People, Purpose, Progress. Three words that sit at the heart of so much that we do at INSEAD.
After all, INSEAD would be nothing without its people. Our network of faculty, staff, students and, of course, our dedicated alumni. It’s a network connected by the school, but also one that’s united behind a collective purpose, a shared belief in the power of business to be a force for good. It is this sense of purpose that pushes us to progress.
It is therefore fitting that this latest issue of Salamander celebrates our people, reaffirms our purpose and explores our continued progress in so many areas, despite the challenges we all face.
There is no better celebration of what we are as a community than our Alumni Reunions. And as you will later read, this year’s epic run of reunion events, which took place over seven weekends between June and October, was all about people. We are a truly global community, so to be able to come together in person after two years of pandemic-enforced separation was even more special and rewarding.
As well as being a chance to reconnect, the reunions also present an excellent opportunity to reconfirm and reflect on our shared purpose. There are so many ways that our community is making a positive difference in the lives of others, as you can discover through several articles in this issue.
There is a roundup of the latest activities and efforts to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into all aspects of the school by the Hoffmann Institute, as well as a special feature on the Alumni Impact Survey. This perfectly highlights how our alumni are actively leading efforts to reduce poverty, address climate change, develop underrepresented talent, support employee health and wellbeing, and promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
Of course, embracing diversity has been a central pillar at INSEAD since our foundation, but we know that we can and must be doing more. Our continued work in the field, including the creation of a new DEI role, is the focus of another insightful article.
Another perfect symbol of purpose and progress is the exciting innovation taking place in our degree programmes, especially in the areas of digital, sustainability and leadership courses. From the development of new electives on Business Sustainability Thinking and Org 2.0: People Analytics, to one on Crypto Entrepreneurship, we are making sure that we listen to the needs of businesses and students in tailoring courses that match real-world needs. You need only read the article on our recent official Salamander NFT drop to see the impact that this drive to innovate and willingness to experiment is having within our wider community.
As we move into the final year of our Force for Good Campaign, I am very proud of everything that we have already achieved. Yet in the interest of continued progress, we simply can’t afford to stop now. Reading INSEAD Alumni Association President Frans Blom’s strategy for the next three years underscores the fact that I am not the only one looking to the future. I am excited by what lies in store for the school and for our global community.
I hope that you also find this latest issue a source of inspiration. It demonstrates that by working together we can continue to make the world a better place.
Yours sincerely,
Ilian Mihov,
Dean
