Southeast Asia

Collaboration and teamwork are hallmarks of the Darden experience. Below are just a few examples of how experiential learning translates into meaningful opportunities to collaborate in teams with impact.

• Case methodology of instruction
• Area focus elective courses
• Industry focus elective courses
• Consulting Darden Business Projects
• Global Experiential Opportunities include Darden Worldwide Courses, Global Client Projects and Exchange Programs

Asia Business Club at Darden (ABCD)

As one of the largest affinity clubs at Darden, the purpose of ABCD is to help members succeed at Darden by providing support in recruiting, social and personal development. ABCD is dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion by promoting Asian culture in the Darden community and also supports admission events to promote and recruit prospective students in Asia.

Darden South Asia Society (DSAS)

The purpose of the Darden South Asia Society (DSAS) is to bring together members of the Darden community who are interested in business and cultural aspects of the South Asian geographical region. The club organizes seminars, speaker series, panels, recruiting events, admissions activities, cultural and sporting events distinctive to this region. DSAS also supports relevant events of the International Business Society and the International Advisory Board.

Darden Student Association

The Darden Student Association (DSA) seeks to strengthen the fabric of the Darden Community; working to ensure that each student can realize their fullest Darden experience. The DSA represents Darden on the University Honor Committee, the University Judiciary Committee, the University Student Council, and the Graduate and Professional Council, and supports student groups including career clubs, affinity groups, and intramural sports. DSA seeks to represent all students of the residential MBA program.

Advisory Groups

Darden has several advisory groups which provide a forum for dialogue, feedback and proactive initiative throughout the year in effort to continuously improve the student experience through collaboration between faculty, staff and students.

Emerging Markets Conference

The Emerging Markets Conference is an annual entirely student-run event, co-hosted by multiple student organizations, including the Latin American Student Association, the Darden African Business Organization, the Asia Business Club @ Darden, the Darden South Asia Society, and the Adam Smith Society, among other groups. In 2024, the theme of the conference was "Social Pioneers Among Global Challengers: The ESG Agenda in Emerging Markets" and Darden welcomed speakers including, Krishnamurthy Subramanian, an executive director of the International Monetary Fund and former chief economic adviser to the prime minister of India and Manoj Sinha (MBA ’09), the cofounder and CEO of Husk Power Systems.

Asia Gala Night

Darden community members are welcomed each year to attend a cultural celebration of the Lunar New Year at the Asia Grand Gala. The event, hosted by the Asia Business Club at Darden, typically features delicious Asian food, performances, a freestyle dance floor, and a stunning runway to showcase Asian traditional outfits. Performances originated from all across various Asian countries.

UVA Darden Shanghai Field Office

Meet Doris Cao, UVA Darden's feet on the ground in China. Doris is the Director of China Initiatives for Darden and the scope of her work is broad. From supporting academic programming, admissions and alumni activities, executive education and corporate engagement, Doris works collaboratively across Darden’s various departments, leading efforts to advance Darden’s impact in China and the surrounding region. She also regularly makes trips throughout Asia to represent Darden and support faculty and Darden Worldwide Courses across the region. 

Partner Institutions

Darden has partnerships with other top business schools around the world to foster exchange opportunities, collaborative academic programs, faculty engagement and research, and other activities. Schools based in the broader Asia region that partner with Darden include the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Melbourne Business School (MBS), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Seoul National University (SNU), China European International Business School (CEIBS) and Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of Management and Commerce.

Alumni Networking and Faculty Visits

Darden faculty and senior leadership regularly visit Southeast Asia in various capacities to represent the School and enhance Darden's presence and awareness. Recent destinations in the region have included Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore where opportunities to connect have ranged from small gathering coffee chats to case presentations led by faculty with a mix of alumni and prospective student audiences. Meeting with prospective students in-person and online is a key way to get to know more about the Darden School at a distance.

Darden School Foundation

The Darden School Foundation, an independent and nonprofit organization established in 1952, offers merit-based scholarships. These scholarships support students from around the world, enabling them to excel at Darden as students and beyond.

Merit Scholarships

Darden has a robust portfolio of merit scholarships. Consideration for merit scholarships takes place during the admissions process after your complete application has been submitted. No additional application is required. A variety of metrics and factors including academic ability, professional and personal achievements and potential to contribute to the community are considered.

Company & Government Sponsorship

Darden welcomes employer-sponsored and government-sponsored students from all industries and backgrounds. When student is sponsored, it acknowledges the student’s leadership, the time commitment the program requires and — most importantly — the significant value that the MBA provides for student and stakeholder(s) alike. Many companies and some governments, from Southeast Asia in particular, have sponsorship programs to send students abroad for a degree.