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Poole College and SKEMA Business School Announce Global Luxury Management Curriculum

Registration is under way for a one-year dual-degree graduate curriculum designed to prepare individuals to work in the expanding global luxury market.

A new one-year dual degree graduate studies option developed jointly by SKEMA Business School, a French business school with six campuses worldwide – including in Raleigh, N.C., and Suzhou, China â�� and the North Carolina State University Poole College of Management, in southeastern United States, is designed to prepare the next generation of managers for the growing global luxury goods and services market.

The two business schools announced today that registration is now open for fall 2012 enrollment. Students will complete their fall semester at NC State University in Raleigh, N.C., USA, and their spring 2013 semester at SKEMA in Sophia Antipolis, France. They will also complete an international internship in the luxury goods or services industry.

The Global Luxury Management curriculum is a new focus area available through Poole College�s one-year Master of Global Innovation Management (MGIM). The fall semester courses will be taught by faculty in NC State�s Poole College and NC State�s colleges of textiles and design.

�We are very excited to be drawing on the synergy between our colleges at NC State and the faculty at SKEMA to provide students this new opportunity,� said Dr. Ira R. Weiss, dean of NC State�s Poole College of Management.

The global demand for luxury goods has historically remained strong, but with the emergence of middle and upper class economies in China, Brazil and other countries, it has been growing significantly, he said. In China alone, rising incomes are boosting demand for luxury goods and services in the double digits, according to reports from CLSA, Asia�s leading independent brokerage and investment group.

�Research has shown that employers in luxury markets are looking for talent that understands the unique customer relationships in this environment,� he said. �They are looking for individuals who can be entrepreneurial, who have a global perspective, and who can manage the creative and innovation processes. This program is designed to provide depth in all these areas.�

�NC State faculty in both Poole College and the College of Textiles work a lot with industry,� said Dr. Nancy Cassill, professor in the College of Textiles. �We bring that experience to the classroom, where we challenge our students to be analytical and to think strategically about luxury products and how they are positioned within industries such as home and accessories, transportation, hospitality and other services, as well as fashion.�

During their fall semester at NC State, students will complete marketing and management courses in Poole College; courses on global brand management and marketing with a focus on luxury brand analysis and industry dynamics in NC State�s College of Textiles; and a course on creativity taught by a Poole College marketing instructor in partnership with faculty in NC State�s College of Design.

During the spring semester at SKEMA�s Sophia Antipolis campus in France, the students� studies will emphasize exposure to industries in the luxury market.

�SKEMA�s faculty has expertise and work experience in brand and luxury management and the fashion industry, as this program has been created 10 years ago, in Sophia Antipolis, on the French Riviera. Our strong ties with the global luxury industry in France will support the program internship component,� said Ivan Coste, program director.

�Following the opening of our campus in Suzhou, China, last year, the launch of this program in U.S. will open up new opportunities in a burgeoning market and at the same time reinforce SKEMA�s international presence and reputation,� said Alice Guilhon, dean of SKEMA. �We strongly believe that this cross-disciplinary, international approach offered by our two institutions will provide Global Luxury Management students a solid foundation in business and management skills, practices and principles, as well as hands-on experience and exposure to the luxury market.�

Additional information, including application details, is available online at poole.ncsu.edu/mglm.

Photo

Alice Guilhon, dean of SKEMA Business School, left; Ira R. Weiss, dean, NC State University Poole College of Management

About NC State University Poole College of Management and Jenkins Graduate Programs

The NC State University Poole College of Management focuses on management education for a technology driven global marketplace. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting, business administration and economics, as well as custom and open enrollment executive education programs are delivered by the college�s Executive Programs, LLP. The college�s Jenkins Graduate programs include the Master of Business Administration, Master of Accounting, and the Master of Global Innovation Management. The MBA program includes full time, part-time for working professionals, and online options. Master�s and doctoral degree programs in economics are offered jointly with NC State�s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Corporate engagement opportunities are available through the college�s centers and initiatives that support academic and outreach programs in biosciences management, enterprise risk management, in¬novation management, supply chain management, and technology entrepreneurship and commercialization. Poole College�s accounting and business programs are accredited by AACSB International. www.poole.ncsu.edu.

About NC State University College of Textiles:

The College of Textiles has 113 years of teaching, research, and extension. Undergraduate degrees can be obtained in textile engineering, polymer and color chemistry, fashion and textile management, fashion and textile design and textile technology. Graduate degrees such as master of science and master of textiles and two doctorate degrees in fiber and polymer science and textile technology management are available as well as a graduate certificate in nonwovens. The new world of textiles at the college includes research and education in nonwovens, medical textiles, protective clothing, nanotextiles, smart textiles, transportation textiles, fashion, marketing, merchandising, and traditional textiles. We are home to the Nonwovens Institute and the Textile Protection and Comfort Center who also offer research and testing capabilities to the industry. The College of Textiles has proven to be the leading textile college in the world covering all aspects of textiles from molecule to market. www.tx.ncsu.edu

About SKEMA Business School

SKEMA Business School is one of France�s largest Grandes Ecoles with 6,200 students and its 23,000 alumni. The school offers a wide range of degree programs, including bachelors, Grande Ecole (Masters in Management), Masters of Science, specialized Masters, PhD and MBA. The school currently has sites in France (Lille, Sophia Antipolis, Paris), China (Suzhou), Morocco (Casablanca) and the United States (North Carolina). www.skema.edu