After an hour's journey by train fromPaddington station (in central London), you arrive in Oxford, a town which, with 155,000 registered inhabitants, has been part of the symbols of the UnitedKingdom since the days of Edward the Old; thanks to being the seat of the oldest English-speaking university in the world, with more than 900 years.

Today with 250 degrees, 30 faculties, and23,975 students -of whom at least 10,000 do postgraduate degrees-, the university is the socioeconomic and cultural axis of the entire town, generating 30,000 direct jobs and 20,000 more indirect jobs (almost half of the labor force population), in addition to owning approximately a third of the properties.

This overload of history around knowledge carries 5.5 million tourists every year -almost 16 thousand daily- according to the local mayor's office, who come attracted to know the place that has prepared more than 70 Nobel laureates, hundreds of heads of state, and that inspired the lifestyle at Hogwarts, Professor X's house, and many other stereotypes around the studio.

And it is that the energy of the city gravitates around the effort and result of studying. Just as Orlando's parks invite you to remember childhood, Oxford transports visitors to exam days, endless readings, the nerves of waiting for results, and of course sharing with people who, in some cases, become friends of life.

It's hard not to be impressed with Christ Church College (where you only need to meet Harry, Ron and Hermione) the Radcliffe Chamber full of students focused on learning, the Oxford Union where Teresa May or Anna Wintour can end in a debate; and of course by the Oxford Retreat, where everyone toasts with beer, whiskey, or a good Old Fashioned.

According to the Times Higher Education ranking, which evaluates the performance of 1,400 institutions in 92 countries,Oxford has been the best university in the world for four years in a row, surpassing its top peers in the US, who are facing a payment-related scandal for more than 25 MDD between 2011 and 2018 to get several privileged children to enter.

Meanwhile on the other side (including Cambridge) the acceptance rate is 10%, with costs literally a third (even a quarter / fifth) of what is paid for studies at places like Stanford, Harvard,Princeton, or Yale.

To reach this privileged position, the University has dedicated itself extensively (according to the Ranking) to achieving four differentials: permanent support including monitors, professors, program directors, and admissions teams. In my case Aaditya Swaroop and Paula Broadwell were essential.

High-caliber research projects, ranging from the development of low-cost electric batteries to revolutionize sustainability in transportation, mosquitoes that can end malaria, new formulations for the pharmaceutical industry, or the evolution of Christian thinking in the face of 2020.

An extensive study process, based on a lot of discipline, on a continuum of case readings and theories on new topics, and studying to present exams simultaneously, where mysticism includes using the graduation gown to take any exam, a process of severe examination evaluation, and various details that confirm the age of the place.

And the 'pièce de résistance', according to many, will be at the multicultural level that the University manages, with 41%of its students and 45% of its professors coming from all over the world. Literally for the past four years I have been able to meet people from Barbados, Luxembourg, New Zealand, to Kazakhstan. Some examples within the Global Business postgraduate:

Juliano Cardoso (Brazil) has traveled the world working for Bureau Veritas, managing to understand and lead markets as diverse as Australia, England, and Latin America. Today he lives in Singapore, a representative of the executives who belong to the select group of the global C-Suite. In addition to being an excellent bass player and a great friend.

Bob Satawake (United States) and her husband are forerunners of the rights of the LGBTI community when they married more than twenty years ago, becoming part of the diplomatic team of the government of this country. A fervent critic of the current government, his influence on politics today is accounted for through his book "Breaking Protocol".

Mary Dinah (Nigeria) uses her influence to achieve, since her foundation, provide food security to more than 150 girls inAfrica during her studies, in addition to actively participating in the debate and needs of her country in different scenarios worldwide, all while leading the local hotel sector, in addition to beauty queen.

Jeff Astle (United Kingdom) who heads the APCO offices in Shanghai, who seeks to give clues in terms of reputation and business strategy to the main multinationals in the world in order to understand, align and generate a secure entrance to one of the largest markets and complex globally. An insistent connector between 'BrexitLand' and'Xi-Dada'.

Venkat Swaminathan (India) who from the bustle of Canary Wharf manages the sales of VIRTUSA generating technology consulting for the banking and financial sector in the English territory. A representative of the labor discipline, and good personal energy that characterizes the Chennai Indians, as long as his beautiful wife Archana and the love for English soccer continue.

And so there will be hundreds of more stories in the future, for which the University is preparing including a 4 billion Pound fund with Legal & General to create a futuristic dorm citadel, Artificial Intelligence related programs, mass migration to cars electrical, and plastic removal.

About what has been learned

From my experience, after studying two graduate programs at this university (Strategy & Innovation, and Global Business) I can confirm that the perception on different topics around the current economic and business system evolved significantly.

For practical purposes, it will not be about ‘right’ or ‘left’ positions, but rather about being able to understand that each context, company, and consumer is unique, and evolves according to its reality; always under the incisive message of emergency and warning that today reflects the world, and that drastic changes are required to continue creating prosperity for all people in a just way.

Of course -and used to this reality- my editor, who has the responsibility of reflecting the reality and truths of the regional economy from this publishing house, with business influence and social perspective simultaneously, also asked to check that he 'learned the lessons in class '. And of course as an eternal student, I will always be ready (nervous, or both) for an exam.

In this way, I summarize this mental journey in seven headlines, hoping they will be useful for all readers, while complying with one of the essential rules of journalism: listen with humility, attention, and fulfill the needs and learning that the editor's experience provides.

The new role of money in society

With fewer banknotes printed on the streets, banks influencing the 'contactless' world, growing inequality in all countries, and a constant growth of domestic credit debts, 'having' or 'not having' money becomes relative, while access becomes mandatory, changing the distribution of spending in the domestic economy. Living amidst debt is the new normal ’, while having‘ riches ’stops gravitating around the show.

Innovation as transversal power

Although marketing quickly adapted to the famous 'design thinking' (and surely if you have been using it for years you must be bored) to create endless lists of concepts for new products, the evolution of new innovation models seek that companies can really From all its value chain, think, develop and execute a suitable and focused path to achieve something legitimately new, to an increasingly competitive and oversaturated market.

Local context as the axis of globalization

It does not matter how many FTAs ​​exist. Doing business successfully transnationally today is about being able to read local realities and Adapt / Add good practices and global learning. The mentality of 'because we are multinational we can reach the same everywhere' is questioned, because it has been shown that if companies do not make local empathy, growth is not achieved. From Hong Kong to Ecuador, neoliberalism is experiencing its most critical moment.

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Sustainability as a mission

According to UN, thirty years of life remain (https://www.forbes.com.mx/a-la-vida-en-la-tierra-solo-le-quedan-30-anos-onu/)…there are two options: take advantage and exceed, or significantly change habits and business. Whether it's for Leonardo DiCaprio's next girlfriend, or his family: trying to be at least a hundred years old on this planet full of water, pineapples, guacamole, Giselle ’Bündchens and puppies on YouTube. The time has come to stop thinking and dreaming of having the best margin. Society has priorities and emergencies, and not seeing them as a mistake that is costing lives and money. Bad business.

Competitiveness from ethics

Until a few years ago, the mission of advertising agencies focused on creating campaigns that were nothing like the competition. Today in the midst of a sea of ​​similar products and communications, differentiating is not only about being competitive, but also about not resorting to doing what others do well. Seeking to create an unfair way of competing simply stopped working. Lobbying firms gradually go out of style, and humility prevails.

Decreased business cycle

For years Schumpeter and his Austrian designs were a rule for living and reading the cycles of the global economy. The consolidation of Silicon Valley and the uncertainty of the financial markets since the crisis of 2008 and 2015, created a dynamic as fast as an 'elevator pitch', turning a good moment of profit for a company something as ephemeral as an Instagram story. How to generate validity in a world full of fashions, is the goal of strategic planning.

Real-time execution of the prospect

After a decade working in foresight (knowing that for many this work may be perceived as a kind of 'opinion' or 'hobby'), the moment is evident when the exponential transformation of technology and consumption makes it mandatory for everyone to move in the half the time than five years ago. It sounds exhausting, and indeed it is. It is recommended to prepare the work teams so that they know how to think long term and be able to apply in the present.

In the end, the message from Oxford is clear, always in the words of Peter Tufano -Dean of the Saïd business school- ‘your role it’s about doing decent business decently’ (his role is about doing decent business decently). I hope to fulfill this mission, and have the opportunity to return to my Alma Mater soon, knowing that our band, ‘The Five Forces of Oxford’ will be impossible to replace.

Unforgettable experience. I transform a part of my existence.Thank you.

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