Timeline
Conference with the presidents of Central America and President John F. Kennedy during his visit to Costa Rica. In his opening discourse President Kennedy speaks of strengthening education in Central America. The Declaración de Centroamérica (Declaration of Central America), emitted on the second day of the conference, documents the presidents' interests in strengthening institutions that would train and integrate public and private sector leaders in the Central American region. In a meeting with President Kennedy arranged by Murat Williams, ambassador of the United States in El Salvador, the prominent Salvadoran businessman Francisco de Sola speaks of the need of having a business school in Central America to prepare executives to compete at a world level (March 18-20).
Teodoro Moscoso, coordinator of the Alliance for Progress, writes to Dean George P. Baker of the Graduate School of Business Administration of Harvard University (HBS) about the development of a high level management program in Central America (March 22).
President Kennedy writes to George Baker, dean of the HBS, requesting that he investigate the possibility of establishing a program of administration in Central America (April 10); the dean replies (April 29).
The USAID (ROCAP) – Harvard Business School contract to establish INCAE as a permanent graduate school of business administration commences (June 15).
The administrative office of INCAE is organized and based in the city of San Salvador, El Salvador (September).
The dean of the Harvard Business School, George P. Baker, accepts an invitation to organize and sponsor together with INCAE an Advanced Management Program in Guatemala (October 29).
INCAE acquires legal status in Guatemala (December 4).
The board of directors of INCAE is established with Francisco de Sola, salvadoran businessman, as president (December 15).First Advanced Management Program (AMP) in Antigua, Guatemala, with 45 participants. This is the first public event of INCAE. Dean George P. Baker of Harvard delivers the inaugural discourse and in the closing ceremony the founding act is signed (July 1 – August 7).
N.B. Advanced Management Program (AMP) is the equivalent of Programa de Alta Gerencia (PAG).
Title page and table of contents of the report The Harvard Business School - INCAE Project 1963 - 1966.
INCAE officially established with its site in Managua, Nicaragua (October 24).
1967
Clark Wilson becomes the first rector of INCAE (January1).
Invitation to bid for the construction of the central buildings and residences of the institute (April 10).
Dean Baker of Harvard attends the groundbreaking ceremony of INCAE (July 1).
The INCAE library begins with 459 books chosen by Baker Library of the Harvard Business School (August 28).1968
The first Masters Program in Business Administration (MAE I) begins with 42 students from six countries. The students are lodged in the Hotel Lido Palace in Managua. The classes are given in the Central Bank (January 8).
Ernesto Cruz becomes the second rector of INCAE (July 1).
End of the first USAID (ROCAP) – Harvard Business School contract. Support for INCAE continued under another contract (October 15).
N.B. The titles MAE (Maestría en Administración de Empresas) and MBA (Master in Business Administration) refer to the same academic degrees.
1969
Meeting of the board of directors and members of the national committees with Dr. George P. Baker and professors of the HBS and the rector and professors of INCAE, on the occasion of the first graduation of the master’s program (June 19).
Inauguration of the campus of INCAE (June 20).
First graduation ceremony of INCAE (MAE I) with 29 graduates (June 21).
1970
First executive program outside of Central America, the PAG IX, in Medellín, Colombia.
The Agribusiness Management program begins.
Graduation of MAE II with 18 graduates from seven countries. George P. Baker, Dean Emeritus of the Harvard Business School, receives the doctor honoris causa degree (June 13).
Submission of the Termination Report by Charles H. Savage Jr., first academic director of INCAE (October 7).1971
Francisco de Sola receives the Distinguished Service Award from the Harvard Business School Association partly because of his role in establishing INCAE (June 11).
USAID grants INCAE US$3.9 million loan, payable over forty years.
End of the USAID contract with Harvard; advisory relations HBS-INCAE are established by means of a permanent advisory committee (June 30).
INCAE publishes the study Evaluación preliminar de daños causados por el terremoto (Preliminary Evaluation of Damages Caused by the Earthquake) that was instrumental in bringing foreign aid to Nicaragua (5 de enero).
Creation of the Advisory Center; contract with the government of Nicaragua, with the aid of the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) (March).
The program Administration of Family Planning Programs begins.
The Development Banking and Finance program begins.The Public Management program begins.
First Andean AMP (PAG XVI) in Ibarra, Ecuador (July).
1975
The library began to organize the Historical Archive.
First AMP (PAG XVIII) in the Caribbean, in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic (July 13- August 9).
1977
George F.F. Lombard, Senior Associate Dean of the Harvard Business School, receives the doctor honoris causa degree at the graduation of MAE IX (June 18).
1979
The Sandinistas take power in Nicaragua (July 19).
The Revista INCAE begins publication (October).
1982
Marc Lindenberg becomes the fourth rector of INCAE (January).
The campus of Montefresco is named Campus Francisco de Sola (FdS) (December 3).
The government of Costa Rica authorizes the donation of the property where the Alajuela Racquet Club is located, to the Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas (INCAE) (January 14).
A parchment signed by Luis Alberto Monge as president of Costa Rica and Francisco de Sola as president of the board of directors of INCAE was deposited along with the first stone of what would be the campus Walter Kissling Gam of INCAE in Costa Rica (January 15).
Three programs financed by the Inter-American Development Bank begin: Management of Non-Traditional Exports, Policy and Management of Energy Resources, and Small and Medium Enterprise. USAID makes a donation to INCAE to establish the library in Costa Rica. This was followed by donations from the IADB (Inter-American Development Bank) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rican businessman, assumes the presidency of the board of directors of INCAE (September).
MAE XVI (second year) begins in Costa Rica (October).
The Functional Administration Program (PAF) begins in INCAE, Nicaragua (November 6).1984
The Management of Cooperatives program begins.
The Bank Administration program begins.
MAE XVII (first year) begins in Costa Rica. The MAE program will not be offered again in Nicaragua until 1996 (January).
Inauguration of the campus of the Central American Institute of Business Administration, INCAE, Alajuela, Costa Rica (April 1).
Luis Alberto Monge, President of Costa Rica, 1982-1986, receives the doctor honoris causa degree at the inauguration of the campus (April 1).
Ecuador becomes a member country of INCAE (June 23).1987
The Policy Center program begins.
Marc Lindenberg, rector of INCAE, 1982-1987, receives the doctor honoris causa degree, Costa Rica (June 27).
Melvyn Copen becomes the fifth rector of INCAE (September 12).
The Master of Business Economics program begins in Costa Rica (September).
For the first time a Central American presidential summit is held at INCAE, Costa Rica (January 15-16).
Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize 1987, president of Costa Rica, 1986-1990 and 2006-2010, receives the doctor honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of MAEXX, Costa Rica (June 25).1990
The sandinistas lose the elections in Nicaragua. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro is elected president (February 25).
Celebration of the 25th anniversary of INCAE on the campus in Costa Rica, with the participation of Derek Bok, president of Harvard University (March).
An Advanced Management Banking program is presented in Uruguay and an Advanced Management Program in Paraguay (November).
The Economic Studies and Training Program (PROGRESEC) is established in Ecuador to foment dialog on economic policy (November 13).1991
The Political Parties program begins.
The Program for Women begins.
Hernando de Soto, Peruvian economist and ideologist, receives the doctor honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of MAE XXIII and MEEIII, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (June 29).
Pablo Antonio Cuadra, Nicaraguan poet and ideologist, receives the doctor honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of PAF VIII, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (July 6).
Brizio Biondi-Morra, academic and businessman, becomes the sixth rector of INCAE (September).
First graduation of the MBA Executive Program (MAEX I), Costa Rica (December 5).1993
An agreement is signed between INCAE and the Fundación Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho of Venezuela for training students and masters’ professors of that country (May).
Stephan Schmidheiny, Swiss businessman, receives the doctor honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of MAE XXV, Costa Rica (June 26).
The Master in Administration of Industry and Technology (MAIT) program begins (September).1994
Celebration of the 30th anniversary of INCAE at the Harvard Business School (May).
George Cabot Lodge, professor of the Harvard Business School and a key person in the founding of INCAE, receives the doctor honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of PAF XI, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (July 1).
The Research Center is established.
INCAE receives accreditation from SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools)1995
In the graduation of the programs MAE XXVII, MEE VII, MARN II and MAIT I, the majority of the 131 graduates are not from Central America or Panama (June 24).
First visit of Michael Porter to Central America, organized by INCAE (October).
Michael Porter meets with the presidents of the Central American countries at INCAE, Costa Rica, and then at Harvard (November).1996
Celebration of the return of the MAE program (MAE XXX) to Nicaragua, to be offered simultaneously with the MAE program in Alajuela. It will be an intensive, 15-month MAE program (February 26).
A Central American presidential summit is held at INCAE, on the occasion of a visit of Michael Porter, Nicaragua (June 20).
Michael Porter receives the doctor honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of MAE XXVIII, Costa Rica (June 22).
Founding of the Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development (acronym in Spanish: CLACDS) (September 1).
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Stephan Schmidheiny Building, Costa Rica (November 30).1997
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, first woman president of Nicaragua 1990-1997, receives the doctora honoris causa degree and delivers the commencement address at the graduation of MAE XXX, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (June 28).
1999
Roberto Artavia becomes the seventh rector of INCAE. He is the first INCAE MBA graduate to hold this position (April).
Brizio Biondi-Morra becomes the president of the board of directors of INCAE (April).
INCAE receives accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) (April).
Walter Kissling Gam receives the doctor honoris causa degree at the graduation of MAE XXXIII and MEE XI, Costa Rica (May).
Presentation of the Central American Agenda for the 21st Century at a meeting between CABEI (Central American Bank for Economic Integration), INCAE and Harvard for academics, governors and businessmen, Costa Rica (June).
Inauguratión of the Stephan Schmidheiny Building, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (June 18).2000
Designation of the Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua, as permanent site of the executive master’s program (June).
Inauguration of the Residential Building No. 8 at the Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua. Carlos Pellas delivers the inaugural address (July 12).
50th AMP (AMP 50 – Advanced Management Program 50), Costa Rica (July 10 – August 4).2001
INCAE and five other Latin American business schools, the Harvard Business School and AVINA found the Social Enterprise Knowledge Network (SEKN) (January).
Graduation of MAE XXXVII as the only master’s program offered in Costa Rica. The last graduation of the MEE as a master’s program was in the year 2000 and of the MAIT and MARN as masters’ programs was in 1998 (May 26).
Publication of the study in eight volumes CLACDS-HIID-AVINA-BCIE on Central America.
Visit of President Gustavo Noboa of Ecuador to the campus of INCAE in Costa Rica. During this occasion the government of Ecuador awarded INCAE the Order of Knight’s Merit, for the contributions of INCAE to that nation (December).2002
The campus of INCAE Costa Rica receives the name of Campus Walter Kissling Gam (February 21).
CLACDS and the Media Lab of MIT announce the formalization of the research agreement Digital Nations to promote the development of Central America (February).
Students of INCAE, together with students of the HBS, the Stockholm School of Economics and the School of Economics, Riga, Latvia, participate in an on-line course on the microeconomics of competition given by Michael Porter and coordinated by CLACDS (February-March).
An agreement is signed with LASPAU (organization affiliated with Harvard University and the OAS) by which scholarships are awarded to outstanding Latin American students (September 12).
A Central American presidential summit is held at INCAE, Costa Rica (September 26).
The Student Academic Center “F. Alfredo Pellas”, with study rooms donated by Central American companies, is inaugurated at the Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (October).2003
INCAE offers eight EMBA (Executive MBA programs): Guatemala (1), Nicaragua (2), Panamá (2), Ecuador (1), Venezuela (1) and Peru (1), this last one together with the business school of the University Adolfo Ibañez. At the same time, INCAE offers in Costa Rica the Master of Medical Management program jointly with Tulane University and in Nicaragua the executive program Legal Aspects of International Businesses, this being the third joint program with the Georgetown University Law Center.
The celebration to commemorate forty years of INCAE begins with the meeting of the national committees in Antigua, Guatemala. In this meeting INCAE receives the “Orden Rafael Landívar”, the highest decoration that the city awards. Forty years before, Antigua had declared the members of the first Advanced Management Program of INCAE as guests of honor (July 18).
The magazine AméricaEconomía ranks INCAE as number one in their annual ranking of Latin American business schools (August 15).
INCAE establishes the Walter Kissling Gam Chair (October 5).
Stephan Schmidheiny chooses INCAE as the site to announce the creation of the Viva Trust (October 9).
INCAE signs its first agreements to offer double degrees, with the Weatherhead School of Management of Case Western Reserve University (May), ESADE (May) and Leipzig Graduate School of Management (December).2004
The Microfinance Program begins.
For the first time INCAE appears in the Financial Times’ ranking of the most important MBA programs with international experience (January 26).
INCAE receives accreditation EQUIS of the European Foundation for Management Development (March 31).
The Student Academic Center “Alberto y Roberto Motta C.”, with study rooms donated by Central America companies, is inaugurated at the Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (May 21).
Presentation of the Fund for Academic Development Luis Poma and inauguration of the Luis Poma Forum, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (May 21).
Celebration of forty years of INCAE, Costa Rica and Nicaragua (May 21 and 28).
For the second consecutive year, the magazine AméricaEconomía ranks INCAE as number one in its annual ranking of the business schools of Latin America (August 28).
Presentation of the book Mi carro de Nicaragua; o de cómo conocí la tierra del Güegüence, written by Forrest D. Colburn, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (November).
INCAE begins to use a new logo (November).
2005
The Software AG Chair in E-Government begins.
The Latin American Network of Universities for Quality and Sustainable Development, directed by INCAE, is established (February 2005).
Signing of the alliance between INCAE and the Technological Institute in Monterrey (ITESM) (May 21 in Costa Rica; February 20, 2006, in Monterrey, Mexico).
Inauguration of the Classroom MAE VIII, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (May 27).
Alberto Motta Cardoze, Panamanian businessman, receives the doctor honoris causa degree at the graduation of MAE XLV, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (May 21).
Roberto Motta Cardoze, Panamanian businessman, receives the doctor honoris causa degree at the graduation of MAE XLV, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (May 21).
F. Alfredo Pellas Ch., Nicaraguan businessman, receives the doctor honoris causa degree at the graduation of MAE XLVI, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (May 28).
For the third consecutive year, the magazine AméricaEconomía ranks INCAE as number one in its annual ranking of the business schools of Latin America (August 19).
The first students from India enroll (MBA XLIX) (September 5).
Inauguration for the first time in the history of INCAE of a section in English in the MBA program (MBA XLIX). Possibly this is the first MBA in Latin America to be taught in English (September 5).
A Central American presidential summit is held at INCAE, Costa Rica (September 12).
For the first time INCAE appears in the international ranking of business schools of The Wall Street Journal, in tenth place (September 21).
The “Carlos F. Pellas” Classroom is inaugurated, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (October 7).
Signing of the agreement BATCCA (British American Tobacco Caribbean & Central America) – INCAE that establishes the “BATCCA Chair of Social Enterprise and Social Corporate Enterprise Responsibility” (October 21).2006
The businessman Carlos Pellas commits scholarships for $2.5 million to students who want to take their master’s degree at INCAE in Nicaragua (January).
INCAE and the Poma Foundation sign an agreement that creates the Foundation Poma Chair for the relief of poverty in the Central American region. (March 21).
The Inmobiliaria Cobirsa Classroom is inaugurated, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (May 26).
INCAE joins the Latin American Case Consortium (LACC), established to coordinate and share translations of Harvard Business School cases among the member schools (June).
For the fourth consecutive year, the magazine AméricaEconomía ranks INCAE as number one in its annual ranking of the business schools of Latin America (August 18).
INCAE and the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Chile sign an agreement for cooperation (September 18).
The journal INCAE Business Review, vol. 1, number 1, July-December, is launched (October 1).
The Center for Business Enterprise Arnoldo Solórzano Thompson is inaugurated at the Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua. It will house the mission of Michigan State University in Nicaragua, known as PFID (Partnership for Food Industries Development). The inaugural act was presided over by the president of Nicaragua, Enrique Bolaños Geyer (October 26).
First AMP South (Tarija, Bolivia, October 15 – 28; Tucumán, Argentina, November 19 – December 1).2007
Inauguration of the Manuel Jiménez de la Guardia Classroom, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (March 9).
Inauguratio of the Huber Garnier O. Classroom, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (May 2).
Arturo Condo becomes the eighth rector of INCAE (June 1).
Inauguration of the Corporation CEFA and Norval Garner Oreamuno Clinic, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (July 13).
Inauguration of the Ing. Lorenzo Giordano Beccaria, Grupo Sur Classroom, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (August 17).
PAG (Programa de Alta Gerencia) in Paraguay (September-November).
Presentation of the book INCAE Memories 1979-1982, written by Harry W. Strachan, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (October 11).
Inauguration of the Juan U. Maegli and Grupo Tecún Classroom, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (November 22).
The Board of Directors visits China (February 29 to March 7).
Arturo Condo, rector of INCAE, is chosen as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (March 8).
First event of the Founders’ Circle, Embassy of Nicaragua, Washington, D.C. Among the guests were George Cabot Lodge, professor emeritus of the Harvard Business School and instrumental in the founding of INCAE and Jean Kennedy Smith, sister of John F. Kennedy (March 27).
Presentation of the book Ensayos de Baar, written by Roberto Artavia, rector of INCAE from 1999 to 2007, with the attendance of Dr. Oscar Arias, president of Costa Rica (August 18).
Inauguration of the Argüello Arellano Forum and homage in honor of Dr. Xavier Argüello Carazo, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (October 2).
Homage to Werner Ketelhöhn Escobar, unveiling of the plaque in the park that bears his name, Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (October 3).
Presentation of the book Fusiones y adquisiciones en la práctica, written by INCAE professors Nicolás Marín Jiménez and Werner Ketelhöhn Escobar† (October 23).
Dedication of the Study Room Dr. Roberto Brenes Guzmán and Mrs. Flora Castro de Brenes, Campus Walter Kissling Gam (February 6).
Second Founders' Circle Event, Antigua, Guatemala. During the meeting George Cabot Lodge presented an article written by Wickham Skinner, James E. Robison Professor, Emeritus, Harvard Business School, and one of the first professors to teach at INCAE (April 23).
Ricardo Martinelli, MAE IX, graduated in Nicaragua in 1977, is elected president of Panama (May 3).
The international classification of business schools of the Financial Times Executive Education places INCAE within the 50 business schools with the best executive education in the world (May 11).
Inauguration of the Duilio Baltodano Pallais Cafeteria, Campus FdS, Nicaragua (July 30).
Signing of the Steve Aronson - INCAE Agreement to create the Steve Aronson Chair of Agribusiness Strategy with a $1 million donation from Mr. Aronson, Campus WKG, Costa Rica (December 10).
Among the MBA students 19 nationalities are represented, in addition to 6 nationalities among the exchange students.
Presentation of the book INCAE Business School. Los primeros 45 años: Visión y pasión written by Raúl E. Barragán and Roberto Artavia Loría, with the collaboration of Róger Quant P.,preliminary pages Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (March 4).
The Financial Times Executive Education international ranking places INCAE within the 60 business schools with the best executive education (May 10).
Meeting of the president-elect of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, with her future government team, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (April 23 and later with her as president May 22).
Meeting of the government of Nicaragua and the private sector on the Campus Francisco de Sola, Nicaragua (May 26).
The magazine AméricaEconomía ranks INCAE as number two in its annual ranking of the business schools of Latin America. INCAE has been in the first or second place in the rankings of AméricaEconomía during the last ten years (June 7).
Third Founders' Circle event, Panama City. The Rector of INCAE, members of the Founders' Circle, graduates of the AMP II and relatives, as well as members of the INCAE national committees participated (July 1).
The World Bank announces its support of a program managed by INCAE that will strengthen the capabilities of Central American civil servants (July 20).
The President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, inaugurates the Program of Advanced Management PAD 2010 for Leaders of the Cooperative Movement, Campus Walter Kissling Gam, Costa Rica (September 10).
The EMBA Global 2010 visits China (September 9-15).
The Board of Directors meets in India (October 3-9).
The Financial Times EMBA ranking places INCAE in the position number 80 (among 100) (October 27).
The first module of the Program of Regional Economic Integration (PIER) begins. It is a joint undertaking of INCAE Business School, the World Bank, the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Spain and the World Trade Institute of the University of Bern, Switzerland (January 24).
The Financial Times Global MBA ranking places INCAE in the position number 77 (among 100) (January 31).
PIM (Partnership in International Management) accepts the candidature of INCAE as a member. PIM is a network of international business schools that foments the exchange of students (October 5-7).
The Financial Times EMBA ranking places INCAE in the position number 78 (among 100) (October 24).
Fifty students from the business schools Carlson, Rollins and Thunderbird, together with the 110 INCAE first year MBA students, participate in a seminar on fundamentals of sustainability, Campus WKG, Costa Rica (January 3-14).
Launching of the INCAE Alumni Magazine (January 25).
The Financial Times Global MBA ranking places INCAE in the position number 76 (among 100) (January 30).
Yale School of Management invites INCAE to form part of a new global network of international business schools (February 10).
INCAE appears among the top ten business schools of the world in two areas: corporate strategy and economics, as rated by alumni of these schools for the Financial Times (March 1).
Roberto Artavia Loría assumes the presidency of the Board of Directors of INCAE. Carlos Pellas Ch. is nominated as vice president. It is the first time that a vice president of the Board of Directors is nominated. Brizio Biondi-Morra is nominated president emeritus of the Board of Directors (March 6).
Launching of the fund raising campaign Illuminate (March 6 in Nicaragua; March 8 in Costa Rica).
The Financial Times Executive Education international ranking places INCAE within the 50 business schools with the best executive education (May 14).
Prepared by Thomas Bloch. Director of Libraries
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