So, we’re done. It’s all over. Back-slapping, hugging, tears, waves goodbye. All completed. The 2nd face to face session for the inaugural IE-Brown Executive MBA is complete. 5 nights and 6 days of culture, art, ethics, health, psychology, entrepreneurship, society, creativity and innovation have passed by in what seems like only a few hours.

The teaching aside, the main outcomes from this amazing week has been how this disparate group of 24 has really begun to gel. Study groups were established back in March, and they have worked through their own separate dynamics, the most obvious development has been to see how relationships and friendships have grown across these teams. This picture was painted in real-time for us by our very own classmate,  the charismatic and charming William Reich and his pianist skills. The great and good of Brown and IE gathered to on Thursday night to celebrate the new partnerships and a series of standing ovations, and let’s not forget the solitary plastic flower thrown by an emotional Gerardo, marked how proud the whole group were of him.

So all eyes turn now to Madrid, well after we break through a crushing schedule for July which includes 8 sessions, 4 exams, preparation for our Innovation/Entrepreneurship project, several readings and who knows what else. We will be in Madrid in October and it will be interesting to see the contrast between what has been an MBA with a very East Coast USA feel to it (not least the 730am starts!) and the introduction of a Spanish/European aspect.

Dinners at 10pm, infeasible small portions of (admittedly wonderful) food, later starts (please!!) and great night life will be just a few of things we can expect, or at least hope for.

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