UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM) has redesigned its online executive MBA (EMBA) to keep pace with the latest market trends and demands. “It is no longer a case of preparing leaders for a predictable world, but rather equipping them for a continuously changing reality, in which innovation and complexity are the new normal,” stated UPF-BSM general director José Martínez-Sierra. As such, the new EMBA curriculum will encompass emerging technologies, people-centric leadership and the impact economy. Immediate applicability in the real world will be emphasised throughout, with the help of an active-learning methodology. There will also be two concentration tracks on offer, in medical technology or AI and big data. “Each course is designed around real business challenges, often devised by professionals in the sector, who constantly encourage students to put the concepts covered to the test in their own professional areas,” explained UPF’s EMBA director, Katharine D’Amico. This mindset infuses the programme’s approach to careers, with a real-life industry project set for the first term. Students then participate in workshops designed to broaden their career vision and gain insights into their strengths and motivations in the second term’s Find Your Purpose component, before focusing on personal branding in their third term. The online EMBA format revolves around flexibility, with live web seminars, discussion forums and weekly tutorials set to be complemented by residential sessions held in Barcelona. “Our programme fosters in-depth collaboration between the participants, strengthening their capacity to work together and learn from a diverse selection of top-class professionals,” continued D’Amico. The first cohort will commence classes in March 2026. TBD ONLINE EMBA REDESIGNED AROUND REAL-WORLD BUSINESS CHALLENGES SCHOOL : UPF Barcelona School of Management Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) COUNTRY : Spain
Four key challenges for Africa were highlighted in a study conducted by École des dirigeants Afrique , a joint initiative between Executive Education HEC Montréal and BEM Executive Education. The first challenge relates to the availability of talent. Among the 112 African leaders canvassed by the study, 70 per cent said that competition for talent is fierce. However, while 85 per cent wanted to recruit locally, nearly half (48 per cent) admitted that they have had trouble doing so. The second challenge lies in skills development. Training topped the list of HR priorities identified by leaders, with 70 per cent of respondents selecting this as a primary concern, placing it comfortably ahead of employee engagement (cited by 50 per cent), adaption to new technology (36 per cent) and better work conditions (35 per cent). Another challenge highlighted is the disruptive power of artificial intelligence (AI). Among responding leaders in Africa, 60 per cent said they considered AI to be a major challenge for HR. The final challenge concerns budgets, with 79 per cent indicating that they lack sufficient funds to train their staff. “There’s a glaring mismatch between what African businesses want to achieve and the means at their disposal to make it happen,” surmised Michelle Vaillancourt, director of communications and programmes at Executive Education HEC Montréal. The study’s findings were presented at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as part of a roundtable debate on talent development moderated by Vaillancourt. During the session, speakers stressed the importance of ensuring that executive education is attuned to the local context to yield the desired impact. “The business community keeps telling us that training should be built around their specific needs if it is to have a real impact. That is why our approach is custom-tailored to and developed in conjunction with our partners,” added Executive Education HEC Montréal’s director of custom corporate training, Olivier Foucher. EB ADDRESSING SHORTFALL IN TALENT RECRUITMENT & DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA SCHOOL : HEC Montréal COUNTRY : Canada
10 Ambition • ISSUE 3 • 2025
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