Aula Magna: the first online business school for women
Clara Lapiedra, CEO and founder of Aula Magna Business School
What is the Aula Magna Business School?
We are the first business school set up specifically for women. The school is 100% online and offers programs that meet the current needs of companies and organizations.
When was it founded and when did you start working?
I founded it myself in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic.
What do you like most about your job?
Helping to eliminate all gender gaps, and being able to focus only on projects and people I care about.
And what do you like least?
The responsibility that comes with having to shoulder very high fixed costs.
What do you think makes your institution unique?
We saw an opportunity to create a digital, sustainable, and international business school that uses technology to maximize user experience. Case studies focus on today’s diverse, global, sustainable and connected companies.
What is your main challenge?
To end all the gender-related gaps related to salary, representation in management positions, and on boards of directors.
We seek to offer women an environment that is conducive to their professional development. Working with others in similar situations, we provide women with the security they need to advance steadily.
Where is your entity located? Do you know why this location was chosen?
In the heart of the Putxet district. We chose it because of family logistics and because it is a very dynamic environment.
What do you like most about the neighborhood where you work?
It's like a village. My home, my work and my children's school—my whole life— is located within walking distance.
How important is Barcelona for your company?
Very important, as we collaborate with a number of different bodies here. Barcelona is home to internationally renowned universities, like the ones I attended, and it makes sense for us to position ourselves close to an executive education hub.
With which city would you compare Barcelona?
I have a giant map of the USA in my little office, and I like to imagine myself in New York, a very cosmopolitan city where people are direct, get down to business, and are not afraid of talking about business or their aspirations.
What form of urban model should Barcelona adopt?
Well, I would like it to be a hybrid of New York, London and Singapore. It should have a business-friendly profile, with a real buzz that encourages talent, technology, and connectivity.
What best practices from other cities would you like Barcelona to adopt?
I’d like the city to give more support to start-ups, with grants for hiring full-time employees, renting offices, organizing events, etc.
What do you ask of the Barcelona of the future?
It should stop comparing itself to Madrid and create its own international oasis. It needs to attracts talent, investment in startups, and offer a high standard of living.
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