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Duke Fuqua Gives MBAs a Link Into The Indian Economy

Although India's growth is slowing, Duke Fuqua's MBAs have great career links with the emerging market. 8000 miles from campus, jobs are to be had. Duke's Dan McCleary tells us why.

Thu Aug 22 2013

BusinessBecause
India has previously enjoyed a significant rise through the economic rankings. Recently it has been considered a major economic power and a large number of its citizens have been taken out of poverty.
 
The MBA programs on offer at the Indian Business School and the Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad are ranked among the top 50 MBA programs worldwide, and as many as 20% of Indian MBA students are confident enough to start their own venture or work in startups. Many US business schools, including Duke, receive a huge amount of applications from Indian students. 
 
But India's economic progress is slowing down. Since May this year the Indian currency, the rupee, has fallen by 16 per cent in value against the American dollar. India's growth has halved since a peak of 9 per cent just two years ago. All of this has led to some commentators calling the introduction of capital controls last week as the reason for investors moving out of India and shares sliding. 
 
But although the Duke Fuqua School of Business has its main campus in North Carolina, USA, and despite a lesser outlook for the Indian economy, it is 8000 miles south of their Durham HQ that MBAs are developing a keen interest. While some teaching takes place at Duke’s USA base, the Fuqua School of Business is renowned for its internationally focused MBA programs.
 
The Cross Continent MBA attracts professionals from over 25 different nationalities and aims to develop MBAs a culturally diverse network from which to graduate alongside. Over 16 months, teaching is spread across five different continents in Dubai; New Delhi; St. Petersburg; Shanghai/Kunshan; and North Carolina.
 
It will come as no surprise to MBAs then that Duke is fast branching out into Indian cities such as Delhi and Bangalore. The man in charge of Duke’s involvement with India is Dan McCleary, Regional Director, India, at Duke for over a decade and previous head of admissions for all of Duke’s MBA programs.
 
Dan visits India 4 to 5 times a year for weeks at a time, working with both the MBA alumni based there and attracting around 40 Indian-origin MBA students to Duke each year. “That is when the job comes alive,” Dan says.
 
The benefit to MBAs is that Duke has built a base of connections to help students find careers in the ninth largest economy in the world. “We have a board of advisers in India, and several are based in Deli and Bangalore," he said.
 
“In the last 4 years in the Indian region we have developed a lot of connections with businesses; we are well connected to the business community. For example, one board member knew that I was planning a residency trip and got the CEO of Wallmart India to be our keynote speaker. He was one of the best key-notes we’ve had during the 4 years!
 
“Our programs are more robust than business schools planning to do a global trip. We have more power to structure.”
 
Dan says that while many Duke MBAs want to work in the US, many Indian alumni “want to go back to India”. “A big part of my role is networking for returning Indian-origin students who are going back to work in India,” he said.
 
“Two of our board members run companies called Fortis – one of the largest healthcare companies - and Religare (health insurance).
 
“A Duke daytime alumni named Nitish Aggarwal, who made a connection to Religare, is now working in Mumbai for them. India-based companies dominate in the market.”
 
Many US-based business-schools get the majority of their applicants from India and China, but Dan says that many universities “take advantage of India” and look elsewhere because of the sheer number of applications from Indian-based professionals.
 
To get onto the day-time MBA program at Duke, Dan says applicants have to have a big interest and really need to stand out from the crowd. The people that “feel like they have a real understanding of the school and culture, by doing their own legwork” craft a better application. “People who are honest about what they want to achieve academically and socially, and what they want to do afterwards (are what Duke look for),” Dan said.
 
“We see a lot of backgrounds now in medicine, humanities, law and commerce. Work experience looks more diverse than it used to be. People who worked for smaller companies usually do a good job of explaining that industry.”
 
Despite heading the admissions department and making-or-breaking business professionals’ dreams for a number of years at Duke, Dan has no aspirations to do an MBA himself. “At this stage, and with two kids, while we have people in the program who are 48, I don’t think that I could find something that is the right fit.”
 
No matter what the competition for places is on its MBA programs, Duke will strive to continue developing connections for MBAs in India. And while Fuqua has no permanent base in the country, Dan hopes that they will have one in the years to come: “Its likely that I will remain at Duke and travel over. Its also very possible that, hopefully, my successor will be based in India permanently.”
 
Are you an MBA thinking of working or studying in India? Tweet the team @BusinessBecause and tell us why. 

Student Reviews

Duke University Fuqua School of Business

Student

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31/10/2023

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Supportive atmosphere

The professors at Duke university exhibit exceptional commitment to the success and well-being of their students by ensuring their academic growth and fostering a supportive social atmosphere. Moreover, the entire community is recognized for its amicability and inclusiveness.

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30/03/2023

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Diversity

The people or the students are without a doubt Duke's greatest asset. While all students are driven to succeed, they are also enthusiastic about a variety of hobbies. You run across a huge lot of diversity. It is the ideal example of a school with well-rounded students and the ideal balance of campus life in a metropolis.

Anabelle

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27/02/2023

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Happy to school

All I could ever hope for is Duke University. That really epitomizes the "work hard, play hard" philosophy that elite colleges frequently pursue. Even though you'll have a lot of schooling to complete over the week, it's simple to keep focused because all of your friends are putting in similar amounts of effort. Many events taking place on and around campus on the weekends provide a great way to unwind. The combination of demanding academics and traditional college fun strikes the perfect balance.

Monica

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27/02/2023

On Campus

Good schooling

Living, eating, learning, and developing who you want to be as an adult are all fantastic at Duke. I participated in student athletics, and I couldn't have asked for a better interaction with the faculty and other students. I appreciate all of the help I get from the Duke community more than anything. Furthermore, the teachers take the time to get to know you, and the lectures are diverse and demanding (if you do the same). I'd give it a 10 out of 10.

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26/11/2022

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Beautiful School, Nice Classes

DU remains one the greatest and best universities that I have ever stepped in. The school is beautiful and neat. The classes are spacious and also very nice. I enjoyed attending my Lectures in those lecture halls. I also loved the Lecturers because of the good work they did. The university also has very good dorms that are given to students on first come first serve basis and they are affordable

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29/06/2022

Blended

Amazing experience

I received my B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Global Health with a minor in Chemistry from Duke University. I was able to grow as a student, scientist, and global health advocate with the help of my friends, professors, and other mentors I met along the way. A lot to learn if you look and ask, a great place to learn for those who want to learn.

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29/06/2022

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whirlwind of growth and change

An amazing 2 years, with covid and everything else happening Duke has been a place of growth for me. The courses , classes were one of a kind, online and on campus. But the valuable lessons learned in the classes are irreplicable. The students are amazing here, so much diversity , I had no problem fitting in. The teachers are down right brilliant and so helpful. Don't be afraid to ask them anything. Graduated with my MBA with Duke and now my future awaits.

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29/06/2022

On Campus

One of the best for Business students

Graduated with an MBA. The classes were very insightful and engaging. The staff are very easy to deal with. The teachers and students, are truly amazing people. Grateful to all the people I've met along the way at Duke. I've learnt a great deal that will help me in my future endeavors. The campus itself is a marvel, it is beautiful.

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16/06/2022

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The university campus is awesome

I graduated with a masters degree in Religious Studies from Duke University. One thing I really liked about the university is its huge campus. It is spread in a large area with a lot of greenery and also have the facilities of reading rooms for single person also. My department building was very well taken care of. The library is immensely populated with books for all your needs. The faculty is very nice to students. The classes are equipped with latest technology to cater the needs of students. The University also provides room rentals for international students. They are very well maintained and priority is given to the International students for a comfortable stay there. There are weekly events conducted by the University as well as Student clubs for the entertainment of students. Anybody can take part in them and show their talents. I enjoyed my degree and I graduated in 2021 and was very happy that I had graduated from a reputed University.

Dhanush

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12/07/2024

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Program Flexibility and Vibrant Campus Life

Duke University is renowned for its rigorous academic programs and vibrant campus life. The university offers a diverse range of majors and research opportunities, supported by world-class faculty. What I particularly liked about Duke was its strong sense of community and the wealth of extracurricular activities available to students. The campus is beautiful, with top-notch facilities and a supportive atmosphere that fosters both personal and academic growth. Overall, I would highly recommend Duke University for its excellent educational offerings and strong alumni network. If you're looking for a place that challenges you academically while offering numerous opportunities for personal development, Duke is an excellent choice.

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