78 Magazine talks to Dominique Jolly (DJ) about the School’s Activities.
78: What are some of the Business Department’s key strengths?
DJ: As the Geneva campus of Webster University, we are a part of a large network and we have the opportunity to cover all domains of business including economics, accounting, finance, law and regulations, human resources management, organizational behavior, strategy, and marketing. Other strengths include our large range of programs from Bachelor to doctorate. Our DBA program is a continuation of education in Business Administration. Finally, we have a group of professors that are specialized in health care management that is not present in Switzerland as much.
78: What are the things you’d like for current and prospective students to know?
DJ: Webster University offers a double accreditation, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), which are relevant for both current and prospective students. Currently, we are pursuing the Swiss institutional accreditation, which would be the third accreditation we’d offer to our students.
78: What kind of activities or research is your department involved in?
DJ: We cover a large range of timely topics. Current research that our department is focused on is Behavioral Economics by Krista Saral, Behavioral Finance by Michal Paserman, Agility by Aleksandra Jancikova, Electronic Communication by Fernando Lagrana, Internet of Things and Big Data by Claude Chaudet, and Healthcare System by Francoise Maillard. Also, I am focusing on Doing Business in China.
78: What are some of the new degree changes?
DJ: We introduced a new Certificate in Entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level with an aim to help students in starting their own businesses, as this became a popular topic amongst our student community. Furthermore, our proposal for implementing a Certificate in Research at the graduate level has just been approved. Upcoming changes include a Certificate in Cyber Security to be launched by Claude Chaudet in September, who works very closely in our school in the segment of information technology. This was initiated due to high demand, as current statistics from Cisco Systems, Inc. show that there are around one million vacancies open in the field of Cyber Security in the United States. Finally, we plan to launch other new programs that are still in preparation and development.
78: What is your aim and goal for the department?
DJ: By preparing to launch new programs, we plan to have more permanent faculty members to enhance the dynamics and quality of our department, but also provide better care for students. Currently, we have seven permanent faculty members and close to 50 academic and professional adjunct faculty.
78: How are students able to contribute to the department?
DJ: We organize many events where we invite experts, so our students can learn and have experience in their field of interest outside the classroom. For example, we had conferences on Behavioral Finance, the New Silk Road, Doing Business in Cuba, and the Future of the Petroleum Industry. Every event has a topic that we find essential for students to prepare for, as the field of business faces many changes along with the current situation in the world.