The magazine for alumni and friends of the UB School of Management
Issue link: http://ubschoolofmanagement.uberflip.com/i/1210017
Spring 2020 Buffalo Business 3 Dean joins leaders in call for immigration policy change In October, School of Management Dean Paul Tesluk signed an open letter to U.S. policymakers in conjunction with a new white paper from the Graduate Management Admission Council, "Early Warning Signals: Winners and Losers in the Global Race for Talent." The report examines how high- skilled immigration fuels productivity and economic growth, the need to support mobility of talent to study and work across borders, and the critical role business schools play in flagging trends that will impact the wider economy. Calling attention to the particular challenges the U.S. faces, 15 CEOs (including several School of Management alumni and CEOs from companies in the Buffalo Niagara region) and 55 business school deans signed the letter calling for a substantial change in the U.S. approach to high-skilled immigration. The letter expresses urgent concern that the U.S. does not have the talent it needs or the capacity to train enough people with these skills to remain competitive in a global economy. According to Tesluk, international applications to School of Management graduate programs have declined by 66% since 2016, as regional companies look to recruit graduates for key jobs. "Attracting these individuals is critical to our growth and competitiveness—as a region and as a nation," he says. "We know high-skill immigration benefits the workforce and the global economy." In 2019, the United States experienced a 13.7% decrease in international business school applications—a steeper decline than any other country. Citing economic res- earch and application data, the white paper looks at trends in the flow of talent to specific countries. Because they attract highly skilled candidates, regions where students can study and work are likely to be economic development winners, which has impli- cations for homegrown talent, as well, by creating hubs of innovation. Western New York is one such region, due in part to the important role of UB and the School of Management in attracting, educating and placing top students into companies. To read the letter and white paper, visit gmac.com/talentmobility. Photo: Tom Wolf