentation of such a model aimed at collecting and redistributing unsold products or unserved cooked meals was built around local networks of supermarkets, corporate canteens and non-profit food-aid organisations. It gave rise to the first district Food Hub promoted by the City of Milan, Assolombarda, the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano, in partnership with Banco Alimentare Lombardia (Lombardy Food Bank) and supported by the “QuBì Programme – The recipe against child poverty”, promoted by Fondazione Cariplo with the support of Fondazione Vismara, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank, Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Fondazione Fiera Milano and Fondazione Snam.

The School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano conducted a feasibility study of the model and has been in charge of monitoring operations at the hub and for the whole system whilst measuring the impact of the project over a 12-month period, building a logistical model that now is being scaled up and replicated in other areas of the city.

All district Hubs will provide practical answers to the demand for city-wide food waste reduction and access to food by those in need, ensuring a small-scale food collection and redistribution service.
The Via Borsieri Hub donated 77 tonnes of food – equivalent to about 154,000 meals – with an economic value of €308,000, reaching the levels predicted by the Politecnico di Milano in its model. Over the course of the year, the number of social players benefitting from the service, i.e. non-profit organisations, increased from 14 to 21.

“I am very pleased to have contributed to a systemic solution which addresses the salvage of small and scattered surpluses of food, which are the most difficult to manage,” said Alessandro Perego, Director of the Department of Management Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano. “These projects are an important lesson in mutual support for individuals and the community as a whole. Something that we seriously need at this time, when the risks of increasing social inequality and marginalisation are high.”

Banco Alimentare Director Marco Magnelli said: “One year later, the results of a projects that functions from the perspectives of logistics, hygiene, and health and safety, promoted and coordinated by Banco Alimentare della Lombardia, confirmed that it is a successful response to the region’s food needs. This was made possible due to the partnership between public, for-profit, non-profit and university institutions.”

The companies associated with Assolombarda which are involved in the project have participated through their canteens by donating surplus food, thus helping to reduce waste. In addition, large-scale retailers provide different types of food on a daily basis which passes through the Hub and is redistributed to the various parties; eleven supermarkets and five company canteens are part of the initiative.

Assolombarda General Manager Alessandro Scarabelli said: “The ‘stronger together’ approach is key to the success of the via Borsieri district Hub and the opening of the new District 3 Hub. A goal that we are proud of, one which was made possible due to the contributions of our companies, which played an active role in reducing food waste and promoting an effective and replicable model. The results of the initiative encourage us to bolster our commitment to this issue, with the aim of spreading good practices and a culture of waste reduction for a greater degree of sustainability and responsibility throughout the region.”

In 2020, the next important innovation to come is the opening of an additional Hub in District 3, in the Lambrate area. This will involve the participation of AVIS Milano (a Blood Donors Association) and Banca di Credito Cooperativo (BCC), the winner of the recent public call for tender announced by the City of Milan to collect the necessary resources to set up new Hubs across the city.

BCC President Giuseppe Maino said: “We are aware of the urgent need to strengthen this network throughout Milan, so that it is capable of fighting food poverty and waste. We decided to support the project, because we share its objectives and values. We are proud of our members who decided to donate an amount equivalent to their usual Christmas bonus from the bank to the Hub construction project. We have long been committed to developing a positive-action network with the Metropolitan City’s most important associations and institutions to support and strengthen these regional efforts.”

Avis Milano General Manager Sergio Casartelli said: “Avis Milano submitted its application for the District Hubs’ call for tender because it is in line with our objectives. We will contribute to this important project for the city by providing our spaces in District 3, and join the network of players involved in the fight against food waste in Milan.”

Personalization and digital learning: the full time MBA gets a new look  

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Personalization and digital learning: the full time MBA gets a new look  

Updated contents and a new structure for the educational offering.  Concentrations, four specializations in areas of excellence, are coming. And innovation continues in content delivery: learning is increasingly digital

 

In 2020 the Full Time MBA of MIP Politecnico di Milano changes shape. It evolves, to meet the needs of companies and to respond to trends in continuous development, obviously while maintaining the mission of a Master in Business Administration: providing a 360° managerial understanding of how a company works.  «We continue to focus on those people who have between three- and seven-years work experience and want to give a boost to their career», says Antonella Moretto, Director of the area MBA & EMBA. «What changes is the structure of the educational offering. Alongside a core part, built around traditional thematic pillars, there is also a highly personalized programme, which is divided in four specializations called concentrations».

Four pillars for a solid foundation

«However, students get to this point only after an initial phase in which solid theoretical foundations are laid», clarifies Moretto. «It is an all-encompassing experience, that involves a commitment of between eight and nine months and that guarantees a major career acceleration to who, within four or five years, sees themselves in an important managerial position. An internship is scheduled at the end of the programme. It’s also worth mentioning that last year, at the time of graduation, 90% of our students had already found a new job». The first educational phase, as was mentioned, is that of the four pillars: «In order, they are: analysis of the company and context; management of activities and processes; innovation and transformation planning; and, finally, realization of the latter». This last aspect is a very important part of MIP’s vision: «Training managers who understand the overall functioning of a company is obviously our objective, but that’s not enough for us. Here at MIP we try to select candidates who demonstrate a marked disposition as innovators, who want to be agents of change».

Concentrations: intensive bootcamps in contact with companies

It’s at this point that concentrations, or specializations, enter into play. «The personalization of the educational programme is one of the strengths of this MBA. There are thematic tracks that foresee hundreds of hours of activities of the student’s choice, and the months of concentrations involve intensive bootcamps on one of these themes, of their choice: Global Management and Sustainability, Big Data and Digital Transformation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Luxury and Design Management. The bootcamps were designed ad hoc together with partner companies, with the aim of developing new skills, but also to work and put in practice these aspects.  The factual approach, therefore, in this phase emerges in a very clear fashion», explains Moretto, «but if there’s something else new in 2020, it’s that even during core lessons, that is the most theoretical moments of the programme, the share of practical activities reaches 50%. The rest is made up of what we call experiential gym, a set of activities that include company presentations by managers, challenges and case studies, simulations, company visits, career development workshops».

With digital learning the campus expands

However, even the more traditional teaching part, in its own way, will be innovative. «When we talk about frontal lessons, and that is the classroom, we are not referring to classic lessons. The basic notions, indeed, are delivered by digital means. Students can prepare themselves beforehand, in light of the activity to be carried out in the classroom, dedicated to in-depth analysis. And a portion of frontal lessons can also be accessed remotely. We like to call this modality “extended campus”. In addition, thanks to our digital platforms it will be possible to make use of the contributions from other universities. A series of opportunities that distinguish a highly personalized, flexible, digital learning experience that is line with students’ needs», concludes Moretto.

 

 

 

Reorganization of teaching: the word to the faculty

Posted on | by Sergio Oliveri | Leave a Comment on Reorganization of teaching: the word to the faculty

The recent situation has also determined a change in the planning for MIP courses: all lessons were moved online. Four professors share their impressions

Classes at MIP stopped only for one day. Then the timely reorganization of the teaching schedule guaranteed the normal continuation of lessons, although in the online version for classes initially set to take place in the classroom. Particularly appreciated was the professionalism and efficiency demonstrated by the school, as well as its respect for students and professors, showing an understanding of the inconvenience the suspension of courses would have entailed.
«Lessons were moved online to maintain educational continuity and avoid the loss of contents or eventual postponements in the attainment of diplomas, with the goal to guarantee the same qualitative standards » says Antonella Moretto, Associate Dean for Open Programs at MIP. «Six years of digital experience allowed our faculty to adapt rapidly to the need to transfer all lessons online, or to redesign them to not limit opportunities for interaction with students. A teaching mode that has proved effective precisely because of its ability to stimulate and involve the classroom, sometimes superior to that you are able to accomplish in face-to-face lessons. Thanks also to professors who have shown they are ready and responsive to change».

Teaching goes online and doesn’t stop being interactive

Filippo Satolli experimented with this “unprecedented” method with a lesson on Mobile Marketing, part of the International Master in Marketing Management, Omnichannel and Consumer Analytics programme, which included three hours of theory and three devoted to the implementation and discussion of different project works on the part of the students. A classroom of 28 students «that gave me a lot of satisfaction, because despite the absence of empathy characteristic of classroom lessons the students participated and showed they were engaged» he says.

If breaking the ice was one of the most delicate moments, succeeding in finding a way to maintain the students’ attention has amply repaid efforts. Convinced of this is Paola Bellis, who moderated two online lessons of Project Management, both theoretical and practical, within the Master in Business Analytics and Big Data programme: «Despite a bit of initial difficulty, I think the interaction through the screen in some cases put students at ease». A sensation confirmed by Daniel Trabucchi, also involved in the Project Management course: «Once they gained confidence with this tool, the possibility of writing in addition to interacting verbally, helped to break down the barrier of shyness and the fear of having to speak up in the classroom by taking the microphone in hand. What also struck me was the atmosphere of support among students who started to interact, immediately putting a “like” on their respective observations».

After theory, practice. And the mission can be considered accomplished

When it helped them prepare for the lesson, students were divided into work groups to carry out project work. Through a special platform, they were thus put into different virtual rooms in which they could debate and discuss the project.
All the professors agree on one thing: teamwork was the most complicated part to manage, both for them and for the students. «It was difficult, but not impossible, to complete the project on time given the difficulty of coordinating at a distance. Indeed, the students did brilliantly» says Filippo Satolli. «In the end, the practical part also worked well, and the mission can be considered accomplished» confirms Paola Bellis. «It’s an experience I would repeat because it was very formative, both for us and for students».

«I’m used to holding lessons in the digital mode, but in this case, I was dealing with students accustomed to the classic classroom lessons who hadn’t chosen online learning» says Daniel Trabucchi. «For them it was the first time and they reacted in the best of fashions, because they’ve been able to offer me a lot of food for thought. The feedback I received allowed me to rethink the lessons in a way I believe, and hope, can be even more engaging and enjoyable».

A Smiling Mind for future leaders

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on A Smiling Mind for future leaders

 

It all started with some of us being curious to know more about who everybody is are beyond busy classes and aperitivo time, when you chit-chat with people, randomly passing from one to the other sometimes with small talk, at other times with meaningful conversations that nonetheless stay private. It all started with us needing some real space and some time to bring a small audience together, to be able to speak freely and have some space to share. Back then, the MBA program was starting to be very condensed and most of the time it required so much attention and work in and out of the class that sticking together on a personal basis was a need felt by many. Bringing thoughts and doubts, freely speaking about who we are, why we are doing the Master, what brought some of us to move from faraway continents to Italy and where we are heading to are all topics MBA students would want to put on the table to start an exchange with the people they are seated next to the entire day.

The Smiling Mind Talks came to life out of this malaise as an informal project created by my classmate Victor, an immunologist with a research background all around Europe. At the beginning of the year, right after the first intense weeks of lectures, he proposed that we should have the chance to express ourselves in a direct and open way through our personal stories. Once a week, on a voluntary basis, two of our classmates could make a small chalk-talk or presentation following a rather free format, where they would tell us about themselves, their passions or projects. At the beginning, the number of participants was narrowed down to a few, but as time passed, and people asked to be listed for their talk, the buzz spread amongst us and the audience grew from week to week, until Smiling Mind bloomed into a long-awaited, rather crowded event of the week, anticipated by much joy, beers and food for all.

Thanks to Smiling Mind, I learnt about my Turkish friend Demet and the fears and thrills of her entrepreneurial project. Demet moved from New York to start working on a long-desired plan revolving around women’s empowerment in disenfranchised rural communities, that will enable an ancient form of handcraftsmanship – jewellery filigree – to become known to the broader public. I also had the chance to get closer to Felipe, a business analyst who embarked on the MBA adventure from Chile with his inseparable wife Carolina, with whom he has literally climbed mountains all around the world. Felipe comes from a sporty family and is also a runner, and some years ago he was involved in a major accident. Hearing his story of recovery and resilience created a beautiful energy amongst all of us. The day I did my talk, I myself felt very nervous: I was going to share something private about my life, past experience and future expectations; but the reassuring gaze in my classmates’ eyes made me feel at ease as I concluded towards a feedback session where comments and encouragements made me understand how a moment of spontaneous deep connection can make us improve as human beings and feel more engaged.

In the past weeks we have learned from the innovation course that in order to make a radical change, you need a shift in the meaning of things. In an age where words like mindfulness are often overused and misinterpreted, an activity like the Smiling Mind talks really have an impact on the way we learn, from top-down to team-based interactions that help us create a sense of community stemming from experience-based practices, where we can learn from each other how to become future leaders.

About the author
 Marianna Trimarchi
I am a candidate of the International Full Time MBA at MIP. I have a background in academia as a PhD in Communication and Strategic Analysis and a career as content producer in the Media Industry.I have worked for the Italian Television as author and assistant producer for cultural programs as well as for other media outlets as journalist. I am passionate about understanding complex phenomena particularly related to internationalization and global development from a multidisciplinary perspective.

 

 

 

Coronavirus and online learning: the word to our students

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Coronavirus and online learning: the word to our students

Davide, Massimiliano and Sergey tell about their experience with lessons via web, which are currently substituting those previously scheduled for the classroom: «A positive solution, that allowed us to also take part in complex activities like group work»

The Coronavirus has had an impact not only on productive activities and commercial establishments, but as we know also led to a temporary suspension of educational activities, including of course those of MIP. That which at first seemed like a hard to overcome obstacle, instead turned out to be an opportunity, highlighting the school’s great responsiveness and its digital DNA: indeed, numerous lessons nonetheless took place (and are taking place) regularly online. Not only those originally slated to be held via web but also many of those that were set to be held in the classroom, so as to guarantee as much as possible the continuation of activity, limiting the inconvenience for students.

Theory and practice: the lesson is via web

Davide is enrolled in the Master in Supply Chain Management programme: on Tuesday, 25 February his agenda included a classroom lesson on the negotiation of contracts with Professor Ronchi. A lesson that was also to have included group work with other 25 students, in which negotiations were to be simulated. The day before – Monday, 24 February – an e-mail informed him that the lesson (which he thought was cancelled) would be held all the same, but in a digital mode: the e-mail had a link to a virtual meeting room on the digital platform.
«It’s a tool that we were already familiar with –says Davide – and which can also be accessed via smartphone or tablet, and this made everything easy. The teaching part went smoothly, we followed the slides prepared by the professor as if we were in the classroom. Once it was time for group work, other private meeting rooms were opened to discuss – by voice or on chat – with colleagues in the same group and with other groups separately, to then all be joined up again at the end of the lesson for the debriefing». A successful experience, then? «Everything was organized very quickly, for this we must thank the course leaders. There were no particular problems with the professor’s lesson, it was like being in the classroom; it was stranger to carry out group work over a device, but we quickly got used to it and, even if all the dynamics you experience in person can’t be replicated via web, the experience was positive, especially because it allowed us to not lose the lesson».

Students also meet online

Massimiliano, enrolled in the Master in Energy Management programme, also had a similar experience. Also in his case – and with the same timing – starting from Tuesday, 25 February, different lessons were moved online: «Normal teaching, but also external testimonials from professionals in the sector who shared their experience. I must say that in the beginning I was a bit sceptical on the effectiveness of this method, but I quickly changed my mind: a microphone was sufficient to speak with the professor and participate actively in the discussion. Considering the rapidity with which the school had to implement this system, it proved to be a very valid solution».
In Massimiliano’s case, then, the stop to lessons could have led to a further complication: in those very days, his course had foreseen the delivery of a group project on energy efficiency. «We had to analyse the energy situation of a company starting from its audit, map out measures and propose new ones, obviously considering economic aspects. In short, a very complex assignment. Thanks to this method, each group managed to complete the work in time for the deadline».

For Sergey, a student from Russia, the emergency could have caused even more serious problems. Indeed, Sergey came to Milan the day before the cancellation of lessons, to attend an MBA Bootcamp on Global Management; news of the measure reached him as just as he arrived in our city. «For me the timing was really bad. However, if the Bootcamp had simply been cancelled, it would have been much worse, with all the time and effort put into participating. It’s truly fantastic that MIP gave us the possibility of studying online. Of course I was very sorry to not be able to meet the students from the other countries in person, but current technologies give us the opportunity to respect the schedule and follow education programmes even in the event of an emergency: I had to follow the lessons via smartphone – I didn’t bring my laptop with me to Milan – but I appreciated them a lot. Moreover, the events of the following day showed that it was a responsible decision, that had to be taken».

Leading the new generation workforce

Posted on | by Tania Tornese | Leave a Comment on Leading the new generation workforce

 

The essential digital skills for the leaders of tomorrow

To be a successful leader you need to have the right mix of soft skills and technical knowledge.

Soft skills, also known as “interpersonal skills“, relate to the way we interact with other people and include reliability, effective communication, problem-solving, people management, change management and more…

Alongside these very important skills, there are hard skills, the job-specific knowledge and technical abilities which are constantly shifting and evolving over time in the dynamic working environment in which we work today.

To manage resources and interact with different teams, you need important leadership skills but also specific digital hard skills that an International Part-time MBA at the MIP School of Business aims to develop in its traditional courses, elective boot camps and company visits.

 

  • Data science skills and the ability to make data-driven decisions: a leader must know how to read and manage data, generate reports and forecasts, identify sales opportunities and estimate profitability since organizations collect and analyze large amounts of data to make objective decisions and transform their processes. In the Data Analysis course, for example, I learned how to apply statistics to business from collecting the relevant data to writing technical reports useful for strategic decision-making.

 

  • Programming and software development: basic programming, web and app development knowledge are required to work with both internal resources and outsourcing agencies. Programming is also important for knowing how to identify opportunities, define specific project objectives and requirements, estimate the times, costs and resources necessary for implementation and guide technicians in development. In this case, the boot camp dedicated to Biomarketing used real cases to show how to use digital technology to analyze the market and to improve our understanding of the customer. Moreover, the company visit to Accenture highlighted how the company supports other businesses in the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and in the development of software used for data collection and analysis with the aim of improving sales strategies, customer management and process transformation.

 

  • Network and information security, cybersecurity and privacy knowledge: the advent of the GDPR in Europe during May 2018 put data security and privacy at the top of the agenda for many project teams. Also, consumers are now more conscious of the risk of sharing their personal information online and they expect to have their data protected. As project leaders, we will need to be able to set guidelines for project delivery that include data security approaches, work with the IT and legal teams and ensure that the required standards for security and privacy are met.

 

  • Social media selling and digital marketing: today, buyers won’t engage with a seller without visiting their company website first. Social selling uses social media to find, connect and develop meaningful relationships with potential customers. Product managers must master digital marketing skills to create digital content and promote products and services. The company visit to Moleskine, in this case, was very impressive. The company is completely digitized in its processes, marketing and customer relations while selling some of the most traditional products on the market: diaries and notebooks.

 

In the next few years, when we will be in team leader positions, we will be working with a new generation of workers who have grown up in a fully digitalized world. We should use our digital skills to coordinate them, understand their needs, support them with the tools they require, set goals and evaluate their work.

On the other hand, since technology allows new generations to be confused in values ​​and ethics, and to be lazy in habits and have little emotional intelligence, we should teach them the timeless virtues like commitment, responsibility, and the valuable soft skills that they may not understand, like emotional intelligence.

We will learn from them how to take advantage of new technologies and we will use our digital and soft skills to leverage their abilities and create the best working conditions to maximize their performance.

That is the critical role we will play.

 

About the author
 Andrea De Donatis

I am Andrea De Donatis, a student of the international part-time MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano. I Graduated in energy engineering and I am currently working in technical sales for a leading multinational electronics company based in Milan.
I am very passionate about technology, IT and digital marketing. I strongly believe that disruptive innovation is vital to create new value.

 

 

FT Online MBA Ranking: International Flex MBA by the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano a world top ten online Master

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on FT Online MBA Ranking: International Flex MBA by the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano a world top ten online Master

The only Italian programme in the Financial Times ranking and a European top 4

Federico Frattini, MIP Dean: “In an explosive period for the debate on digital transformation within education processes and online learning, Italy has as a global reference point in our School. An excellent ‘distance’ acknowledgement”.

The International Flex MBA offered by Politecnico di Milano’s School of Management is the only Italian distance learning programme to be included among the ten best in the world, and it is in 4th place for European Schools. This is confirmed by the Financial Times, which today has published its Online MBA 2020 Ranking on the performance of the most outstanding distance learning Masters in Business Administration.

“In a moment of lively debate on the need to approach education from a distance, where innovative, flexible and inclusive models are a choice and not the answer to an emergency, the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano is once again showing its role as a trailblazer presenting excellent results in this field”. These are the words of Federico Frattini and Vittorio Chiesa, recently appointed as Dean and President of MIP, respectively. MIP designs and teaches Masters and other courses on behalf of the School of Management.

They then continue: “Our educational offer is now very largely available through smart learning. The International Flex MBA is taught via our platform specifically designed in partnership with Microsoft. This full English version of our Flex MBA was the first smart learning MBA launched in Italy in 2014, and is one of our School’s major success stories; as of today, nearly 500 students have taken the Italian and International versions. In 2016, AMBA (the Association of MBAs) listed our Flex MBA among the most innovative MBAs in the world and, in 2017, it was the first such course in Italy to receive the EFMD EOOCS certification for online programmes of excellence. Last year, the programme was placed in 7th place in the QS Distance/Online MBA Rankings 2019“.

In greater detail, the International Flex MBA was evaluated highly in the FT Online MBA 2020 Ranking for the superb way in which course colleagues, School faculty and staff are all able to interact online through the platform designed specially for this type of Master. The programme was also acknowledged for its impact on the participants’ level of pay (average, they receive a 40% increase within three years from graduation), and on their career prospects, for the excellent cost-benefit ratio, as well as for the high percentage of women (47%) and international members on the School’s Board (65%) and its policies concerning corporate social responsibility“.

Frattini and Chiesa conclude by saying: “These are superb results, achieved through our efforts to continuously improve the programme and extend the international dimension of the curriculum. Today, the excellent level of MIP Graduate School of Business is there for all to see in its development of digital solutions supporting the education process and the value of our online offer. Our objective is to find the optimal balance between ready and easy access to all course material and outstanding teaching and personalised learning experience”.

Coronavirus: teaching moves online

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Coronavirus: teaching moves online

MIP is ensuring that lessons run smoothly and responding to the emergency by moving teaching activities online. “We are further extending our experience in digital learning for the benefit of our students, to reduce inconvenience”, explain President Vittorio Chiesa and Dean Federico Frattini

The evolution of the situation linked to the Coronavirus in Lombardy has led to the adoption of some precautionary measures to contain the contagion, including the postponement of a week of university activities in the region, which obviously includes the Politecnico di Milano. “We have, of course, complied with the provisions which have been introduced, but are trying as far as possible to meet the students’ needs by ensuring the continuation of their education and avoiding any inconvenience“, said President Vittorio Chiesa, “First of all, MIP decided to confirm the remote lessons which had been scheduled to take place online from the start and, secondly, where possible, to use the same teaching method for those activities that had originally been planned to take place face-to-face.”

Activities move online

From 25th to 29th February, therefore, individual assessments and activities planned at outside companies were suspended. “I would urge students, however, not to cancel all the other lessons from their agendas. As participants in our courses know, a substantial part of MIP’s training has always taken place online on the D-Hub platform, which works in tandem with FLEXA, our personalised and continuous learning platform. Many of our courses, therefore, will be delivered online, even those initially planned using another methodology“, says Dean Federico Frattini. Then again, Frattini explains, “at MIP we have always been strong supporters of digital learning, and in recent years we have gained a great deal of experience in this area. In such a situation, we want to continue to offer our students a service with a high standard of quality, as we wait for the resumption of the regular running of the lessons.”

Our goal is to limit disruption

MIP’s focus on the potential of digital learning in recent years had, of course, been generated by completely different types of appraisals: “We wanted to respond to the need for greater flexibility and personalisation, also in order to meet the needs of our students, both in terms of their work and their family commitments. And all this can be done without renouncing the effectiveness of the education we offer. We have worked hard for all these years so that our students are guaranteed high standards; we now feel a duty to use this know-how to continue to provide education and minimise the inconvenience caused by these extraordinary measures,” Frattini continues. Moreover, the Rector of the Politecnico, Ferruccio Resta, in his communiqué to students and colleagues on 27 February, announced the decision to start the semester via remote learning.

Temporary precautions

The School immediately adopted precautionary measures in line with the provisions of the Ordinance signed by the Minister of Health and the President of the Lombardy Region and in staying in line with the approach of the Politecnico.
It is also monitoring the evolution of the situation through the official bodies, in order to guarantee its students and their families safety and peace of mind, both with regard to their stay in Italy and the smooth running of the teaching activities.
Should the situation return to normal and indications by the health units and territorial authorities lead to the suspension of these measures, lessons and activities will once again be carried out in the usual manner. However, MIP is also leaving open another possibility: “Anyone who so wishes, in the face of specific needs, will be able to continue to enjoy the content via distance-learning” concludes Frattini.

How MBA Scholarships Are Helping Women Change Careers

Posted on | by Tania Tornese | Leave a Comment on How MBA Scholarships Are Helping Women Change Careers

The MIP Politecnico di Milano women in business scholarship, MIP4Women, has given Maria Khukhlaev the opportunity to think about changing careers

MBA scholarships are helping women change careers and push for more gender diversity in the business school classroom. Maria Khukhlaev has seen the impact firsthand, as she is set to graduate from the International Full-Time MBA program at MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business later this year. She’s the latest in a line of women in business who’ve benefitted from the MIP4Women scholarship.

The school offers two grants of $8,686, two worth $7,058, and three for $5,429. It’s an attempt to encourage female participation in the International MBA, to further diversify the classroom, and foster a culture of women in management.

“I’m an economist, so that side of things is obviously very important to me,” says Maria. “Because of the scholarship, I managed to move to Italy, experience the full-time format, and enjoy life in Milan––something I couldn’t realistically afford without MIP’s financial support.” 

And it’s not just about the financial support. The MBA is exposing Maria to an array of perspectives––the current class is made up of students from 19 different nationalities. She’s also looking to pivot her career and move in a new direction.

Confidence to consider other careers 

With the backing of the MIP4Women scholarship, Maria has thrown herself into the program and is taking every opportunity to broaden and further develop her skill set.

“We are learning lots of things, like digital transformations and supply chain operations. I’m completely new to these topics,” she says.

The more she’s learning, the more confident she feels about pursuing new career opportunities. Maria is interested in using her MBA to switch to a career in business development or consulting for companies in and around Italy.

She’ll be pivoting from a role as an account manager for JI Investments Solutions, a consultancy she founded in 2009 in Costa Rica and has been working for since.

“I want to change my career path.” she reveals. “I have been working on an entrepreneurial project for almost 10 years, learning these things has been helpful with that. I have the chance to consider jobs in areas I wasn’t even thinking about before.”

The importance of diversity in business  

The diversity of her cohort has been an unexpected bonus, says Maria. 

“It’s really interesting having so many international perspectives in my class. I have classmates from the US, Japan, India, and Europe.” 

The opportunity to meet other like-minded people who are determined to achieve their business goals has been inspiring, she adds and motivated her to continue pursuing her own goals.  

“I wanted to meet people who can challenge me and inspire me, and I have. Yes, your classmates become friends, but why not future business partners, too?” 

She mentions an interview she did recently with a “very important bank”. They were hiring for a project involving digital transformation and stated they were looking for candidates from diverse backgrounds. 

It’s an example of how businesses are pushing for more diverse workforces. The MIP4Women scholarship ties into that––it’s hoping to push more female MBAs into more visible roles, to inspire the next generation of women in business.

“Things are changing,” says Maria. “Women feel more able to invest the time to prepare themselves for their careers, but the market is also beginning to support us more. That progress now needs to keep happening.” 

Business schools want more women to apply 

Maria estimates that around 35% of her cohort are women. A 2018 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) study shows that the average distribution of men and women in a full-time MBA program was 38% women and 61% men. 

Initiatives like the MIP4Women scholarship are the right way to keep up momentum–it’s given Maria the chance to explore her future in business through the MBA.

“My advice to future candidates considering the MIP4Women scholarship is to be confident in your own abilities,” she advises. “Do your research. Look for the opportunities that will open doors for you.“

“It promotes personal growth, socially and culturally, because it encourages critical thinking. You will become a better leader. You will learn to communicate better, understand people from different cultures and backgrounds, you will become a better professional.” 

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