A long-time faculty member at Louvain-la-Neuve, one of the earliest CEMS member schools, Marie-Thérèse Claes has been part of the alliance since its early years. Over her distinguished career, she has co-led the Global Leadership and Cross-Cultural Management Faculty Group, shaped the Global Leadership Practices textbook, and guided generations of CEMS students to better understand culture, identity, and inclusive leadership.
Here, she reflects on her journey, her motivations, and her hopes for the future of CEMS.
You’ve been part of CEMS almost since its creation. How did your journey with the alliance begin?
When Louvain-la-Neuve joined CEMS in 1989 - just one year after its foundation - I became deeply involved in shaping and developing this unique alliance. I was first entrusted with representing our university in the Language Faculty Group, responsible for designing and evaluating the CEMS language exams and supporting new member schools. These exchanges helped build lasting, international ties that still exist today. Thanks to the initiative of Professor Cristian Delporte, CEMS quickly became part of both my academic and social life.
You have taught at many CEMS schools over the years. What stands out to you about those experiences?
Soon after, I was invited to teach Intercultural Management in Louvain-la-Neuve - a course that quickly grew into a CEMS core course and has since taken me to Helsinki, Saint Petersburg, Stockholm, Milan, and beyond. Over time, my teaching expanded to include CSR, Ethics, Global Leadership, Gender & Diversity, and practical skills seminars such as Bias Awareness and Presentation Skills. I also had the chance to participate in and organize Block Seminars from the very beginning of the MIM programme - at WU Vienna, LSE, Koç University, and most recently at the American University in Cairo. These experiences have shown me how CEMS embodies international collaboration in action.
Your leadership in the Global Leadership and Cross-Cultural Management Faculty Group has been transformative. What have been the milestones of that work?
One of my proudest achievements has been co-founding and leading the Intercultural Management Faculty Group - the most active and longest-running faculty group within CEMS. Under my leadership, it evolved into the Global Leadership and Cross-Cultural Management Faculty Group, incorporating gender and diversity initiatives and driving innovative teaching practices. Our collaborative work led to the co-authored textbook Global Leadership Practices: A Cross-Cultural Management Perspective (2014), with a fully revised edition released in 2024.
After so many years, what does CEMS represent to you today?
Over the past 25 years, I’ve witnessed CEMS grow from a small alliance - where students worried about recognition - to a globally respected joint-degree that shapes responsible leaders for a complex, interconnected world. I’m deeply grateful to have contributed to the cultural and leadership development of hundreds of CEMS students, and to a network that continues to inspire collaboration, inclusion, and excellence.
In the words of the CEMS community…
“Marie-Thérèse was there at the very beginning, helping to shape what CEMS would become when it was first founded (...). In my view, Marie-Thérèse’s contribution has not only happened - it will continue to resonate for years to come. Not to mention her numerous intellectual contributions, including co-editing the flagship CEMS textbook on leadership and delivering block seminars to member schools on a pro bono basis.”
- Marina Apaydin, Associate Professor, Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo
