Luglio 25, 2025 | NEWS
Nestled between Switzerland’s pristine lakes and Italy’s dynamic business landscape, Lugano represents more than just a picturesque setting for executive education. The USI Executive MBA program leverages this unique geographic position to offer students an unparalleled business learning experience that bridges Swiss excellence with Italian entrepreneurial spirit.
Where Two Business Cultures Converge
Swiss Precision Meets Italian Innovation
The canton of Ticino, where Lugano serves as the economic hub, embodies a rare fusion of Swiss reliability and Italian creativity. This cultural crossroads creates an ideal environment for executive MBA students to understand diverse business approaches. Swiss precision in financial services and manufacturing combines seamlessly with Italy’s renowned strengths in design, fashion, and family-owned enterprises.
Students experience firsthand how companies navigate different regulatory environments, cultural expectations, and business practices within a single region. This exposure proves invaluable for executives planning to lead multinational organizations or expand their businesses across European markets.
Strategic Geographic Positioning
Gateway to European Markets
Lugano’s position offers exceptional access to major European business centers. Milan, Italy’s financial capital, lies just 80 kilometers south, while Zurich’s banking district is easily accessible to the north. This proximity enables USI EMBA students to engage with diverse industries and corporate cultures without extensive travel.
The city serves as headquarters for numerous multinational corporations choosing Switzerland for its stability while maintaining strong ties to Italian suppliers and markets. This concentration of international businesses provides rich case study opportunities and networking potential that extends far beyond traditional classroom learning.
The Multilingual Business Environment
Language as a Strategic Asset
In Lugano’s business environment, multilingual communication isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Executive MBA students naturally develop proficiency in navigating Italian, German, and English business contexts, skills that prove increasingly valuable in global leadership roles.
Local companies routinely conduct meetings in multiple languages, negotiate contracts across cultural boundaries, and manage teams with diverse national backgrounds. This immersive multilingual experience prepares executives for the realities of international business leadership.
Quality of Life Impact on Learning
Balanced Excellence
The Mediterranean climate and alpine surroundings create an environment conducive to both intensive study and personal reflection. The work-life balance characteristic of the region influences the executive MBA experience, encouraging sustainable approaches to leadership and business growth.
Students often report that Lugano’s relaxed yet professional atmosphere helps them process complex business concepts more effectively while maintaining the personal relationships essential for executive success.
The USI Executive MBA’s Lugano location offers more than scenic beauty—it provides a strategic advantage for developing global business leaders. By studying at the intersection of Swiss and Italian business cultures, executives gain practical experience in cross-cultural leadership, international market navigation, and multilingual business communication.
For professionals seeking an executive MBA that combines world-class education with unique cultural immersion, Lugano’s position as a bridge between Swiss excellence and Italian innovation creates an unmatched learning environment that extends far beyond the classroom.
Luglio 25, 2025 | NEWS
Career Stories: Milan Savic, Director of Operations ad interim
Milan Savic
Executive Master in Business Administration, EMBA 12
Director of Operations ad interim
USI – Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano
How did you start your career?
I consider my first real job after university studies to be the one at Università della Svizzera italiana, where I have built my entire current career. I started in what was then the Research and Knowledge Transfer Service, managing the financial administration of all the university’s research projects. It was a great training ground to understand how the university system works and to develop complex managerial skills.
Why did you choose to work at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana?
I’ve always been passionate about the academic world: it’s a dynamic, stimulating environment with a strong public service vocation. Knowing that I can contribute — even indirectly — to the generation and dissemination of knowledge and to the university’s impact on society is a powerful motivational factor for me.
What does your role consist of?
I currently serve as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and, since March 1st, 2025, I have also assumed the role of ad interim Director of Operations at USI. My main responsibility is to ensure the proper operational functioning of the university, coordinating central services, managing resources and processes, and supporting the Rectorate in implementing the university’s strategy.
In your opinion, what qualities are needed to build a career at USI?
I believe initiative, a strong sense of responsibility, teamwork skills, and a solution-oriented approach are essential. It’s also very important to build relationships based on trust and collaboration, and to demonstrate genuine understanding and alignment with the university’s mission.
What do you consider the positive aspects or strengths of USI?
I attended the Executive MBA at USI — a program that allowed me to balance study and work, offering practical tools that I could immediately apply in my daily activities. The modular format, direct contact with high-level faculty, and the network of colleagues from various sectors significantly enriched my strategic perspective.
What skills or capabilities acquired during your studies at USI have been useful in your professional career?
The EMBA program gave me a solid foundation in strategic management and leadership — both essential for my current role. In particular, I was able to sharpen my decision-making skills in complex environments.
What advice would you give to a recent USI graduate entering the job market?
I would advise them not to rush and to stay determined. Don’t immediately chase the highest salary, but seek out environments where you can learn, grow, and have inspiring colleagues or mentors around you. These experiences will give you strong foundations and, in the long term, allow you to go much further.
Luglio 16, 2025 | NEWS
The boardrooms of tomorrow will be populated by a fundamentally different type of leader—one who views sustainability not as a constraint on profitability, but as the very foundation of competitive advantage. This transformation represents perhaps the most significant evolution in executive leadership since the digital revolution, demanding new skills, perspectives, and strategic frameworks that traditional business education has only recently begun to address.
The Economic Reality of Sustainable Leadership
The numbers tell a compelling story. Organizations that have embedded sustainability into their core strategy are outperforming their traditional counterparts by margins that can no longer be ignored. Beyond the oft-cited revenue improvements, these companies demonstrate superior resilience during economic downturns, attract top talent more effectively, and maintain stronger stakeholder relationships across all dimensions of their operations.
What distinguishes these high-performing organizations is not merely their adoption of green technologies or CSR initiatives, but their fundamental reconceptualization of business value creation. They have learned to identify and capitalize on the convergence points where environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and financial performance intersect to create sustained competitive advantages.
The Skills Gap in Sustainable Leadership
Despite the clear business case for sustainability integration, a significant leadership gap persists across industries. Many executives possess either deep business acumen or sustainability knowledge, but few demonstrate mastery of both domains. This gap represents both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for forward-thinking leaders willing to develop integrated competencies.
The most successful sustainable leaders demonstrate several key characteristics that set them apart from their peers. They possess systems thinking capabilities that allow them to understand the interconnected nature of environmental, social, and economic challenges. They exhibit long-term strategic vision that balances immediate performance requirements with sustainable value creation. Perhaps most importantly, they demonstrate stakeholder fluency—the ability to engage effectively with diverse groups ranging from environmental advocates to traditional investors.
Redefining Value Creation in the Modern Economy
The fundamental metrics of business success are evolving rapidly. Traditional financial indicators, while remaining important, are being supplemented by a broader array of performance measures that capture environmental and social impact. This shift requires executives to develop new analytical frameworks that can assess and optimize multiple dimensions of value creation simultaneously.
Leading organizations are discovering that this expanded view of value creation often reveals previously hidden opportunities. Supply chain optimization through sustainability lenses frequently uncovers cost savings that traditional efficiency analyses miss. Employee engagement initiatives rooted in purpose and social impact generate productivity improvements that standard HR metrics fail to capture. Customer loyalty programs built around shared values create revenue streams that conventional marketing approaches cannot access.
The Innovation Imperative
Sustainability leadership demands a fundamentally different approach to innovation. Rather than viewing environmental and social constraints as limitations, successful leaders learn to treat them as creative catalysts that drive breakthrough solutions. This mindset shift enables organizations to discover new products, services, and business models that would never emerge from traditional innovation processes.
The circular economy provides a powerful example of this principle in action. Companies that have embraced circular principles are not merely reducing waste—they are creating entirely new revenue streams from materials and processes that were previously considered costs. This transformation requires leaders who can envision business models that transcend linear thinking and embrace regenerative approaches to value creation.
Stakeholder Capitalism and Leadership Evolution
The rise of stakeholder capitalism has fundamentally altered the context in which executives operate. Leaders must now balance the interests of shareholders, employees, customers, communities, and the environment in ways that create sustainable value for all constituencies. This multi-stakeholder approach requires sophisticated negotiation skills, systems thinking capabilities, and the ability to identify win-win solutions across seemingly competing interests.
Successful sustainable leaders develop what might be called “stakeholder fluency”—the ability to understand and communicate effectively with diverse groups who possess different values, priorities, and success metrics. This skill enables them to build coalitions, navigate complex negotiations, and create alignment around shared objectives even when individual interests may initially appear to conflict.
The Future of Executive Education
The demands of sustainable leadership are reshaping executive education in profound ways. Traditional MBA and EMBA programs are being reimagined to integrate sustainability considerations throughout the curriculum rather than treating them as specialized electives. This integration reflects the reality that environmental and social considerations now influence every aspect of business operations.
The most innovative programs combine rigorous business fundamentals with deep sustainability expertise, creating leaders who can navigate the complex intersection of profit and purpose. These programs emphasize experiential learning, real-world application, and the development of practical skills that can be immediately applied in professional contexts.
Building Sustainable Organizations
The ultimate goal of sustainable leadership development is not merely to create environmentally and socially conscious executives, but to build organizations that can thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. This requires leaders who can design and implement systems that align individual incentives with collective sustainability goals.
Successful sustainable leaders understand that organizational transformation requires more than top-down directives. They develop capabilities in change management, culture building, and stakeholder engagement that enable them to create lasting shifts in how their organizations operate. They learn to balance the urgency of environmental and social challenges with the practical realities of organizational change.
The Competitive Advantage of Sustainable Leadership
As sustainability considerations become increasingly central to business operations, leaders who can effectively integrate these factors into strategic decision-making will possess significant competitive advantages. They will be better positioned to navigate regulatory changes, access sustainable finance, attract top talent, and build resilient operations that can adapt to changing environmental and social conditions.
The organizations they lead will be more agile, innovative, and resilient than their traditional counterparts. They will possess stronger stakeholder relationships, more sustainable competitive advantages, and greater capacity for long-term value creation. Perhaps most importantly, they will be better equipped to contribute to the broader societal challenges that define our era.
Leadership for a Sustainable Future
The transformation of business leadership around sustainability principles represents more than a trend—it signals a fundamental evolution in how we understand business purpose and success. Executives who embrace this transformation will not only drive superior organizational performance but will also contribute to addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing our global community.
The leaders who will thrive in this new environment are those who can integrate traditional business excellence with sustainability expertise, creating value that benefits all stakeholders while building organizations capable of long-term success. This integration requires new skills, new perspectives, and new educational approaches that prepare executives for the challenges and opportunities of sustainable leadership.
As we look toward the future, the question is not whether sustainability will become central to business strategy, but how quickly leaders and organizations can develop the capabilities necessary to excel in this new paradigm. The executives who begin this transformation today will be the ones who define the standards of business excellence for tomorrow.
Luglio 16, 2025 | NEWS
The USI Executive MBA program recently returned from an extraordinary six-day immersion in Boston’s world-renowned innovation ecosystem, marking a pivotal moment in executive leadership development. From July 6-11, 2025, program participants engaged in an intensive learning experience that positioned them at the forefront of technological advancement, sustainable business practices, and ethical decision-making within one of America’s most dynamic academic and research environments.
A Journey Through Innovation Excellence
The Boston Innovation Experience proved to be more than traditional executive education—it served as a catalyst for fundamental leadership transformation. Participants had the unique opportunity to engage directly with cutting-edge research, participate in intensive policy simulations, and tackle collaborative problem-solving exercises that challenged their conventional approaches to business leadership.
Immersive Learning Across Prestigious Institutions
The program unfolded across some of America’s most prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University, and UMass Lowell, complemented by specialized sessions at Swissnex Boston and dedicated innovation laboratories. This multi-institutional approach provided participants with diverse perspectives on innovation, sustainability, and strategic leadership.
At MIT’s CAVE Lab and the Center for Transportation and Logistics, executives witnessed firsthand how cutting-edge research translates into practical solutions for contemporary business challenges. The experience offered rare access to advanced research facilities where tomorrow’s business solutions are being developed today.
Sustainability and Systems Thinking Take Center Stage
A highlight of the Boston experience was the comprehensive focus on sustainability and environmental leadership. Participants engaged in the World Climate Simulation and extensive policy workshops, exploring how technological innovation and policy frameworks can drive meaningful environmental impact.
The program’s emphasis on circular economics and regenerative business practices provided executives with frameworks for integrating environmental stewardship into core business strategies. Through visits to renewable energy research laboratories, participants gained practical insights into how sustainability initiatives can drive both environmental impact and business value.
Advanced Leadership Competencies in Action
The experience culminated with the EN-Roads Workshop, an intensive interactive simulation where participants led comprehensive climate policy scenarios. This capstone experience required executives to apply evidence-based strategies across energy systems, financial frameworks, and environmental governance structures—demonstrating the practical application of systems thinking in complex global challenges.
Throughout the program, participants developed advanced competencies in:
- Ethical Leadership and Governance: Navigating global uncertainties while maintaining organizational integrity and social responsibility
- Innovation Design and Strategic Thinking: Applying design thinking methodologies to complex business challenges
- Cross-Cultural Dialogue: Building international leadership competencies through engagement with diverse academic institutions
- Strategic Sustainability: Integrating environmental stewardship into long-term business strategies
- Complex Systems Leadership: Understanding and influencing interconnected organizational and global systems
Bridging Academic Rigor with Executive Practice
Each program element was designed in collaboration with leading academic institutions and research centers, ensuring participants accessed current research, emerging trends, and innovative methodologies. The integration of theoretical frameworks with practical applications created a learning environment that successfully bridged academic rigor with executive practice.
Participants explored advanced concepts including doughnut economics, resilient supply chain management, and systems engineering principles, while engaging directly with thought leaders and researchers who are actively shaping the future of business and sustainability.
Transformational Impact and Future Applications
The returning executives now possess the tools, perspectives, and networks necessary to drive systemic change within their organizations and broader communities. The program’s emphasis on participatory, personalized, practical, and international learning principles ensured that each participant could immediately apply new concepts to their specific leadership contexts.
A Model for Future Executive Development
The success of the Boston Innovation Experience demonstrates the power of immersive, research-integrated executive education. By positioning participants at the intersection of academic excellence and practical application, the program created a transformational learning environment that challenges conventional approaches to leadership development.
As these executives now apply their enhanced capabilities within their organizations, the ripple effects of this Boston experience will undoubtedly contribute to more sustainable, ethical, and innovative business practices across industries and regions.
The USI EMBA program’s Boston study tour stands as a testament to the power of international, interdisciplinary learning in developing the next generation of transformational leaders—leaders equipped to navigate complexity, champion sustainability, and drive positive change in an interconnected global economy.
Luglio 11, 2025 | NEWS
The business world demands leaders who can think beyond traditional boundaries. Your Executive Master Business Administration education becomes the catalyst for developing the entrepreneurial mindset that drives innovation and business growth.
The Entrepreneurial Evolution: From Manager to Innovation Leader
Senior executives face a fundamental shift in today’s market. You can’t rely on traditional management approaches when disruption happens every quarter. The USI Executive MBA addresses this reality by building entrepreneurial capabilities that transform how you approach business challenges. The program recognizes that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires a systematic approach to identifying opportunities, assessing risks, and executing ideas that create real value.
Building Your Innovation Framework
Your Executive MBA experience provides concrete tools for entrepreneurial thinking: Strategic Opportunity Recognition: You learn to identify market gaps and emerging trends before they become obvious to competitors. This skill proves essential whether you’re launching a startup or driving corporate innovation. Risk Assessment and Management: Entrepreneurship requires calculated risks, not reckless gambles. The program teaches you to evaluate potential ventures using financial modeling, market analysis, and strategic planning frameworks. Resource Optimization: You master the art of doing more with less—a core entrepreneurial skill that applies whether you’re working with a startup budget or corporate constraints.
Real-World Application: Case Studies That Matter
The USI Executive MBA curriculum features case studies from companies that successfully navigated entrepreneurial challenges. You analyze how established organizations like Amazon and Google maintain their entrepreneurial edge while examining how startups scale their operations. These case studies go beyond theoretical frameworks. You work with actual business scenarios, developing solutions that consider market dynamics, competitive pressures, and resource limitations.
Your Executive MBA prepares you to lead innovation within established companies. Corporate entrepreneurship requires different skills than startup leadership, but the underlying principles remain consistent. You learn to navigate corporate structures while maintaining the agility and creative thinking that drives innovation. This balance becomes crucial when you’re tasked with launching new products, entering new markets, or transforming business processes.
The Startup Leadership Advantage
For executives considering entrepreneurial ventures, the Executive MBA provides specific advantages: Business Development Expertise: You gain systematic approaches to market entry, customer acquisition, and revenue generation that reduce the trial-and-error approach common in early-stage companies. Financial Acumen: Understanding how to raise capital, manage cash flow, and structure deals becomes essential for startup success. The program provides practical frameworks for these critical decisions. Leadership Under Uncertainty: Startups operate in constant uncertainty.
Your Executive MBA experience teaches you to lead teams, make decisions, and maintain momentum even when outcomes remain unclear.
The Executive MBA creates connections that support entrepreneurial ventures. Your cohort includes experienced professionals who become potential co-founders, advisors, or early customers for new ventures. Alumni networks provide access to funding sources, mentorship opportunities, and strategic partnerships. These relationships often prove more valuable than the formal education components.
Innovation Methodologies: Systematic Approaches to Creative Thinking
Your Executive MBA introduces proven methodologies for generating and evaluating innovative ideas: Design Thinking: You learn to approach problems from the user’s perspective, creating solutions that address real needs rather than perceived opportunities. Lean Startup Principles: The program teaches you to test assumptions quickly and iterate based on market feedback, reducing the risk of major failures. Innovation Pipeline Management: You develop systems for managing multiple innovation projects simultaneously, ensuring consistent progress without overextending resources.
The program emphasizes measurable outcomes over abstract concepts. You learn to define success metrics, track progress, and pivot when necessary. This analytical approach separates successful entrepreneurs from those who rely on intuition alone. Business development becomes a systematic process with clear milestones and decision points. You develop the discipline to evaluate opportunities objectively while maintaining the optimism necessary for entrepreneurial success.
From Concept to Execution: The Full Entrepreneurial Cycle
Your Executive MBA experience covers every phase of the entrepreneurial process: Opportunity Identification: You learn to spot market inefficiencies and unmet customer needs that create business opportunities. Feasibility Analysis: The program teaches you to evaluate whether opportunities represent viable business ventures worth pursuing. Business Model Development: You master the art of creating sustainable value propositions that generate consistent revenue streams. Execution and Scaling: Perhaps most importantly, you develop the operational skills necessary to transform ideas into successful businesses.
The Competitive Advantage of Executive Education
Your Executive MBA provides advantages that separate you from both traditional MBA graduates and self-taught entrepreneurs: Strategic Thinking: You develop the ability to see beyond immediate challenges and consider long-term implications of business decisions. Cross-Functional Expertise: The program builds knowledge across all business functions, enabling you to make decisions that consider multiple perspectives. Global Perspective: You gain insights into international markets and cross-cultural business practices that open new opportunities.
The Executive MBA prepares you to create lasting impact through entrepreneurial ventures. Whether you choose to launch startups, lead corporate innovation, or invest in emerging companies, you develop the skills necessary for sustained success. Your entrepreneurial journey doesn’t end with graduation. The program provides frameworks for continuous learning and adaptation as markets evolve and new opportunities emerge.
Your Entrepreneurial Transformation
The Executive Master Business Administration program transforms your approach to business challenges. You develop the entrepreneurial mindset that drives innovation, creates value, and builds sustainable competitive advantages. This transformation extends beyond personal career advancement. You become capable of leading organizations through periods of uncertainty and change, creating opportunities where others see obstacles. Your investment in executive education pays dividends throughout your career as you apply entrepreneurial thinking to every challenge you encounter. The skills you develop become the foundation for creating value in any business context.
Luglio 9, 2025 | NEWS
The Executive Master of Business Administration represents more than academic achievement. It’s a strategic investment in your professional future, designed specifically for senior managers who cannot pause their careers to study full-time. The challenge lies in integrating rigorous executive education with demanding work responsibilities while maintaining excellence in both areas.
The Reality of Executive-Level Study
Senior managers face unique pressures when pursuing an Executive Master of Business Administration. Your organization depends on your leadership, your team requires your guidance, and stakeholders expect consistent performance. Adding intensive study to this equation seems impossible. Yet thousands of experienced managers successfully complete executive education programs each year.
The key is understanding that part-time executive education works differently from traditional academic programs. These programs recognize your existing expertise and build upon it. You’re not starting from zero – you bring valuable experience that enriches both your learning and that of your peers.
Strategic Time Management for Executive Education
Effective time management becomes crucial when balancing executive education with senior management responsibilities. The most successful participants develop systems that protect both their study time and their work commitments.
Block scheduling proves most effective. Rather than squeezing study sessions between meetings, dedicate specific blocks to your Executive Master of Business Administration coursework. Early mornings, weekends, and travel time become valuable learning opportunities. Many experienced managers discover they’re more productive when they establish clear boundaries between work and study time.
Your support team plays a vital role in this balance. Delegate effectively and trust your team to handle routine decisions. This isn’t about reducing your involvement – it’s about creating space for the strategic thinking that executive education promotes.
Work-Life Balance in Executive Training
The concept of work-life balance takes on new meaning during executive education. You’re not just managing work and personal life – you’re integrating professional development into an already complex equation. This integration requires clear communication with all stakeholders.
Your family needs to understand the commitment you’re making. Your Executive Master of Business Administration isn’t just personal advancement – it’s an investment in your family’s future. When they understand the long-term benefits, they’re more likely to support the temporary adjustments required.
Your organization also benefits from your executive training. The knowledge you gain applies immediately to your current role. Many experienced managers report that their Executive Master of Business Administration improves their job performance even before graduation.
Maximizing Learning for Professional Development
Executive education demands a different approach to learning than traditional programs. You need to maximize the value of every study session, every class, and every interaction with peers.
Active application proves most effective. Don’t just learn concepts – apply them immediately in your work environment. This real-world application reinforces your learning while demonstrating the value of your executive education investment to your organization.
Your peers in the Executive Master of Business Administration program represent a wealth of experience. These networking opportunities often prove as valuable as formal coursework. Schedule regular discussions with classmates, join study groups, and participate actively in program activities.
The Advantage of Part-Time Format
Part-time executive education offers significant advantages over full-time programs for senior managers. You maintain your income, stay current with industry developments, and can immediately apply new knowledge in your role.
The extended timeline of part-time programs allows deeper reflection and gradual integration of new concepts. Rather than cramming information during an intensive period, you have time to thoughtfully consider how each element applies to your specific situation.
Your continued work experience during executive training provides context for theoretical concepts. Case studies become more relevant when you’re simultaneously dealing with similar challenges in your actual role.
Managing Expectations and Outcomes
Success in executive education requires realistic expectations about the process. Some weeks will be more challenging than others. Projects may compete for your attention, and deadlines may conflict. The key is maintaining focus on your long-term objectives while remaining flexible about short-term adjustments.
Your Executive Master of Business Administration represents an investment in your future leadership capabilities. The knowledge, skills, and network you develop will serve you throughout your career. This perspective helps maintain motivation during challenging periods.
Building Long-Term Success
The strategies you develop for balancing executive education with senior management responsibilities serve you well beyond graduation. The discipline, time management, and prioritization skills you develop become permanent assets in your professional toolkit.
Your experience as an executive education participant also prepares you to support others in similar situations. As you advance in your career, you’ll likely sponsor other experienced managers pursuing their own professional development.
The Investment Perspective
Viewing your Executive Master of Business Administration as a strategic investment changes how you approach the challenges. Like any investment, it requires resources – time, energy, and focus. The returns come in enhanced leadership capabilities, expanded networks, and increased career opportunities.
The part-time format allows you to maintain your current earning potential while investing in future growth. This approach minimizes financial risk while maximizing long-term benefits.
Your journey through executive education as a senior manager demonstrates that continuous learning and professional development remain possible regardless of your career stage. The balance you achieve between immediate responsibilities and long-term growth creates a model for others to follow.
The Executive Master of Business Administration for working professionals represents more than academic achievement – it’s proof that experienced managers can successfully integrate rigorous learning with demanding careers. Your success in this balance positions you for even greater leadership challenges ahead.
