International MBA - The Program
Reinventing the World
DEEP-DIVE INTO THE INTERNATIONAL MBA
This exciting learning journey takes place over four periods, each with its own unique focus, and continues far beyond graduation. This program immerses you in the real-world of business, further accelerating your learning. With our blended approach, you can design your program around your individual needs and career goals.
Throughout the core periods, you will gain a 360-degree view of the business world, learning to integrate concepts while exploring new business areas and seamlessly connecting the dots. The hands-on lab period gives you the chance to test theories, experiment with behaviors and put business frameworks into practice. The final elective period focuses on your interests, giving you the option to choose from a variety of elective courses covering nine different knowledge streams. Designed to ignite your passion and solidify your success, our International MBA will allow you to explore a world of endless career possibilities.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
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11 MONTHS 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Duration |
CORE PERIOD |
LAB PERIOD |
ELECTIVE PERIOD | |||
| 6 MONTHS |
1 MONTH |
4 MONTH | ||||
Subject |
Pre-Program |
Developing An Entrepreneurial Mindset Integrating General Management Perspectives |
Mastering Business Fundamentals Learning Leadership in a Highly Diverse Environment |
Choose from: Social Impact Lab Business Impact Lab Start-Up Lab Tech Lab Internship | Choose From: Elective Courses 9 Concentration Areas Short/Long Exchange Venture Lab Global Network Week | Interactive Exercise + Graduation |
| Transformational Leadership Program | ||||||
THE INTERNATIONAL MBA LANGUAGE OPTIONS
The IMBA is all about personalization
Further expanding your options, you can now choose your preferred language for the program. Set yourself apart by selecting the experience best suited to your personal and professional goals. You can complete the program entirely in English, or you can mix English and Spanish in order to have a bilingual learning experience—the choice is entirely yours.
ALL-ENGLISH OPTION
You can choose to do the entire program in English, from your core period up to your final electives.
START IN ENGLISH AND FINISH IN SPANISH
You can do your Core Period and Lab of choice in English and follow it with Spanish electives. You’ll be primed for the world of work, where business is carried out in different languages, different countries and across different cultures.
START IN SPANISH AND FINISH IN ENGLISH
You can do your Core Period in Spanish, your Lab of choice in English and end with a mix of English and Spanish Electives. Some of the world’s most established multinationals—such as Google, BBVA, MercedesBenz and Accenture—require their professionals to be bilingual.
GET SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY
In order to prepare you for your courses, we offer English and Spanish language classes throughout the entire program, so you can improve your language skills. Additionally, we offer a free 6-month subscription to Bussu, the world’s largest language-learning social network, to get the extra support you need.
BROADEN YOUR NETWORK
A program with the degree of language customization doesn’t only enhance your skill set, but it also broadens your network. Understanding industries and markets in more than one language and building strong cultural awareness gives you greater ability to expand your opportunities.
YOUR INTERNATIONAL MBA CURRICULUM
1. Pre-Program & Launch
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Pre-ProgramPre-Program
Pre-Program
Designed to ensure that all students in the cohort are on the same page when they arrive. At this time, students can also sign up for optional Spanish classes to get them ready for their landing in Madrid.
- Accounting
- Quantitative Methods
- Finance
- Ethics
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Launch Week1 Launch Week
Launch Week
Just before the Core Period starts and after the Opening Day Ceremony, you will participate in a week-long program orientation – an exciting experience that provides a fun, useful and outside-the-box way to start building your network and find out everything you have to know about IE. There are also some foundational classes that focus on innovation, ideation, communication and entrepreneurial skills.
During Launch Week, you will cover courses such as:- Case Method
- Critical Thinking
- Take the Stage
- Intro to Transformational Leadership Program
- Digital Playroom
- Who Moved my Idea
- Leveraging Diversity & Inclusion
- Teambuilding
- Intro to Careers
3. IMMERSION LABS
Here’s when you can begin to customize your journey, building your unique IMBA as you start to develop your skills in a real world context. Students can choose from one of our four fully immersive labs or an internship – whatever your choice you will be fully immersed in the solving of real-world business challenges, equipping you with the experience you need to stand out from other candidates and land your dream role.
Our labs take students from a challenge to a business solution in 5 weeks. Students will form teams, learn about the challenge and meet their group, mentor & partner companies before diving deep into the 5-week practical experience. Teams then prepare their final presentations for the closing event and awards are received.
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START-UP LAB
It reproduces an incubator-like atmosphere in which you collaborate with other peers who want to start their own venture. As all entrepreneurs know, a start-up is really a series of experiments leading to pivot, perish or persevere iterations. In this lab, we prepare you for this challenge in a hands on, inspiring and safe learning environment that serves as a catalyst to help you excel later in the Venture Lab or in launching your own start-up after the program.This carefully designed experience is taught through the following courses:
- Going viral
- Analytics for creators
- Design thinking: creating, prototyping & testing your mvp
- Funding your start-up
- Generating market traction
- Lean start-up & customer validation
- Critical legal instruments
- Ramping up
- Pitching bootcamp
- New corporate governance
- Tech- primer for non-tech creators
For those with an entrepreneurial drive, you will have the opportunity to continue on to the the Venture Lab, which will allow you to continue your business idea and take it to the next level so that it’s ready for investment. Among other things, Venture Lab teams receive training, mentorship and access to IE’s Area 31 co-working space.
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BUSINESS IMPACT LAB
In the Business Impact Lab, you focus on developing your integrative skills and cross-disciplinary management perspective to be ready to create a real impact from day one in any organization you will join post-MBA.
Working with the real problems facing top organizations such as ING, Microsoft, Iberia and Dufry, you will acquire the tools needed to be a positive disruptive influence and to implement transformational ideas in a corporate setting via modules within the following knowledge streams:
- Running the Design Spring
- Business Innovation Models
- Corporate Innovation Models
- Big Data & Business Analytics
- Digital Transformation
- Corporate Governance Practice
- Disruptive Strategy
- Financial Analysis for Business
- Consulting Frameworks
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SOCIAL IMPACT LAB
Provides an international consulting experience while also allowing students to work with nonprofits and social enterprises in different countries, such as Peru, Brazil, or South Africa.
This option is powered by Emzingo, a company founded by IMBA students in 2008, whose mission is to provide individuals with transformational leadership experiences that focus on creating positive social impact. During our 6 to 8 week consulting program, students receive training in Human-Centered Consulting principles that directly apply to social impact projects with leading NGO or social enterprises in the different locations.
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TECHLAB
The five intense weeks of the TechLab will sharpen your business skills as you are immersed in the world of technology. After completing the Tech Partner’s corporate challenge, you will be ready to hold up your end of high-level conversations about technology as it relates to business, as well as having the knowledge needed to put the latest technology solutions into practice after discovering the most disruptive trends and applying them to strategic decision making.
Partners in previous Labs include Oracle, Santander & IBM, Telefónica and Nokia. The TechLab covers these knowledge streams:
- 3 D Printing
- Analytics
- Blockchain
- Digital Transformation
- Quantum Computing
- Robotics Process Automation
- Technology Deep Dive
- Legal Challenges To Technology Adoption
- Developing Tech Future
- Understanding Tech Trends
- Tech-Focused Pitching & Storytelling
- Design Thinking, Creativity And Ideation
- Product Management Toolkit
- Digital Leadership
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INTERNSHIP
You can also choose to participate in a 7-11 week Internship (depending on your intake) that will take place in lieu of your lab period during Feb/March for the September intake students and Jun/July for the January class.
This option has been created for those who wish to gain specific real-world experience that will support their career change to another industry, sector, region and/or role. Students may perform an internship anywhere in the world, earning credit towards their IMBA for the associated academic deliverables.
Students who choose to do the IMBA Extension will have the option of applying for internships in different periods throughout the year to suit their professional needs.
4. ELECTIVE PERIOD & CONCENTRATIONS
The 3-month elective period also offers you the opportunity to sharpen your career focus by choosing to cluster your courses within a concentration area, allowing you to use electives to customize and complement your IMBA core courses and pave the way to your dream job. Take half of your electives in a particular area, choosing the remaining courses from the academic areas that best fit your career objectives. Upon completion of your IMBA, the concentration area you have chosen will be reflected on your transcript.
Below are the 9 concentration areas that you can choose to focus on:
Finance
From core principles of private equity finance to practical experience in managing investment portfolios, this concentration can help students enter fields such as financial services, banking and risk management, and or prepare students for corporate finance positions.
Marketing
A concentration in marketing provides a deep understanding of marketing strategy. From local to international environments, from B2B to B2C, students will learn to map the optimum customer journey and design strategies to match. It can help a student build a career in marketing analysis, digital marketing, brand management or E-commerce.
Technology & Innovation
This concentration will provide students the necessary knowledge about the technology ecosystem and emerging technologies. These foundations will help students find exciting positions within technology firms or pursue a career in technology management and innovation, data-driven strategy, IT consultancy and digital transformation.
Entrepreneurship
This concentration exposes students to the practical realities of being an entrepreneur. From business models, to framing and validating new ventures, this concentration presents practical tools to start and grow a business, and to invest in different kinds of enterprises, including social ventures. Students can also use this concentration to take a venture idea one step closer to reality.
Economics
This concentration will help students understand how the world works in terms of business and economics. Transferable skills in economics are sought after by a range of industries in positions such as market research analyst, stockbroker or economic consultant.
Operations
Expertise in operations makes better managers. This concentration will deep dive into operations models to increase productivity, create optimum performance levels at the workplace and forecast the behavior of the market, the customer, or the supply chain. This concentration is designed for future project managers, supply chain specialists, or operations analysts.
Strategy
In this concentration, students will learn to take executive decisions from the perspective of a general manager. Students will learn how to build competitive advantage at the business and corporate levels while navigating uncertainty in a (global) business environment. Skills in strategy are highly sought after in consultancy and strategic management positions.
Accounting
A concentration in accounting can help students gain a better understanding of the language of a company, becoming fluent in financial analysis, financial control, management control and managerial accounting.
Organization Behavior & Leadership Skills
This concentration will focus on the skillset needed in human resource management, leadership in changing environments, conflict resolution, and the art of negotiation and effective communication. It will delve deeper into strategic approaches to manage the firm’s most important asset: its people.
5. FINAL INTEGRATIVE EXERCISE
1. IMPACT PROJECT
It consists of offering a business solution to a real company. It's a great opportunity to personalize your IMBA experience, during a period of 2 months, through doing a consulting project for a company of your choice or for one of the companies on offer.
2. VENTURE PROJECT
Offered only to students enrolled in the Venture Lab or Knowledge Incubator electives, students can take their entrepreneurial ideas one step further and develop a business plan for their start-up. The Venture Project has a duration of 3 months and runs in parallel with the elective courses.
3. FINAL CHALLENGE
It is designed exclusively for Dual Degree and Long Exchange students, that consists of providing consultancy for a business challenge. Students work on a business case during a period of 1 month, applying their MBA toolkit, to make recommendations to the client.
MAKE THE BEST OF YOUR IMBA
You can make the best of your IMBA through a series of optional international travel opportunities and exchanges.
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Business Extension ModuleBusiness Extension Module
Business Extension Module
Further extend your personalized learning through the optional Business Extension Module (BEM). This five- to six-month module, undertaken after completing the International MBA, is designed to help you focus your career goals as part of your MBA journey.
The BEM is included in the MBA for students beginning their program in the September 2021 and January 2022 intakes. With it, you will remain an IE Business School student, continuing on to boost your employability and career prospects by gaining an extra certification in a track of your choice.
Above all, this extension gives those students who need it even more time to fine-tune their skills. You’ll be able to focus your career search, put your skills to the test through corporate projects or internships, complete a High-Impact Online Program (HIOP) or even take part in an international exchange. And for any startup founders, the extended Venture Lab could be the defining period to ensure a successful market launch.
The Business Extension Module allows students to choose one of the four specializations offered:
- Consulting Track: Corporate Project, HIOP and Electives
- Enterprise Track: Internship, Electives and optional HIOP
- International Track: Internship or Corporate Project + HIOP and Long Exchange
- Entrepreneurial Track: Extended Venture Lab, Electives and optional HIOP
All four tracks feature language learning, personalized coaching and one-on-one Career Booster sessions.
Students who opt out of the BEM will also have the opportunity to do an international exchange or internship during the standard 11-month MBA program.
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SHORT EXCHANGE WEEKSHORT EXCHANGE WEEK WITH SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY (SMU)
Spice up your Electives Period by participating in a Short Exchange Week:
• September intake students can participate in a short exchange program in late May with Singapore Management University, combining class sessions on business trends in Asia with company visits and networking with local IE alumni and SMU students.
• January intake students can apply for Global Network Week in mid-October at a number of business schools who form part of the Global Network of Advanced Management (GNAM). Institutions such as Yale, University of California Berkeley, SDA Bocconi School of Management, and Fudan University School of Management host weeklong courses on different management-related topics, allowing participants to study in a different context and network with students from other top business schools.
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SOCIAL INNOVATION TREKSSOCIAL INNOVATION TREKS (SEPTEMBER INTAKE)
SOCIAL INNOVATION TREKS (SEPTEMBER INTAKE)
For the same Short Exchange week in late May, September intake students may also apply to take part in a Social Innovation Trek led by Emzingo, the same IMBA alumni-led organization behind the Social Impact Lab. Through Social Innovation Treks, students get to know the landscape of social entrepreneurship and innovation in a selected city through company visits, academic sessions, and cultural activities. Past destinations have included Johannesburg, New York, and Amsterdam.
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INTERNATIONAL LONG EXCHANGEINTERNATIONAL LONG EXCHANGE OPTION
INTERNATIONAL LONG EXCHANGE OPTION
Broaden your perspective by spending your Elective Period on an International Long Exchange at one of our world-class partner schools. Over the course of three months, IMBA students on exchange add both range and depth to their academic knowledge, gain another dimension of international experience, and widen their professional networks. While available schools vary according to the timing of the Electives Period—April-June or September-November—the IMBA maintains exchange agreements with partners such as London Business School, Yale University, CEIBS, HEC Paris, and National University of Singapore, among many others.
SCHOOL PARTNERS FOR YOUR LONG EXCHANGE
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Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Netherlands
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, Netherlands
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management
Germany
Jahnallee 59, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
HEC Paris
France
1 Rue de la Libération, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
London Business School
England
Sussex Pl 26, Marylebone, London NW1 4SA, UK
Università Bocconi
Italy
Via Roberto Sarfatti, 25, 20100 Milano MI, Italy
University of St. Gallen (HSG)
Switzerland
Dufourstrasse 50, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
WHU (Otto Beisheim School of Management)
Germany
Burgpl. 2, 56179 Vallendar, Germany
ESSEC Business School
France
Avenue Bernard Hirsch 3, 95000 Cergy, France
Yale School of Management
United States
165 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511, United States
NYU Stern, New York University
United States
44 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012, United States
Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Canada
105 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6, Canada
Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University
United States
Sage Hall, 106 East Ave, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
Chicago Booth School of Business, The University of Chicago
United States
5807 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
Babson Olin Graduate School of Business, Babson College
USA
231 Forest St, Babson Park, MA 02457, USA
Foster School of Business (University of Washington)
USA
PACCAR Hall, 4273 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Miami Herbert Business School, University of Miami
USA
1320 S Dixie Hwy, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
The University of Queensland
Australia
5391 Warrego Hwy, Gatton QLD 4343, Australia
Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), University of New South Wales
Australia
AGSM Building (G27), Gate 11, Botany St, UNSW Sydney Campus, Botany St, Kensington NSW 2052, Australia
Indian Institute of Management (IIMA), Ahmedabad
India
Sargam Marg, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015, India
HKUST Business School, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
China
Rm 1501- 02, 15/F, Hong Kong Club Building, 3A Chater Rd, Central, Hong Kong
China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
China
699 Hongfeng Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Shanghai
China
2419 Hongqiao Rd, Changning District, Shanghai, China
Fundacion Getulio Vargas São Paulo
Brazil
Rodovia Raposo Tavares, 3412 - Jardim Pinheiros, São Paulo - SP, 05577-000, Brazil
University of Melbourne
Australia
Parkville Victoria 3010, Australia
The COPPEAD Graduate School of Business (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro)
Brazil
Rua Pascoal Lemme, 355 - Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21941-616, Brazil
Universidad de San Andres
Argentina
Vito Dumas 284, B1644BID Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Chile
Av Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
26 Melville Rd, Illovo, Johannesburg, 2196, South Africa
EUROPE
USA & CANADA
ASIA PACIFIC
LATIN AMERICA
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
- EUROPE
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Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Netherlands
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, Netherlands
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HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management
Germany
Jahnallee 59, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
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HEC Paris
France
1 Rue de la Libération, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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London Business School
England
Sussex Pl 26, Marylebone, London NW1 4SA, UK
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Università Bocconi
Italy
Via Roberto Sarfatti, 25, 20100 Milano MI, Italy
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University of St. Gallen (HSG)
Switzerland
Dufourstrasse 50, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
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WHU (Otto Beisheim School of Management)
Germany
Burgpl. 2, 56179 Vallendar, Germany
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ESSEC Business School
France
Avenue Bernard Hirsch 3, 95000 Cergy, France
- USA & CANADA
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Yale School of Management
United States
165 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511, United States
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NYU Stern, New York University
United States
44 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012, United States
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Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Canada
105 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6, Canada
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Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University
United States
Sage Hall, 106 East Ave, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
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Chicago Booth School of Business, The University of Chicago
United States
5807 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
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Babson Olin Graduate School of Business, Babson College
USA
231 Forest St, Babson Park, MA 02457, USA
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Foster School of Business (University of Washington)
USA
PACCAR Hall, 4273 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Miami Herbert Business School, University of Miami
USA
1320 S Dixie Hwy, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
- ASIA PACIFIC
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The University of Queensland
Australia
5391 Warrego Hwy, Gatton QLD 4343, Australia
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Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), University of New South Wales
Australia
AGSM Building (G27), Gate 11, Botany St, UNSW Sydney Campus, Botany St, Kensington NSW 2052, Australia
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Indian Institute of Management (IIMA), Ahmedabad
India
Sargam Marg, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015, India
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HKUST Business School, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
China
Rm 1501- 02, 15/F, Hong Kong Club Building, 3A Chater Rd, Central, Hong Kong
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China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)
China
699 Hongfeng Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, China
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Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Shanghai
China
2419 Hongqiao Rd, Changning District, Shanghai, China
- LATIN AMERICA
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Fundacion Getulio Vargas São Paulo
Brazil
Rodovia Raposo Tavares, 3412 - Jardim Pinheiros, São Paulo - SP, 05577-000, Brazil
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University of Melbourne
Australia
Parkville Victoria 3010, Australia
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The COPPEAD Graduate School of Business (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro)
Brazil
Rua Pascoal Lemme, 355 - Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21941-616, Brazil
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Universidad de San Andres
Argentina
Vito Dumas 284, B1644BID Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Chile
Av Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
- MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
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Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
26 Melville Rd, Illovo, Johannesburg, 2196, South Africa
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
The Transformational Leadership Program (TLP) is carried out within your IMBA journey and is designed to transform experienced managers into business leaders who can design, drive and manage change by expanding their mindsets and skills. It focuses on your needs and takes you on a path of personal growth to develop these skills. Leading change in an organization requires a deep understanding of oneself first before addressing the individual team member, the broader team, and finally achieving a full transformation of the organization.
TLP begins with a pre-program assessment on your leadership style and finishes with a personalized 6-month action plan created by you to keep you accountable and increase your success. During the 6-month program, you will be assigned a Leadership Coach who will accompany you throughout the Core Period, ensuring you come out the other side of the IMBA fully equipped with the essential transformational leadership skills you need to thrive in the VUCA world.
The Transformational Leadership Journey:
Before the MBA program starts, the TLP Team connects with students to kickstart their journey with the important first steps of raising self-awareness through the use of a narrative and a self-assessment leadership questionnaire.
Period 1
Leading High Performance Teams
Explore how teams accelerate trust and shared purpose while creating synergies by leveraging their similarities and differences while identifying each individual’s role within your work group.
Authentic Communication
The objective of this course is to teach students the elements of effective and persuasive communication to enable them to achieve concise, effective communication in all modes, especially public speaking and presentations.
Assessment and Development
Designed to give students the opportunity to grow as team players and team leaders. With the support of their learning teams, students are encouraged to initiate a learning process in which they will become more aware of their strengths and areas for development when working in teams.
Critical Thinking
Period 2
Creating a Leader Vision
In their effort to catalyze change, transformational leaders must be able to create and communicate visions for the future state of their organizations. This workshop is designed to cultivate this understanding and to provide you with the tools and skills necessary to develop deliver and implement a vision throughout future organizations, divisions, and teams.
Leading through emotions
Leading through emotions is crucial to be successful, not only in leadership roles, but also in teamwork settings and when influencing with or without authority.
Agile Thinking
This course looks at the benefits of adopting an Agile mindset, and it gives you the best practices and practical tools to start thinking and act like an agile leader.
Managing Complexity
IE INTERNATIONAL MBA Rankings
Get to know more about our International MBA placement in international rankings.
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9thWORLDWIDE
Global MBA
QS, 20208thWORLDWIDEFull-time MBA
POETS & QUANTS TOP ENTREPRENEURSHIP RANKING, 20205thKnow moreWORLDWIDEInternational MBA
TOP TEN POETS & QUANTS INTERNATIONAL MBA PROGRAMS OF THE DECADE