The newly installed president of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) said on Thursday that the business school hopes to attract more international and local students, given that the Philippine is showing improvement economically.

In an interview, Dr. Steven DeKrey said that the world’s perception to the Philippines is improving, citing the contribution of tourism and the business process outsourcing sectors.

DeKrey also mentioned that the government is more open now to support foreign investments.

He added that AIM should take advantage of these improvements by returning to be one of the top business schools in Asia.

“AIM should be the source of Asia for global leadership, talent, insights and knowledge. We should create knowledge for Asia’s needs and we should develop the wisdom to all of us including management,” the AIM president stated.

DeKrey noted that AIM’s vision is to make difference in promoting the sustainable development of Asian societies by developing professional, entrepreneurial, and socially responsible leaders and managers.

In order to achieve its vision, he announced that AIM has to strengthen a lot of areas in its curriculum, facilities, faculties and intakes, which have to be broadened.

“Aim is taking up strategies such as strengthening its resource position, connecting with various constituents, building linkages with alumni and even raising the tuition,” the AIM president added.

On the other hand, DeKrey said that AIM has a very high percentage of international students.

“At present, MBA students comprised of 65 percent non-Filipinos,” he said, adding that most of their students were from India, which is a high-growing English-speaking country.

DeKrey also mentioned that the trends now are reversing since more Western students are now coming to Asia to pursue their studies.

“I believe that we can attract students outside Asia because our English capability is an advantage,” he said.

DeKrey assumed office as the ninth president of AIM on August 20, 2012. After he served as the senior associate dean, directors of masters program, and adjunct professor of management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Business and Management.

He obtained his PhD in School and Sport Pyschology from the University of Iowa in 1982; his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 1985; his MS in School Psychology in 1977 from the University of Wisconsin and BA degree in 1975, as cum laude in Psychology, from Bemidji State.