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WHO WE ARE

Extraordinary, nothing less. That is what we ask of ourselves, and what we build together.
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About IE University

IE University is a leading international higher education institution founded in 1973 in Madrid, Spain, with a global vision and a commitment to fostering positive change. We offer undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and executive education programs across six schools, bringing together students, faculty, researchers, and industry partners from over 160 nationalities across locations and centers around the world.

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Our Story: Out of the Ordinary from the Start

IE University was founded in 1973 in Madrid by entrepreneurs who saw the gap between what education was delivering and what the world actually needed. They built something different: an education grounded in practice, connected to industry, and driven by the conviction that learning should be a catalyst for transformation: of ourselves, our systems, and our world. Faculty with real-world experience in the classroom. One of the first business schools globally to launch an online MBA.

Over fifty years, that founding logic has shaped everything. Six schools. A community bringing together over 160 nationalities. Programs and initiatives built around how people actually work and grow. Today, 85,000 alumni across 177 nationalities carry that purpose forward.

  • 1973
    Founded in Madrid, Spain
  • 160+
    Nationalities represented
  • 85000+
    Alumni worldwide
  • 30
    Global hubs around the world
  • 300+
    University partnerships across 75 countries

Our Purpose: Fostering Positive Change

A speaker addressing an audience at an event, with a large screen displaying the message 'The world needs our extraordinary.'

Built to Transform People. And Through Them, the World.

Our purpose is to foster positive change. Rooted in a belief in human potential, we exist to shape extraordinary individuals who go on to transform their communities, their industries, and the world through education, research, and innovation. Extraordinary, to us, means going beyond the ordinary: a step further in thinking, in action, and in impact.

Extraordinary doesn't just happen. It's earned through effort, resilience, and courage. It breaks barriers, values knowledge, art, and creativity, and sees the full power of humanity. It takes action.

To tackle the challenges of today, and drive the progress of tomorrow. That is what we ask of ourselves, and what we build together.

How We Live Out Our Extraordinary

The four values that define how we think, teach, and lead.

  • A motivational phrase encouraging the empowerment of one's entrepreneurial spirit.

    We think big and act bold, taking ownership in pursuit of positive change. Opportunities are seized and boundaries are pushed through initiative and accountability.

  • A motivational phrase emphasizing innovation and a proactive mindset.

    We generate new ideas through creativity, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Learning and experimentation turn ideas into action and action into impact.

  • A graphic emphasizing the importance of cherishing diversity in people, mind, and experience.

    We embrace different perspectives as a source of stronger thinking. Diversity strengthens ideas, deepens understanding, and unlocks the full potential of collective intelligence.

  • A graphic design featuring the phrase 'Cultivate the (humanistic) approach'.

    We champion growth, personal and collective, supporting one another on the journey to extraordinary. Ethics, humanity, and a deep engagement with art, culture, and creativity shape how we understand and engage with the world.

Our Commitments: Lifting Each Other Up

When one person rises, our community rises with them. These are the commitments that shape who we are and how we show up, every day.

"It multiplies when we lift each other up."

  • A panel of women discussing various topics in front of an audience at an event.

    Women at IE

    We believe women should not just participate in education, they should lead it. Through mentorship, networks, scholarships & awards, and leadership visibility, we build the conditions for women to thrive. Today, more than half our students are women.

  • A woman is speaking to a small group in a cozy indoor setting focused on well-being.

    Well-being

    Questioning how learning works, how knowledge is created, and how institutions should operate. Rigor and experimentation are not in tension here. They require each other.

  • A group of six individuals stands on stage holding an award for the IE Sustainability Datathon 2022.

    Sustainability

    Sustainability is integrated into our operations, research, and curriculum. The leaders we educate will inherit a world that demands it, and we make sure they are prepared for it.

Six Schools. One Community.

  • Business School

    A globally recognized business school guiding each student toward their Next Best You. Programs in management, finance, entrepreneurship, and leadership built around a human-centered, globally connected environment where student uniqueness comes first and growth happens through challenge, reflection, and real-world impact.

  • Law School

    A global, multidisciplinary law school where law is practiced as a force for impact. Programs in corporate law, international law, and legal practice prepare graduates to reason across jurisdictions and shape real outcomes in the world as it actually is.

  • School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs

    Programs in international relations, economics, and public policy preparing leaders to understand complex global affairs and drive change across governments, international organizations, and the private sector.

  • School of Science and Technology

    A next-generation science and technology community where curious, driven minds collide to turn ideas into real-world progress. Multidisciplinary programs in science, technology, AI, data, and engineering, built for collaboration between students, researchers, companies, and ventures.

  • School of Architecture and Design

    Programs in architecture, design, fashion, and the built environment as serious instruments for shaping a more sustainable, more just, and more beautiful world. Rigorous hands-on education with live industry partners and international accreditation.

  • School of Humanities

    Humanities, arts, philosophy, history, literature, and culture practiced as cultural intelligence in action. For people who read complexity, work across disciplines, and act with judgment in a world reshaped by technology and cultural change.

Our Leadership

Deans

Meet Our Students & Alumni

IE University brings together students and alumni from across the world, united by curiosity, ambition, and a shared belief that education should transform not just what you know, but who you become.

Our Spaces: Extraordinary Across the World

IE University is rooted in Madrid and Segovia, with a growing presence across the world, from New York City to Riyadh. Every location is a gateway to an extraordinary community. Our ecosystem includes IE New York College in SoHo, the IE Center for Learning and Innovation in Riyadh, and 30 global hubs connecting our community across the world.

A group of students gathered outside a college building in New York City.

IE NEW YORK COLLEGE: NEW YORK CITY IS YOUR CLASSROOM

At IENYC, the city itself is your classroom: every street, project, and partnership is a place to learn with real stakes and real outcomes. Master's programs in management, finance, marketing, business analytics, and sustainability, designed for enterprising, globally minded leaders ready to make it in NYC and anywhere.

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  • A motivational phrase encouraging individuals to empower their entrepreneurial spirit.
  • A motivational quote encouraging innovation with a proactive mindset.
  • A message emphasizing the importance of cherishing diversity in people, mind, and experience.
  • This image features a motivational phrase emphasizing a humanistic approach in a stylish font.