From the Dean

Dear Donors,

The 2019/2020 academic year was unprecedented, marked by great achievements and great challenges. We commemorated our 60th anniversary, cut the ribbon on the San Francisco Hub for Business Innovation and welcomed 95 students in the first Master in Management class.”

Yet in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic, it was not easy to be the Business School for the World. Despite the difficulties, our community rose to the occasion. Faculty members transitioned students to online learning, while staff adapted to working from home. Alumni volunteers came out in droves to support each other, mentor students and drive fundraising initiatives. The entire school doubled down on efforts to strengthen scholarships, research and diversity.

At the same time, donors stepped up. An alumnus gave a transformational gift of €60 million, pledging €40 million to the INSEAD endowment for research and designating €20 million to secure the land the Europe campus is on. It was the largest gift we have received in our school’s history. Giving Day surpassed expectations, with donors giving a total of €2.3 million—the highest amount ever raised through this annual initiative. The faculty showed strong support, teaching pro-bono and committing close to €2 million to key areas including scholarships and the Dean’s Fund. Alumni, staff and friends also gave generously to the Dean’s Fund, which expanded our capacity to address time-sensitive needs.

When Georges Doriot founded INSEAD, his ambition was to bring people together through management education as a way to build peace and prosperity after World War II. More than 60 years later, we are carrying this legacy forward. In response to the biggest crisis of our lifetime, our community has come together to recover, rebuild and rebound from tremendous challenges.

To the entire INSEAD community, thank you. Thank you for your gifts of time and energy. Thank you for your generous financial support. Thank you for believing in our mission and vision.

Together, we are advancing business as a force for good—and creating a better world for all.