Prof. Marcela Porporato
Prof. Marcela Porporato
Professor of Accounting, York University, Canada
Invited Speech: Industry engagement to foster digital and cultural competencies in the Global North and South - Bridging graduate business education and industry –
Biography:
Marcela Porporato is a professor of accounting at the School of Administrative Studies, York University (public profile https://profiles.laps.yorku.ca/profiles/porpomar/) and a professional accountant in good standing (Chartered Professional Accountant, Ontario). During the pandemic all her teaching migrated online and although most returned to be in person there is a graduate course that continues to be fully online allowing senior managers to teach some sessions to students from various business graduate programs of York University and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. York University is a global leader while Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, established in 1613, is one of Latin America’s oldest and most prestigious universities. Both institutions are well ranked in Scimago Institutions Rankings, with York University at 155 in Business, Management and Accounting and Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in the top 3,000 overall. Despite not having a formalized written agreement, in the last two decades Prof. Porporato and her colleagues executed multiple collaborations at all levels between the School of Administrative Studies at York University and the Escuela de Graduados, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.
Abstract:
In professional programs, balancing academic teaching with practical application and adaptation in organizations is essential. Business Schools often face the challenge of offering truly international exchange experiences, particularly for students from remote geographical locations or with limited disposable income. The shift towards online learning during the pandemic erased geographical barriers but highlighted the need for soft skills in digital professional environments. This presentation shares an experience that illustrates the benefits of a digital cross-cultural collaboration providing industry engagement to graduate students in business and accounting from a Canadian and an Argentinean university.
We present a continuum of collaborations with industry professionals in graduate studies, ranging from guest lectures and live cases to a comprehensive co-teaching model. The co-teaching experience involves a 12-week course delivered online, co-taught by a professor and multiple senior industry managers. Students work in small, culturally diverse groups with each manager over three-week periods, acting as advisors and proposing solutions to limited-scope issues their companies are experiencing.
This virtual exchange initiative effectively bridges cultural boundaries and fosters digital professional work environments. Our experience demonstrates three main contributions of this intensive industry engagement model: 1) it enriches students’ understanding of intercultural and digital competences in a professional environment; 2) it fosters global mindsets and builds soft skills for digital work contexts; and 3) it enhances industry engagement with academia, resulting in graduates who are mature enough to take leading roles in organizations not confined to local markets.