EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
polish soft skills which are critical to executive leadership, such as communication, negotiation and team-building skills. Measuring the impact The EMBA International Summer School at ESG-Uqam is more than a transient educational experience; it’s a transformative journey that leaves an indelible mark on both its executive participants and corporate partners. For student executives, the outcomes are multifaceted, encompassing personal growth, professional advancement and an expanded worldview. Participation in the summer school allows students to emerge from their programme with signi cantly enhanced analytical abilities and a forti ed professional network, woven together from diverse threads of industry experts, peers and thought leaders encountered throughout the intensive week. This network becomes a bedrock for future collaborations, opportunities and a source of continual learning. Moreover, students gain a profound understanding of e ecting change within the global business landscape – a skill paramount to today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving market. They return to their roles equipped with innovative strategies and the con dence to implement transformative decisions within their organisations. For the corporate partners involved in our summer school, the outcomes are equally bene cial. These collaborations provide a platform for businesses to gain fresh, diverse perspectives on their strategic challenges. They bene t from the incisive analysis and creative problem-solving approaches that these experienced executives bring to the table. Often, the solutions and strategies developed during the summer school have real, tangible impacts on the companies, driving innovation and improvement. Additionally, these partnerships often spotlight potential talent, opening pathways for recruitment and the infusion of new ideas into their operations. The on-site presence of EMBA students can also invigorate company teams, fostering an environment of learning and mutual growth. In essence, the summer school is a catalyst for development, empowering participants with advanced skills and creating synergies that allow companies to tap into a pool of high-level expertise, ultimately leading to sustained progress and innovation on both an individual and corporate level.
Through its carefully designed curriculum and strategic industry partnerships, the summer school creates an environment where the interplay of diverse minds fosters innovation and practical solutions. Participants learn to leverage their di erences and transform them into assets that drive personal growth, team success and organisational development. Beyond the classroom Leadership is often forged in the eld, so ESG-Uqam’s summer school places great importance on providing opportunities for high-calibre networking that transcend the conventional. The whole week is designed to foster meaningful interactions where seasoned executives and industry vanguards become accessible to students. It’s here that members of the cohort engage in candid discussions, share strategic insights and establish connections that often evolve into collaborative ventures and mentorship opportunities. In these settings, students can apply existing expertise and newly acquired knowledge, while simultaneously absorbing the nuanced wisdom of peers and mentors. They are encouraged to articulate their business visions and receive direct, actionable feedback from those who have navigated similar paths to success. Such exchanges are invaluable for executives who are aiming to re ne their strategic approach and leadership style. Moreover, these settings o er a space for executives to showcase their adaptability and to
Kamal Bouzinab is a strategy professor, director of executive MBA programmes and a former head of the strategy department at the School of Management Sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal. He has more than 30 years’ academic and business experience, during which time he has specialised in corporate governance, strategic innovation, foresight and scenario planning. His international teaching and training experiences complement his academic contributions and professional achievements in both higher education and industry
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Business Impact ISSUE 4 2023
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