About Master Strategist Day
At INSEAD, the work of “advancing business as a force for good” starts in the classroom, where an innovative approach to teaching prepares students to transform business and society in novel ways. The Master Strategist Day (MSD) serves as a prime example. This unique full day event, held with a real-life not-for-profit organisation, is part of the core strategy class. Twice a year, over 500 MBA students across Fontainebleau and Singapore campuses are presented with a challenge and offered the opportunity to practice strategy. Mentored by senior strategy professionals, participants compete and support others to analyse the organisation and suggest strategic options to achieve its goals. A finalist team from each section presents its recommendations to a panel of judges comprised of faculty from different disciplines across the school and senior executives from the organisation.
The MSD event is appreciated by both students as well as the target organisation. In recent years, MSD has focused on various not-for-profits as well as organisations pursuing socially responsible initiatives, including Unjani Clinics NPC, Almouneer Diabetic Eye Care Clinics, La Brûlerie de Belleville, Peace Parks Foundation, Banlieues Santé, MiracleFeet, Maio Biodiversity Foundation, Nabta Health, Chateau de Fontainebleau, Victory Farms and Access Afya.
MSD write-ups
Afya on Wheels: Delivering High-Quality, Affordable Healthcare in Underserved Areas in Kenya
Master Strategy Day 2023: Reimagining the Henri IV Building
CAMP4: Master Strategist Day
Safeguarding Biodiversity with Business Education
Supporting Children’s Mobility with MiracleFeet
Learning About Strategy Through French Social Enterprise
Sustainable Conservation in the Wild
Business Education with a Vision
About Business as a Force for Good Practicum
The idea of business as an agent of change and a purveyor of positive values is gaining traction and legitimacy around the world. Can we use the power of business to address the world’s most pressing challenges? Can we use the wealth of knowledge and experience that has accumulated as a result of decades of research in business and management to produce positive outcomes for society?
Another dimension was added to Master Strategist Day in 2019. MBAs bid for a ‘Business as a Force for Good Practicum’ (BFG) as a part of their electives that involves hands-on work with organisations that are the focus of Master Strategist Day. Students identify knowledge gaps which are critical to the execution of the company’s strategy, operations and marketing plans, and work on-site with the staff for a week to address them and to help further advance the organisation's goals.
BFG is currently offered twice a year with Unjani Clinics and MiracleFeet.
INSEAD Business as a Force for Good Practicum – Introduction
BFG write-ups
INSEAD MBA Students' Collaborative Journey with MiracleFeet: Transforming Clubfoot Care
Wearing the MBA Hat: Propelling Access to Clubfoot Treatment Across Africa
MBA students travel to South Africa for first Business and Society Practicum
Impact on Student Experience
The Award supports case development for analysis during Master Strategist Day, MBA elective, Business as a Force for Good Practicum, and summer internships focused on social impact.
The Award supports the development of new case studies focused on hybrid organisations pursuing both profit and social purpose.
Preserving the Past While Sustaining the Future
Fertile Ground for Expansion
Access Afya
Walking the Path of Expansion
Sustaining the Mission
Sankara Eye Foundation India
Envisioning the Opportunity
Fundação Maio Biodiversidade (FMB)
Achieving the Clarity of Vision
Virtual Reality (VR) is a technological enabler, allowing learners to grow through experience and practice. VR enhances teaching and learning capabilities, and help make learning more engaging and impactful. Immersive experiences are based on 360 videos, some in real life environments, others take place in computer generated surroundings, taking learners to remote and fantastic places.
Service Operations Strategy at Miraclefeet
Al Mouneer - Envisioning the Opportunity
The Multi-Color Chateau
Award funding also supports summer internships with the Master Strategist Day organisation, whereby students work 'on the ground ' with the organisation's staff for a period of 6-8 weeks, collaborating on in-depth efforts to advance their strategic and operational goals.
Empowering Change: My Journey with Unjani Clinics in South Africa
Finding the Balance
Almouneer - A Vision for Egypt
Experiencing the “X for good” at INSEAD
Further videos
Hugo van Berckel Award for Master Strategist Day
Launching Nabta Health
INSEAD’s Hoffmann Institute interviews Ithai Stern on MBA Master Strategist Day
INSEAD interviews CEO of Unjani Clinics NPC, Lynda Toussaint
INSEAD interviews Nurse and Clinic Owner at Unjani Clinics NPC, Gertrude Nare
The Hugo van Berckel Award
Hugo was an MBA ’89D INSEAD graduate. Throughout his career, including his time at CVC Capital Partners, he cared deeply about the impact of business decisions and their contribution to long-term sustainability. Friends and family described him as caring and thoughtful, someone who loved the energy of working in teams and striving for solutions to social issues. His belief in responsible and sustainable business inspired his friends and family to create the Hugo Van Berckel Award to continue his legacy in a way that embodies the core values of INSEAD. It is supported by the MBA class of ’89D.
The Hugo Van Berckel Award supports the endeavours of MBA students striving to achieve meaningful social impact during Master Strategist Day and associated learning exeperiences. This unique capstone session provides a fun, competitive and collaborative experience. It urges students to think about profit and purpose in an integrated manner, reflecting Hugo’s passion for the same.
The Award is run independently by INSEAD to honour Hugo in the manner envisioned by his friends and family. Supporting the academic and teaching efforts of the school, it is used to help the winning team implement their strategy alongside the chosen non-profit organisation.
We are grateful to our donors for supporting the Master Strategist Day and Business as a Force for Good practicum:
- Hugo van Berckel Award, supported by the class of MBA '89D
- Moondance Foundation - Henry Engelhardt, MBA '88J
- Andrew Land Fund for embedding the UN SDGs into business education - Andrew Land, MBA '99J
- Simba Gill, MBA '90D
