The new program is available to employees of Andersen member firms and collaborating firms, starting with U.S. employees and rolling out worldwide in 2023. Full- and part-time Andersen employees from senior associates to partners — regardless of tenure — are eligible for the program. Participating students must take three to four courses per year, delivered online and asynchronously, to complete the program requirements in five years. The first cohort of nearly 50 students started the pilot program in June 2022. USF welcomed 14 new Andersen students to the program in November 2022 and is targeting another 25-50 for January.
“Andersen strives to be the best professional services firm in the world and this new program is consistent with our dedication to continuous professional development and stewardship,” said Mark Vorsatz, CEO of Andersen. “To be the best in our industry, we have to attract and retain the best talent — that’s why we’re so committed to investing in our people. Working closely with the innovative educators at USF, we’ve built a customized program that reflects and enhances the work Andersen employees do on behalf of our clients every day. As the program grows, we expect it to be a unifying employee experience across our practice areas and global offices.”
Andersen’s offering is unique in the degree to which the firm was involved in course development, and the fact that the program is global in nature, fully funded by the firm, and does not have any kind of clawback, should employees enrolled in the program choose to leave the firm.
“Andersen’s culture is what keeps us together and what sets us apart,” continued Vorsatz. “Our investment in our people at all stages is just one component of how we are building and maintaining that culture.”
A Customized MBA to Meet Andersen’s Business Needs
Andersen and USF’s Masagung Graduate School of Management worked together to create a customized program, including content, delivery, modality, structure and timing, and even jointly creating a special elective class on the importance of company culture. In addition, in certain classes, Andersen senior staff can serve as adjunct professors to aid in instruction. Three trimesters of courses are offered each year: from early January to mid-to-late February; from early May to the end of August; and from early-November to mid-December. Given Andersen’s tax-centered business, program courses are offered outside of the busy tax seasons between March 1 and April 15 and between September 1 and October 15.
“This a truly unique and collaborative program and the close partnership between USF and Andersen sets a new standard for the future of corporate education,” said Otgo Erhemjamts, Dean of the School of Management at USF. “It demonstrates how educational institutions and companies can come together to address skill gaps and prepare organizations and their personnel for the rapidly evolving business world.”
Andersen and USF started their collaboration in 2014 when the organizations first partnered to provide Andersen personnel the opportunity to earn a Master of Laws in Taxation (LLM) or a Master of Legal Studies in Taxation (MLST) from the University of San Francisco School of Law. To date, more than 120 employees from 11 countries have graduated from those programs.
"The University of San Francisco, founded by the Jesuits in 1855, has long worked with the business community in and beyond the City to strengthen their talent pool,” stated USF President Rev. Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J. “Our work with Andersen has been a terrific iteration of this work. The alignment of our cultures makes this excellent teaching/learning experience possible. We are especially grateful to Mr. Vorsatz for envisioning this dynamic partnership."
Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax and legal professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 13,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 390 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.
About the USF School of Management
Founded in 1925, University of San Francisco’s School of Management is on the forefront of educating the next generation of conscious, mindful business leaders. Each year those students join the over 40,000 School of Management alumni around the world to create ethical and innovative change in the private, public, and non-profit management sectors. The School of Management is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).