The national quarantine was announced amidst public defenses of MBA dissertations. To secure the defense's schedule we had only three days to move them online.
On the one hand, it was not extremely difficult. We had the experience of using long-distance elements in our delivery. Therefore, we had the working infrastructure and current agreements with telecom communications tools providers.
On the other hand, we were seriously pressed for time and found ourselves in a very demanding environment. The good thing was that the pressure proved MIM-Kyiv team's ability to perform across the functions and around the clock. We installed full-scale Zoom conferencing software and renewed the online public defenses in three days according to the set schedule.
It took MIM-Kyiv a week longer to move classes online. We have 11 programs delivered via Zoom conferencing. On March 27, the new Pre-MBA “Business” class of 25 was launched. Five more programs are in the pipeline.
We also renewed our extra-curricular activities. We launched MIM-TV to broadcast interviews with the experts and practitioners on our domestic situation and global trends. We believe that in such a way we are supporting our community.
So far, we were also lucky to keep most of our students with us. However, we are facing several problems. The first one is the recession and bleak mid-term outlook. Businesses either are closing down or shift to the survival mode. We will see the outcomes in fall.
The other problem is the online format itself. Although it is a very convenient tool, it does not have the vibe of face-to-face communication. As Oksana Radkovska, Business Unit Manager for Arterium Corporation and MBA 2020, said: “It is very different from the public defense at school. When it is possible, it should return to the public because it is a very special event. I hope that after the quarantine the online will be used for interim activities only.”
So far as many other businesses we are in exploration mode. The only clear implication is that “business as usual” may mean something very different soon.