Partner Spotlight
Hot, Hot, Hot! University of Miami is Poised to Set Opportunity Ablaze Across “Silicon Beach”—and Latin America—with 2U
“It’s hot in Miami these days,” says Henrik Cronqvist, vice dean for graduate business programs and executive education at the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School. “But I’m not just talking about the weather. I mean the region’s exploding business and tech community. Just this morning, I told our newest MBA students at orientation that this is the most energy I’ve felt around our school in the six years I’ve been here.”
With Miami Herbert Business School ranked a Top 50 Online MBA by U.S. News and World Report, Cronqvist is excited about the promise of the University of Miami and 2U’s recently expanded partnership to take the Miami Online MBA to even greater heights. Sometimes dubbed “Silicon Beach,” “Wall Street South,” or the “Bitcoin Capital,” the City of Miami has been attracting some of the biggest names in finance and tech: Blackstone and Softbank, to name a couple. The university is now not only poised to help amplify Miami’s reputation as a tech hub with its savvy graduates, but also ready to tap into the city’s rich industry network for enhanced student learning, and to attract professionals across Latin America.
“In order to accelerate our potential throughout the Miami region and more globally, we realized we needed a partner with a proven reputation of quality and scalability,” Cronqvist explains. “2U was the best choice because its portfolio includes several other top online MBAs, including some similar profiles to ours as a mid-size private research university. And through our 2U-powered FinTech Boot Camp, which just last week graduated its first cohort, we received a great deal of positive student feedback that made us feel even better about the choice. There’s also been a lot of faculty enthusiasm around our expanded partnership, and having that support is invaluable.”
In order to accelerate our potential throughout the Miami region and more globally, we realized we needed a partner with a proven reputation of quality and scalability. 2U was the best choice.— Henrik Cronqvist, vice dean for graduate business programs and executive education, University of Miami Herbert Business School
“The Ivy League of Latin America”
Launching in early 2022, the 2U-powered Miami Online MBA will be available in both full-time and part-time formats. “The degree offers students an additional suite of possibilities beyond our skills-based boot camps, which are more targeted toward landing a specific tech role, promotion, or job upgrade,” Cronqvist says. “The Online MBA is a more well-rounded training program for rising executives and business-minded professionals in Miami and beyond.”
“Outside of the immediate region, one area we have the strongest brand recognition is Latin America,” he continues. “Many people from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and other surrounding countries consider the University of Miami to be ‘the Ivy League of Latin America’ and aspire to be educated through us. With all the COVID-related travel challenges, those individuals can still pursue a top-tier MBA with us without leaving their home—other than for the program’s two optional on-site immersions, which, given our beautiful campus, make that experience even more attractive.”
“There’s also a lot of activity in Latin America right now related to startups and entrepreneurship,” Cronqvist says. “One place those folks look to expand upon their ideas, and to seek out human and venture capital, is in Miami. With our Online MBA and boot camps, I see us dramatically improving access to high-quality education for that part of the world.”
A Matrix of Flexible Options for Every Kind of Student
As part of the expanded partnership, 2U will also power an Online Accelerated MBA for the university. This brand-new offering helps create what Cronqvist calls a more elaborate “matrix of options” to meet the needs of a diverse community of learners.
“The Online Accelerated MBA will be a new track for those who may already have a strong undergraduate background in business or a related degree like finance, or for those who have relevant coursework credits and/or work experience,” he explains. “At its core, the program is a more flexible and affordability-focused option for different micro-segments of the market. Students who qualify can complete it in a shorter period of time and reduce cost that way. Our offerings will also include a range of elective courses like leading teams, digital marketing and analytics, and IT project management, giving students even more of the customization they seek.”
Ready to Make an Impact on Students, Employers, Business, and Tech
With preparation now underway for the Online MBA’s start date, Cronqvist says he’s looking forward to launching a new Technology Project Management boot camp this fall, in order to make an even greater impact on Miami’s tech landscape. He’s also eager to explore how 2U’s expanded Career Engagement Network will lead to even more student connections and career pathways.
“Our boot camps are great because they give students tangible, hands-on capstone projects that they can use to prove their skills and worth in interviewing for new jobs or promotions,” he explains. “They’re also really reflecting the diversity we see across the region in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, professional background, etc.”
“That’s what the University of Miami stands for, so it’s exciting to see Miami Herbert Business School moving our mission even further with the Miami Online MBA,” Cronqvist concludes. “Some of our best tenure-track faculty are already signed up to design courses and teach. It’s a program they’re going to be proud of, adaptable to the widest possible array of learners.”
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