A degree for the leaders of the future: Global Communication Management Degree

Dr. Gregory Payne, Chair Communication Studies of Emerson College (Boston), made the objective of the new degree very clear: “This degree course aims to teach the next group of leaders of the future the importance of the power of communication." Payne reiterated the importance of credibility, "the fact that we no longer believe in the media," giving specific examples: "We are accustomed to believe in what we see on Facebook, on Twitter ... but unfortunately, these social media sites have become machines of propaganda," and so, "we must emphasize the relevance of credibility and power that students will have in the world of communication."

GCMD, the degree in Global Communication Management, wants to be a practical, vivid experience, because "students work with real projects around the world." Therefore, GCMD is a degree with internationalization at the heart. Dr. Payne ended his speech convinced that "we have begun a change, teaching future students to turn the present around."

Connected to the world

Via Skype and from the Harvard campus, former student Cristina Ventura, Chief Catalyst Officer of The Lane Crawford Joyce Group based in Hong Kong, made a contribution adding the importance of communication in a global sense, "in this world so interconnected ". For her, everything started off in Barcelona.

The emergence of new fields of knowledge -and, therefore, of new professional profiles- requires individuals ready to serve them. From New York, Dr. Scott Ratzan, president Ab Inbev Foundation, pointed out that this new degree can "help students concentrate on what they want to do to achieve a better world", and thus respond to this demand.

Former student of the International Master's in Strategic Management of Global Communication, Sílvia Martínez Tejada, currently Marketing Director of WWF in Singapore, sent us a video-testimonial where she valued her passage through the School: "In the master's degree they really taught us how to persuade and gave us tools to deal with the world of work. I learned to make sure that all the messages that you want to communicate are appropriate and relevant for each specific group and situation. "

For her part, Maria Warith-Wade, currently in charge of Integrated Marketing at Viacom, also recalled her time at Blanquerna in her professional day to day work: "Understanding the brand's voice, understanding the campaign, these are some of the Blanquerna conferences that I sometimes review in order to apply them in my work. "

Foreseeing transformations

The objective of this Degree is to cover a field of the sector that until now has not been covered by anyone. The Dean of the School, Dr. Josep Maria Carbonell referred to the increase in job opportunities and the demand of people specialized in this field, as one of the motivations to move this new academic project forward.

Both, the originality -and the challenge of this provides - is the possibility of offering students the acquisition of a qualification that combines many specializations and offers knowledge that could only be acquired, until now, through multiple degrees. "It gives you all the skills to be an expert in advertising and public relations, audiovisual communication, and journalism anywhere in the world, thanks to English and its international focus".

• Photo report