Combine solid economies in countries with strong U.S. ties, proven graduate programs offered by the College of Business Administration, and the college’s commitment to sharing the expertise of its faculty to benefit students globally, and you have the foundation for the expansion of the Master of Accounting (MACC) to Mexico and the Professional MBA (PMBA) to Panama.
Leading university and practicing accountants participate in Mexico.
“We are partnering with Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), described byAmericaEconomía as the number one business school in Latin America,” said José de la Torre, former dean of the Chapman Graduate School, with Tomislav Mandakovic, associate dean, adding, “The school attracts the best professionals in the area and has extensive contacts in the community.”
But why would trained accounting professionals want to obtain a degree from the Chapman School?
According to de la Torre, “With the growing integration of Mexico into North America through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexican companies are finding it increasingly important to integrate accounting systems with U.S. standards—thus the need to train Mexican accountants in U.S. accounting practices so they can sit for and pass the CPA exam.”
To faculty director Leonardo Rodríguez, emeritus professor, School of Accounting, the timing is ideal.
“Our MACC program arrives at an opportune time for ITAM and Mexican accountants because it will enhance the participants’ professional mobility at the precise moment that Mexico and the United States increase their international trade under NAFTA,” he said.
PMBA Panama prepares leaders for flourishing business environment.
Patterned on the PMBA Dominican Republic, the PMBA Panama program, offered in partnership with Quality Leadership University, responds to a different set of opportunities and needs, as noted by de la Torre and faculty director Jerry Haar, associate dean for international affairs and projects, and professor, Department of Management and International Business.
“With an average economic growth rate exceeding nine percent per annum over the past three years, a privileged geographic position, expansion of the Panama Canal, and a stable and pro-business government, Panama has experienced an investment boom, with multinational companies rushing there to set up distribution, service, and training centers for the region,” de la Torre said.
“This economic boom has caused the country’s entrepreneurial classes to realize they need graduate and executive-level education to maintain and increase their competitiveness—a need the PMBA program will help fill,” Haar said.
