26 < <strong>IDC</strong> Winter 2010 Educating hey Are At the height Of their success, with the Pulse Of the nAtiOn At their fingertiPs. they cOmmAnD tOP sAlAries, hAve fOrgOtten mOre ABOut Business thAn mOst PeOPle ever leArn, AnD they Are cOming tO iDc… wAit A minute, nOt As guest lecturers, But As...stuDents? thAt’s right – we’re tAlking executive eDucAtiOn, AnD it’s hAPPening right here At iDc
executive eDucAtiOn PrOgrAm Israel’s Executives Dr. Taly Eichenwald-Dvir, the director of <strong>IDC</strong>’s Executive Education unit A PEEK AT <strong>IDC</strong>’S EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM “Today,” explains Dr. Taly Eichenwald-Dvir, the director of <strong>IDC</strong>’s Executive Education unit, “people do not stop studying when they finish their BA, their MA, or even their PhD. If managers want to stay up to date, they need to learn all throughout their career. And since at <strong>IDC</strong> we want to take part in building the leadership of Israel, we want not only to train the leaders of tomorrow, but to remain in contact with them throughout their career.” Now in its seventh year and gaining momentum, the unit works under the banner of “interdisciplinary, international, interpersonal,” training the nation’s top tier executives and managers. Former clients include some of Israel’s most senior companies, such as Orange, Electra, Machteshim-Agan, Phoenix, and Abbott Pharmaceuticals, and the list goes on. Even the Israeli Police Department recently ventured on campus - and now they won’t leave. After sending their top senior management to a recent highly successful course, they have already commissioned another program for the seconds in command. As well, at least two of the course’s instructors are continuing to consult the police department regarding their areas of specialization. According to Eichenwald-Dvir, “<strong>The</strong> unique characteristic of this unit is its boutique aspect. We offer only up to 10 open enrollment programs and 10 in-house programs per year, all directed at senior management.” Both programs are specifically tailored to the individual participants, in terms of content and course format. So a Board of Directors course might take place over 5 concentrated days rather than 10 half days, catering to the members’ harried schedules. Built in 2002, another of the unit’s unique aspects is <strong>IDC</strong>’s special interdisciplinary approach, with lecturers from each of the Center’s schools on board as faculty members. “Let’s take the course in crisis management as an example,” says Eichenwald-Dvir. “If you want to manage a crisis effectively, you need to understand a wide range of disciplines, including “WE BELIEVE THAT IN THE LONG TERM, WE HAVE TO GIVE BACK ADDED VALUE. SO IF THE MANAGERS OF TODAY’S BUSINESS WORLD WILL COME HERE AND FEEL THE VALUE OF THE KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE TO OFFER, IT BECOMES A GIVE AND TAKE RELATIONSHIP” psychology, legal aspects and marketing. You need an understanding of finance, because a crisis can have financial implications, such as cutting expenses, deciding whether or not to hire or to fire staff. And you may need to deal with the media in times of crisis, which brings in communications. Regular university studies tend to be one-dimensional, but when you are a manager or a director, you need a much broader view.” All of the unit’s programs are tailor made to the individual customer, with a strong international emphasis. As well, the unit’s professors, all of whom work in the field as consultants or directors in large firms, are able to provide knowledge that is practical and usable in today’s world. From another angle, Executive Education is an opportunity to give back. “As Israel’s first private university, <strong>IDC</strong> relies a great deal on contributions from the Israeli business world,” explains Eichenwald-Dvir. “We believe that in the long term, we have to give back added value. So if the managers of today’s business world will come here and feel the value of the knowledge we have to offer, it becomes a give and take relationship.” Eichenwald-Dvir, who joined <strong>IDC</strong> one year ago to head the unit, brings over 2 decades of experience at Tel Aviv University. One of her personal goals is to forge a connection between academia and the business world so the two can prosper: “<strong>The</strong>re are things published in refereed journals that only 7 experts in that particular field will read,” says Eichenwald-Dvir, “because it’s not in the language or form that will attract managers. So my vision is to bring the valuable content of academia to the use of managers.” Another part of her vision is that Executive Education will one day have its own ‘home’ at <strong>IDC</strong>: “We want to be the manager’s best friend,” says Eichenwald-Dvir. “We want to escort him or her throughout their career in all their needs, including not only executive education but also practical research. <strong>The</strong>se managers work very hard every day at jobs that are difficult and challenging. <strong>The</strong>y need a place where they can go out from those jobs and recharge themselves, and I want for us to be that place.” - Joy Pincus <strong>IDC</strong> Winter 2010 > 27
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