Dr. Teng-Kee Tan, Dean of the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, joined the Go To Market Show. He discussed his vision for business education focused on entrepreneurship and innovation and the role UMKC is playing in helping Kansas City build its reputation as a leader in the creating an environment where entrepreneurial enterprises can succeed.

Questions about the effectiveness of our education system abound. Rising college costs and stubbornly high levels of unemployment have led people to question the return on investment. Add to that the challenges of educators keeping pace with the rate of change in a technology-driven, global economy. What is certain is that new approaches are needed, and leaders like Dr. Tan are taking on the task.

Dr. Tan brings an impressive resume to the table. He has global experience in the private sector, and is a successful entrepreneur. He also comes from a family lineage of educators who worked in the university setting in China. All of this leads to a perspective that is different from traditional approaches to learning. Dr. Tan is a proponent of putting knowledge in practice - quickly and frequently. Students in the entrepreneurship program at UMKC are required to launch a business - going through the process and experiencing real-life challenges. Mentoring is also a key component of learning - aligning students with business leaders from the community and giving them real-life perspective.

One of the main draws for Dr. Tan in coming to Kansas City was the entrepreneurial history and assets available in the community. It is a city with business leaders like Henry Bloch and Ewing Kaufmann. Companies like Cerner, Garmin, H&R Block, American Century, and more. And research institutions like the Kauffman Foundation and the Stowers Institute. This foundation makes UMKC's efforts even more powerful.

Already the Bloch School has been recognized for excellence in several key areas: The Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation was ranked among the top 25 graduate entrepreneurship programs in the nation by Princeton Review and among the top 26 undergraduate model programs by Entrepreneur Education; The Master of Public Affairs' nonprofit management concentration is ranked among the top 25 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report; The Bloch Executive MBA was ranked No. 1 for career impact among U.S. public universities by Financial Times.

Dr. Tan is on a mission to continue this work and expand the impact of UMKC. As he says, "Imagine a place where we are not just educating, but transforming talent for Kansas City and beyond." Listen to his interview and you'll hear this passion, and start to believe that change in education is happening. Right here in Kansas City.

For more information, visit UMKC's Bloch School online.