As the global economy continues on its path of integration, more Moroccan students and professionals are turning to business schools to gain an edge in competitive job markets. Enrollment in business and management programs increased by 3.1% in 2003/04 from the previous school year, according to the Ministry of Education. A growing group of public and private schools are offering advanced degrees in business and management education to meet rising demand.
Schools of today and tomorrow
Business and management schools are adapting their programs to changes in the global business environment. In particular, demand is growing for English-language MBAs and executive education. Al Akhawayn University, the Hassania School of Public Works (Ecole Hassania des Travaux Publics), and Ecole des Mines de Rabat all offer executive MBAs taught in English. To encourage innovation in business development, institutions also foster synergies with engineering schools and combine research into local business development with global dimensions of business education.
Houdaifa Ameziane, director of the National School of Business and Management of Tangier (ENCG), calls the evolution of Moroccan business schools “very satisfying.”
“We came on the scene somewhat timidly several years ago, to fulfill the needs of local businesses by according training programs in management aptitude. After that, we organized on-the-site training in the enterprise, with modules specially formulated for groups installed in the region. Since then, we have passed to the stage of master’s level diplomas available for students who seek managerial know-how and for professionals interested in continuing their education.” The ENCG network has invested heavily in relations with the region’s socio-economic powerhouses. Representatives from the shipping and transport companies that are rapidly growing in the Tangier region, and from the nation-wide telecommunications, manufacturing and banking sectors regularly recruit from the pool of ENCG’s students.
Going back to school
For those who have already joined the workforce, several institutions offer continuing education programs in business and business-related fields. Al Akhawayn University, a leader among Moroccan higher education institutions, offers a master of science in corporate finance, international master in e-business management, and an executive MBA. The executive MBA is completed through short weekend classes and evening seminars in Casablanca and residential sessions at the idyllic Ifrane campus. A part-time MBA is also available for public and business administration managers who want to raise their earning potential without sacrificing their current employment.
Some higher education institutions are tailoring their programs for the globalizing world by developing partnerships with international schools in Europe, Canada, and America and providing joint degrees. Joint degree programs are mainly master’s and executive master’s in various fields, such as business administration, public management, logistics, finance, and operation management. There are also franchising networks of private institutions from within Morocco, and others created by consortia of businesses, who groom students as trainees or future employees.
Casablanca business school ESCA recently teamed up with France’s Grenoble School of Management to offer Grenoble’s ‘specialized masters in business intelligence’ to students and executives living in Morocco. The Grenoble school said in a statement that the program was formulated to respond to particular problem areas in Moroccan businesses, “as business intelligence is increasingly playing a significant role in terms of business performance, but lacks specialists notably in the retail, marketing, consulting, and project management fields.”
Moroccan executives regularly lament the lack of qualified personnel in the region, and often recruit foreigners, particularly French nationals, for high-level positions. In turn, foreigners come equipped with high-level training, but often have trouble understanding local business practices and culture. With Morocco becoming a hub of regional investment and trade, local business schools are increasingly important in creating the skilled professionals needed to manage new wealth and sustain high levels of growth.
