Educating Execs: INSEAD Abu Dhabi, UAE INSEAD claims to have the largest and the most reputed entrepreneurship faculty of any business school outside the U.S.

"INSEAD has the largest and the most reputed entrepreneurship faculty of any business school outside the U.S.," says Professor Miguel Sousa Lobo, Director of the INSEAD Abu Dhabi Campus and Associate Professor of Decision Sciences at INSEAD. "We offer the broadest range of entrepreneurship courses, rigorous and rich research on building business in a global world and have one of the strongest networks of alumni entrepreneurs in the world." And Prof. Lobo has the numbers to back up his statements- according to him, INSEAD consistently leads rankings in entrepreneurship. "In Europe, INSEAD graduates raise more capital for startups than all our peer schools combined," he reveals. "Approximately half of INSEAD graduates –1000 MBA and 200 EMBA graduates every year– run their own companies at some point in their careers."

INSEAD's Abu Dhabi campus started operations in 2010, and Prof. Lobo says that since then, the school has seen an increase in interest and applications from the Middle East over the years. "In our shorter Executive Education programs, including customized programs for businesses and other organizations, in the past five years, the Abu Dhabi campus has trained about 4,000 executives, of which 2,000 were Emiratis," he says. With half a century's worth of experience in business education and research, INSEAD is thus well equipped to guide future entrepreneurs, and its alumni network serves as an invaluable resource for them as well. "Our alumni often say that their year at INSEAD was lifechanging," Prof. Lobo says. "The unique learning experience at the school helps students to better understand the business world and nurture their entrepreneurial spirit."