Quality Has A Price, A letter from the chairman of the board

Dear alumni,

INSEAD has bold ambitions and lofty goals. We aim to be the number-one business school across multiple categories — in teaching and research; in postgraduate and executive education; in degree and non-degree courses. We work hard to recruit top faculty, attract top students, engage top executives and teach in top facilities. We aspire, as our founders did, to develop value-driven leaders who can address the world’s greatest challenges and use business as a force for good.

But, as many of you recognise, we need resources to achieve these goals. Quality has a price. And that price rises further when you’re delivering a high-quality offering across the globe, as in the case of our school.

Consider, for example, the costs associated with providing high-quality classes and workshops that are individually unique — and thus non-scalable — in Fontainebleau, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Think about the resources needed to hire the best faculty, support cutting-edge research or build state-of-the-art facilities. And consider the price that comes with establishing scholarships to attract the best students from around the world. Tuition fees alone can’t cover these costs.

Consequently, INSEAD is currently charting a course that will lead to a future capital campaign. With a likely public launch in 2018, the campaign will be led by Rémy Best MBA’93D, managing partner of the Pictet Group and former chair of INSEAD’s Endowment Management Committee. With this dedicated focus and effort, we intend to equip INSEAD with the resources it needs to set the highest standards for innovation and excellence in business education.

Campaign history and goals

Since its founding in 1957, INSEAD has had only three capital campaigns. Each has enabled the school to make fundamental changes that, in turn, have bolstered INSEAD’s trajectory. These funds have helped strengthen our intellectual rigour through PhDs and research faculty; built and extended our global footprint; enhanced diversity in our classroom; and ensured that the most promising students realised their aspirations.

The forthcoming campaign intends to take INSEAD to even greater heights. We plan to dedicate resources generated from it to strengthen all that is unique about the school — from its rich diversity and academic excellence to its entrepreneurial culture, global network and transformative power. Among our many objectives, we hope to apply funds raised to achieve the following goals at INSEAD:

Develop business leaders who harness the power of business for good. The world needs global leaders who can address today’s most pressing challenges, whether that’s managing issues associated with climate change, market volatility or digital disruption. It also needs leaders who can adapt to the unpredictable forces that are reshaping our economy while generating growth that can help millions of people escape poverty.

Differentiate INSEAD as the only global business school. Our proposed plan is to raise funds towards attracting professors from diverse backgrounds and geographies with wide-ranging expertise. We also intend to attract resources to support faculty in conducting new research and translating findings into practical management applications.

Create scholarships to recruit the best students. To be the best business school in the world, we must attract the brightest students in the world, irrespective of income. We have to give a chance to the talented son of a farmer in a developing country. We must attract the gifted daughter of a refugee family. Therefore, we need to establish more scholarships so that tuition fees don’t prevent the best students from coming to INSEAD.

Why I give to INSEAD

I have pledged to step up my giving to INSEAD, both in terms of financial gifts and contributions of time. I feel called to action for two core reasons:

One, I believe in INSEAD. I believe in the leadership of our dean; the importance of our mission and vision; the strength of our faculty and staff; and the prospects for our future. I also believe that alumni, in particular, play a crucial role in INSEAD’s next chapter. The time has come for us to assume that responsibility. We must give back to INSEAD to drive the school forward. We must do our part to fulfil the school’s destiny and achieve our shared ambitions.

Two, I feel personally grateful to INSEAD. Like many of you, INSEAD changed my life. Without the education I received here, I believe I wouldn’t have become a senior global business leader or had the fulfilling career I’ve enjoyed. I’m also thankful to INSEAD for giving me a great time on campus; for giving me the chance to meet and win friends for life; for inviting me to experience a community of global citizens who share common values and challenge each other intellectually while having a fantastic time together; and for allowing me to grow.

As I’ve witnessed, others share in my beliefs and feelings of gratitude. At this year’s Visionaries Conference in London, many alumni and friends showed immense enthusiasm for supporting INSEAD and the “Diamond Salamander,” a newly established giving level. During the conference, we shared anecdotes from INSEAD and discussed how to take our great school to the next level. There were lots of emotions when some of us committed individual gifts to receive the Diamond Salamander. When I saw the mix of smiles and tears on the faces of these friends, I was proud to be an alumnus of INSEAD. And I was proud to be the chairman of the best business school in the world.

The foundation of our school is built on the affirmation that business can be a force for good. We believe that business leaders are uniquely equipped to drive peace and prosperity in the world. We assert that business is the most powerful engine for driving positive change across communities and economies.

Looking ahead, we want to ensure that this vision endures. In the months to come, you will hear more about how you can contribute to carrying INSEAD’s legacy forward. When the time comes to begin our campaign, we hope you will join us in the journey to make history — again.

Best regards,

Andreas Jacobs MBA’90D
Chairman
Board of Directors at INSEAD