The time has come for Latin America to assert its leadership on the global stage of executive education, says Centrum PUCP’s Mayra Vega , as she delves into market growth and opportunities for further development across the region Top of the Class
E xecutive education has undergone a profound transformation over the past decade, becoming a multifaceted and dynamic field with deep societal and economic implications. No longer just about offering isolated workshops or update seminars, the format has also become a strategic pillar for talent development, business competitiveness, innovation ecosystems and resilience. This shift reflects the demands of the private sector, as well as the aspirations of individuals seeking personal and professional advancement, often in highly volatile environments.
In the past, MBA programmes were held up as the gold standard. Today, however, the landscape is being reshaped by microcredentials, specialised short courses, custom- designed corporate programmes, international learning experiences and technology-enhanced formats. A growing market in an evolving landscape In Latin America, companies are spending an annual average of between $8,000 and $12,000 on continuing education per senior executive, while individuals invest between $3,000 and $5,000 each year, according to a 2024 Deloitte report. This is lower than the figures for North America, where companies might invest up to $25,000 annually per leader. However, Latin America has just witnessed a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in its executive education segment, making its market growth among the highest worldwide. This dynamism is driven by several forces: accelerated digitalisation; the need to adapt to global transformations, such as sustainability, AI and cultural diversity; and increasing pressure on organisations to build agile, future-ready leaders. The Covid-19 pandemic was a powerful catalyst, forcing educational institutions and companies to adopt hybrid models, virtual learning environments and digital collaboration tools. Post-pandemic, the onus is on business schools and executive education providers to rethink not only what they teach, but also how they teach it. Among the most promising emerging strategies are: personalised pathways that allow participants to tailor their learning; programmes co-designed with companies that address real-world business challenges; digital-first methodologies; initiatives that seek to democratise access to high-quality executive education; and global partnerships and networks. Yet, to compare executive education markets across the world, one must consider how the number of instructional hours on offer and the delivery modalities preferred by participants differ between locations. In Latin America, executive education programmes tend to consist of between 20 and 60 hours for short courses and up to 200 hours for comprehensive certificate programmes. By contrast, offerings in North America frequently extend into multi-module formats that total 300 hours or more.
24 Ambition • ISSUE 5 • 2025
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