Bringing an Apple to School

In past entries, we’ve talked about brands extending through education -– including McDonald’s Hamburger U, Sephora University, and the BMW Driving School.

Apple has just raised the bar on corporate training, by naming the dean of Yale’s school of management as an Apple vice president and dean of Apple University. Joel Podolny, credited with revamping the Yale business-school curriculum and improving the institution’s standing, recently announced his imminent departure for Cupertino.

The Yale Daily News reported that Apple insiders, speaking off the record, expected Podolny to focus on executive education.

Podolny is known for his interdisciplinary approach, which Apple apparently sees as the wave of the future for leading business thinkers. The investment seems like a move to the head of the class for Apple. Read more here. For past coverage on companies extending their brands through smart training programs, click here.