Prof. Danica Purg, President of IEDC-Bled School of Management, has been selected the 2010 Dean of the Year by the Academy of International Business (AIB) for her outstanding achievements in international business education. She was presented the award at the AIB 2010 Annual Meeting titled “International Business in Tough Times” taking place from 25 to 29 June 2010 in Rio de Janeiro. As the third European awarded she joins an elite list of deans from top international business schools around the world who have received the AIB Dean of the Year Award in the last sixteen years.
In making the announcement, Eleanor Westney, Dean of the AIB Fellows and Professor at Schulich School of Business in Toronto, Canada, said: “This Award recognizes both the importance and the variety of Danica Purg’s contribution: the foundation of one of Eastern Europe’s leading business schools in the IEDC-Bled School of Management and the global networks she has generated for this institution, her professional contributions in building the cross-border networks of deans and business school directors through CEEMAN, and her many innovations in business education.”
As listed in the Nomination for the 2010 Dean of the Year Award, these are five main reasons why Prof. Danica Purg was awarded the AIB's highest level of recognition: (1) The pioneering work she has done founding management education in Slovenia (2) The important contribution she has made by founding and extending the Central and Eastern European Management Development Association (CEEMAN) of deans and directors throughout Central and Eastern Europe (3) Recognition of her never ending desire and ability to support others, with the result that she is a role model par excellence for deans, faculty members, and managers throughout the region and beyond (4) Her innovations in how management education is conceptualized, designed, and delivered (5) Her contribution to having the world recognize the powerful role that management education plays in the functioning of civil society, as exemplified by the President of the Republic of Slovenia awarding her the “Honorary Order of Freedom” in 2001.
"I am honored to be selected for the award and to be recognized by the prestigious Academy of International Business, especially as being only the third European dean awarded," said Prof. Danica Purg. "I’m grateful to all of my colleagues and employees who inspired, motivated and helped me during the last almost 25 years. I am seeing this award as recognition to IEDC-Bled School of Management, to Slovenia and whole Central and Eastern Europe.”
Past recipients of the International Dean of the Year Award are eminent deans of international business schools, such as Claude Rameau, INSEAD; Lauge Stetting, Copenhagen Business School; William Randolph Folks Jr., University of South Carolina; Robert Hawkins, Georgia Institute of Technology; Zhang Guohua, China Europe International Business School, and Norma Loeser, George Washington University.
Prof. Purg's speech at the AIB Educator of the Year ceremony is available here.
About The Academy of International Business (AIB)
Established in 1959, The Academy of International Business (AIB) is the leading international organization of scholars and specialists overseeing and promoting international business education around the world. The AIB Fellows consist of distinguished AIB members recognized for their contributions to the scholarly development of the field of international business who have been elected for their significant lifelong contribution to international business education and research. The AIB Fellows participate in the activities of the AIB by choosing the International Executive of the Year and the Educator of the Year.
Given out by the AIB Fellows, the International Educator of the Year Award recognizes deans as well as other educational administrators and leaders that have created and/or grown outstanding international-business programs; recruited, supported and rewarded international business faculty members for their contributions to teaching and research, and/or provided students with special experiences through courses, internships and study-abroad offerings.
The award was formerly called the International Dean of the Year award, and was changed into International Educator of the Year award in 2008 to recognize the different titles used around the world as well as other administrative positions that play a critical role in international business education.
More information about The AIB Academy is available at http://aib.msu.edu/.
An article on this achievement was also published in the Financial Times of June 24, 2010.