With an admirable academic and professional record, Manuel Román Rivera — a law graduate, advocate of the Roman Rota, holder of a diploma in industrial relations and a higher technician in occupational risk prevention — told Mundo Posgrado what led him to join one of the best business schools in Spain, CMI Business School.
He also examined the make-up of the Responsible MBA, describing how the programme trains the future leaders of corporate social responsibility (CSR). With a long career as head of human resources at large companies and experience as a trainer in a range of fields, he brings a distinctive view of what sets the Responsible MBA apart from similar programmes.
Several things lay behind his decision to join CMI Business School. He points first to the standing of one of Spain’s best business schools, and then to the chance to work in an international educational environment.
A further deciding factor was the prospect of working at an institution specialising in corporate social responsibility — a field that is growing fast and is increasingly sought after by organisations of every kind, including associations and third-sector bodies.
The Responsible MBA
The syllabus of the Responsible MBA stands among the most complete — if not the most complete — of the options on the market, covering everything needed to train experts in corporate social responsibility without setting aside industrial relations, human resources, finance and business management.
Students who complete the programme are fully equipped to lead the relevant department, and will have the necessary experience thanks to the work placements they undertake in companies.
“We give people the tools to acquire the knowledge, to find their feet in an environment that never stops changing. That is what made me choose CMI: we don’t just teach theory or practice, what we really do is create professionals, polish rough diamonds who will be the leaders of tomorrow in their sector,” said Román.
What makes it different
The key difference in the Responsible MBA lies in its practical approach, which is essential to professional development. It does not stop at the theoretical grounding anyone could get from a book.
By the end of the programme, graduates are fully prepared for the range of challenges the workplace presents, with the tools they need to meet its day-to-day demands.
Unlike other courses, which do not offer programmes of the same breadth, students on the Responsible MBA do not find themselves having to carry on studying because the content was thin or hard to apply in professional life.
“Once they have updated their CVs and highlighted their new qualification, they have seen the phone calls about possible job interviews grow significantly,” said Román.
“Companies now approach them, which means we are giving the labour market a group of much-needed, sought-after professionals and filling those posts that companies need to fill and cannot, among the thousands of very well-qualified job seekers available to them who never quite fit what they actually need,” he concluded.
