Thunderbird President, Members of the Board of Trustees and Alumni Participate in World Economic Forum

Business Wire, Jan 25, 2006

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Conference Theme, "Creative Imperative," Includes Mapping Education Goals

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting convenes in Switzerland this week, and among the guest panelists at the international gathering will be Angel Cabrera, president of Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management. Dr. Cabrera will participate in a panel discussion entitled, "Education: Raising the Bar."

The five-day meeting will include 2,340 participants from 89 countries, including 15 heads of state or government, 60 cabinet ministers, 23 religious leaders, 13 union leaders and more than 30 heads of non-governmental organizations. Among those representing Thunderbird during the forum include three members of the Thunderbird Board of Trustees, Barbara Barrett, Samir I. Toubassy, and Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi; and two Thunderbird alumni, Luis Moreno '77, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, and Robert Dudley '79, president and chief executive officer of TNK-BP.

"Education: Raising the Bar" will take place Friday, Jan. 27 at the Steigenberger Hotel Belvedere in Davos. The discussion will center on skills in a variety of disciplines that people entering the global labor market must possess to be successful. The group will discuss how education must evolve to provide this necessary base of knowledge for the future.

"The students we educate today are the global business and government leaders of tomorrow. How well we fulfill this task will have a huge impact on the world's future peace and prosperity. Moreover, ensuring that what we teach prepares our students to both respond to today's dynamic environment and also anticipate future challenges is critical to developing the management talent required in the global economy," said Dr. Cabrera.

The Annual Meeting (January 25-29) will kick off with the "Big Debate" -- an interactive session during which participants will exchange their views and experiences on topics including "The Emergence of China and India," "The Changing Economic Landscape," "New Mindsets and Changing Attitudes," "Creating Future Jobs" and "Regional Identities and Struggles."

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

The World Economic Forum is impartial and not for profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.

Thunderbird is the oldest graduate management school in the United States focused solely on preparing graduates for global leadership. Ranked among the best in the world by Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek, the school's unique curriculum is based on the principle that to do business on a global scale, executives must not only know the intricacies of business, but also understand the customs of other countries and be able to communicate with different cultures. To learn more, visit: http://www.thunderbird.edu.