IE, Madrid, main building

Madrid’s Instituto de Empresa was recently ranked by Forbes magazine to be the fourth best business school in the world.The school is changing its name from the long version (Instituto de Empresa) to a more “streamlined” IE.

The name change is not the only thing IE is doing this year. IE will expand into rural Spain with the purchase of SEK University in Segovia.
Most universities work their way up the academic ladder by adding postgraduate business programs to their agenda. The IE has done the opposite by investing in a university in Segovia, just 100 Kilometers (60 miles) to the north of Madrid.

Segovia, famed for its picture perfect Roman aqueduct and the Alcazar (castle)-- which Walt Disney was said to have used as a model for Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland -- will be getting a prestigious new international university.

According to Diego de Alcazar, president of IE, “The aim of IE is to create an international university that focuses on areas of knowledge that are genuinely important for (our) citizens’ future development.”

SEK University, Segovia

When asked why Segovia, he responded by noting the similarities with Oxford and Cambridge and the fact that there is a similar distance between those seats of learning and London and Segovia and Madrid. “Firstly, there was already a university there (SEK University). Furthermore its very attractive, similar to Oxford or Cambridge. Its a beautiful old city, full of historical buildings. Its near Madrid and very well connected thanks to the high speed train link that will commence later this year.”

The present university will be expanded and upgraded to IE”s standards, for the graduate and postgraduate training programs. Activities will be divided between IE’s urban campus in Madrid and the Segovia campus.

In essence IE is simply striving to be an international university, with internationally focused training programs including business management content. All this to be recognized by the leading international accredidation bodies and to be present in the major rankings within its specific sector.