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Are you wondering about studying an MBA online? We’ve built the Global MBA for you. Flexible, digital and globally connected, it’s your higher-education essential for learning leadership at the pace of real life.

But what does that really look like—and is it worth your time and effort? Let’s take a moment to look at how this unique program can help you step up, pivot industries or scale your own venture. With insights from Lucia Egea, Vice Dean of Part-time and Executive MBAs, we’ll explore just how the Global MBA redefines leadership for the digital age.

Myth 1: You can’t learn real leadership online

Many professionals assume leadership can’t be developed through a screen. Lucia disagrees. “We’ve seen that leadership can absolutely be learned online,” she says. “In fact, the online environment reflects the reality of how leaders work today. You have to connect, inspire, and coordinate with people across countries, cultures, and time zones.”

Lucia adds that digital formats allow for deeper reflection. “When you have asynchronous sessions, students can go back, listen again, and really think about what they’ve heard. Then when we meet live, they come ready to challenge and build on those ideas.”

For Lucia, that’s what makes the program so transformative. “It’s not about just reading or memorizing,” she says. “It’s about experimenting with how you lead, how you react, and how you influence others—and doing it in an environment that looks exactly like today’s workplace.”

Myth 2: Online MBAs are passive or less rigorous

If anything, the Global MBA is more demanding. “Our students are professionals who are already leading projects, teams, or companies,” says Lucia. “They’re expected to take what they learn and apply it immediately. That’s why we say: you learn it today, and you try it this week.”

That immediacy makes the experience intense. “You’re bringing your company into the classroom,” she explains. “When you test a concept with your team and then come back to discuss the result, that’s when learning becomes real.”

Lucia laughs when people assume online means easier. “It’s actually the opposite,” she says. “You’re managing your job, your studies, and your personal life all at once. That requires discipline, motivation, and a high level of commitment.”

Myth 3: Leadership development requires time away from work

The idea that you have to step out of your career to grow as a leader no longer holds. “This program is designed for people who are leading while learning,” says Lucia. “They don’t need to disconnect from their professional life—they use it as a space for experimentation.”

That overlap between study and work makes the transformation immediate. “Students tell me they start seeing results from the first month,” she says. “They apply the frameworks, get feedback from their teams, and come back to class to reflect on what worked or didn’t.”

Lucia sees this integration as the program’s greatest strength. “They’re not just learning theories—they’re shaping their leadership in real time. That’s something you can’t do if you’ve stepped away from your professional world.”

Myth 4: Digital learning isolates you from peers and mentors

For Lucia, the Global MBA’s online format actually enhances connection. “People assume online means lonely, but it’s the opposite,” she says. “Our students form very strong bonds because they go through challenges together, they share personal experiences, and they support each other across continents.”

That community is intentional. “We build small teams that work closely throughout the program, so you have a constant group of people who know you, push you, and celebrate your progress,” she explains. “On top of that, each student has one-to-one leadership coaching sessions where they reflect on how they’re growing as a professional.”

She’s seen friendships turn into collaborations and ventures. “It’s amazing how they stay connected long after graduation,” Lucia says. “They become each other’s advisors, sounding boards, and business partners. The network really lasts.”

Myth 5: Leadership is about mastering techniques—not judgment

If leadership were just about methods, Lucia says, AI could do it. “What matters is judgment—the ability to decide when to act, when to wait, when to listen, when to take risks,” she explains. “That can only be developed through practice and reflection.”

The Global MBA revolves around that philosophy. “We put students in situations that test their decision-making under uncertainty,” she says. “They get feedback from peers, professors, and coaches, so they can understand their patterns and improve.”

“Leadership today is not about having all the answers,” Lucia concludes. “It’s about knowing how to ask the right questions, how to adapt, and how to bring others with you through change.”

Reality: The future of leadership is hybrid, human, and hands-on

The Global MBA is a continuous journey of transformation that constructs the best version of yourself. “Students begin with a 360º assessment to understand their leadership style and the impact they have on others,” explains Lucia. “From there, the learning experience becomes a mirror. They’re constantly reflecting, adapting, and experimenting with how they lead.” 

That transformation unfolds across three core stages. In Business Acumen, participants build a foundation in strategy, finance, and organizational leadership through modules such as Leading People in Organizations and Managerial Control. In Advanced Management, they explore innovation, sustainability, and decision-making in real-world contexts, supported by Global Immersion Weeks in cities such as Segovia, Riyadh or New York. The final stage, Concentration, lets them specialize or combine electives across tracks like Executive Leadership and Foresight, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tech and AI  or Family in Business. 

“Every student designs their own path,” says Lucia . “They shape their experience around the kind of leader they want to become.”

Running through all three terms is the Next Best You Accelerator—the program’s backbone for personal and professional growth. “It’s a space where students connect purpose, impact, and career,” Lucia explains. “They work with executive and career coaches, receive an ISA certification in ten essential competencies, and learn to lead with clarity and intention.” Those competencies span thinking, behavioral, and digital skills—from critical thinking, storytelling, and negotiation to data fluency and AI for productivity. As the program closes, the focus shifts toward career acceleration: defining a next step, sharpening one’s strategy, and executing a clear roadmap forward.

In Lucia’s words: “You don’t learn leadership in theory—you learn it by leading, reflecting, and growing through it every single day.” The Global MBA gives professionals the space, structure, and support to do exactly that—on their own terms, and in a world that’s changing faster than ever.