UNM Anderson School's EMBA cohort visits Japan to meet with top executives
April 11, 2024 - Megan Borders
Each spring, the UNM Anderson School of Management’s Executive MBA program offers its graduating cohort a global immersion experience as a weeklong trip during March. This international trip is a cornerstone of the program, integrating the core curriculum with hands-on learning from international high-level executives and providing a memorable personal experience. Many students cite this as one of the highlights of the program.
Trip leaders Tiffini Porter-Aragon and Rebecca Rodriguez organized a robust educational experience in Japan with partner Osaka Metropolitan University.
The group journey involved visits to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Each stop included a mix of meetings with top-level managers at businesses such as SUMCO and ITOKI, company tours including the Panasonic Museum, and observations of standard business practices through visits to organizations such as Tokyo Disney Resort.
"Visiting SUMCO's headquarters in Tokyo was profoundly rewarding," said student Victoria Archuleta. “The experience underscored the significance of fostering international relationships and the economic impact of SUMCO's manufacturing facility in New Mexico. Even more, this visit broadened our perspective on New Mexico's potential to become a driving force in the global tech industry and related manufacturing."
Associate Dean and EMBA faculty member Reilly White added, "Visiting SUMCO and Itoki brought our EMBA students face-to-face with global corporate giants. They asked brilliant and incisive questions to the company leaders about maintaining innovation and global competitiveness, empowering our students with invaluable lessons to bring back to New Mexico."
Cultural experiences enhanced the business program and allowed the students to immerse themselves in the culture. These included navigating the Japanese train system, learning about the differences in cultures through dining, and touring each city.
"One of the biggest takeaways for the students this year was the observation about how much culture impacts business practices," said Porter-Aragon. "In Japan, businesses exist to serve others. This affects every interaction, business decision and process."
Anderson recently eliminated the entrance exam requirement for the EMBA. Omitting the GMAT and GRE exams honors applicants’ management experience, allows a more individualized approach to the application review process and increases access to Anderson’s top graduate business program.