Value for you
The EMBA degree is one of the most valuable investments you can make in yourself. It offers accelerated intellectual development, enhances your strategic vision, and provides immediately applicable knowledge – all of which are benefits you can expect when you join the USI EMBA program.
After completing each module, you’ll return to your organization equipped with new skills to better identify, frame, and solve complex business problems. This newfound confidence enables you to make crucial decisions in an uncertain and rapidly changing environment while also developing leadership and ethical skills to drive fundamental change within your organization and industry. Furthermore, the EMBA program provides an opportunity to put your newly acquired skills to the test under the expert guidance of USI’s top faculty during the keystone project at the program’s conclusion.
Relevant to your career
Today, all organizations, regardless of their size, face global challenges and competition. Both local enterprises and multinational corporations require leaders who are adept at conducting business not only within their own country but also on an international scale. It is imperative for company executives to possess a deep understanding of the fast-changing global environment, its impact on local industries, and how organizations can effectively leverage their resources to excel in the face of diverse challenges.
The USI EMBA faculty draws on real-world examples from regional, European, and international businesses to prepare you for this role. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to interact with senior managers from local and regional companies, who will be invited to present and discuss current topics with your class, allowing you to expand your network.
The USI Executive MBA program aims to create a mutually beneficial scenario for both participants and their organizations. When organizations invest in high-potential employees by enrolling them in the USI EMBA, they reap several advantages. In the short-term, they benefit from the participant’s up-to-date management knowledge and immediately applicable skills acquired after each module.
In the medium-term, the in-company project provides an opportunity for fresh perspectives on current or future projects, supervised by a faculty expert. For instance, a recent student research paper demonstrated how an international organization could reduce its distribution costs by 12-14%, and these findings are currently being implemented by the organization.
Furthermore, in the long-term, the organization benefits from the graduate’s energy and commitment to establishing a robust foundation for growth and expansion. They also gain from the graduate’s enhanced leadership skills and an expanded network of contacts spanning various industries.
Participants in the program experience notable improvements in various aspects of professional development, with the most significant enhancements seen in business discipline integration, critical thinking, decision-making, global sensitivity, leadership, and team-building.
The USI EMBA experience goes beyond the classroom and offers an excellent opportunity to learn about various professions and cultures. Informal networking opportunities abound during lunches, class breaks, social events, and other activities, allowing participants to connect with fellow students and guest speakers.
Every month, USI EMBA participants have the privilege of meeting senior managers from local and regional companies who are invited to present and discuss current topics with the class, thereby expanding our business network.
At USI EMBA, we firmly believe that networking is a key driver of business success and an integral part of the EMBA experience. We provide numerous networking opportunities for our participants and actively organize holiday parties that involve EMBA community members and their families.
Furthermore, USI EMBA participants, as future USI alumni, gain access to an exclusive and extensive international network. Our alumni are passionate about sharing their experiences and are readily available to speak with potential applicants. They serve as a valuable resource to the program, and we take pride in having them as part of our community.
For further information about the Alumni Service check our website at:
www.usi.ch/it/universita/info/alumni
The Università della Svizzera italiana is located near the city center of the picturesque and hospitable city of Lugano, and it is just five minutes away from the stunningly beautiful Lake Lugano. The university campus features modern classrooms equipped with WiFi and the latest teaching equipment, along with a comprehensive library that covers both academic and practical aspects of management. The library is accessible online to participants, whether they are on or off-campus.
In line with its dynamic nature, the university’s campus is continually expanding, with additional buildings and facilities currently in the planning stages for the Lugano campus.
Situated at the crossroads of northern and southern Europe, Lugano is easily accessible by train, plane, bus, and car from Zurich, Milan, Geneva, and many other European and international centers.
The USI EMBA equips you with the tools to enter the corporate world as a manager, addressing all aspects of the business sphere. It imparts knowledge in economics, finance, market analysis, organizational behavior, change management, quantitative methods, human resources, and other relevant disciplines.
The USI EMBA has the potential to transform your life, opening doors to new business opportunities, enabling the creation of new companies, providing access to higher-level positions and significant promotions, fostering the development of high-quality and challenging products, expanding into new markets, and deepening your understanding of business dynamics.
Explore inspiring success stories of accomplished USI EMBA graduates.
Patrick Lardi
Owner at Spontefide SA, Lugano
Member of the Board of Directors
ST Real Estate Inc.
“I co-founded Newscron with two colleagues, Elia and Roberto. Additionally, I joined the Board of Directors of the Casino of Lugano and began working on international projects. In several situations, including the investor sourcing and investment process for Newscron, the restructuration of the organization at the Casino Lugano and the analysis of investment opportunities in Australia and the US, I have been able to elevate the level of success. The skills I acquired during the EMBA program have been invaluable for my academic training and have provided me with a solid structure to address the challenges and issues related to my work projects more systematically. The MBA has not only provided high-quality academic training but also a positive experience that allowed me to further showcase my qualities and talents.
Newscron is the result of 3.5 years of research at ETH Zurich and Boston University. The application values media outlets that carry the best quality stories, considering factors such as added value (new information, pictures, interviews, etc.), and prevents repetition of wire stories across multiple newspapers. Newscron stands out from other news aggregators for several reasons: A) similar news items are nicely grouped into ‘stories,’ and B) it is the only app on the international market that rapidly aggregates news in five major Western languages. Already, Newscron has garnered strong interest from over 65,000 monthly users who read approximately 4.5 million articles through the app.
The Casino of Lugano faced several structural problems. During my 36-month tenure as a Board member (including 14 months as Delegate of the BoD), we achieved the following:
- Completed a 5 million CHF refurbishment project.
- Restructured the entire organization, reducing labor costs by more than 15% while improving services.
- Successfully launched four new products that will sustain the business in the future.
- Implemented a new culture, including a new management team.
Over the last year, I had the opportunity to join an international group, and in recent months, our focus has been on real estate investment. As our founder said, in the morning I will focus on Australia, in the afternoon I will work on the USA projects, and in the rest of the time, I should develop Africa. In the coming years, I look forward to continuing my focus on international business.”
STEFANO GUANDALINI
“The USI EMBA makes it easy to return to studying, as you are in a classroom with students of similar ages, who share similar working and life experiences.”
CHARLES FAIRTLOUGH
” After the EMBA, I was much more confident in dealing with my customers and multinational firms”
MICHELE BROGGINI
CRISTIAN BISSATINI
SLAVEN KLARIN SMILJANIC
Juliano Jubileu
Former General Director
Unifleisch S/A
“The USI EMBA experience was great, filling in the missing managerial gaps by linking various business topics together. This has led me to become a more complete professional. I now have a better business overview, as I have improved my management skills.”
Stéphanie Ugas
The Swatch Group Assembly SA (Switzerland)
Former Chief Financial Officer the Swatch Group Assembly SA (Switzerland)
“It’s not only about Business Administration. It’s about a deep understanding of yourself. EMBA USI, invest in yourself.”
Silvia Storni-Michel
Founder 15Dieci15
“After my experiences in different fields of activities, such as Head of Operations and Commercial Director with a focus on sales, PR & Marketing, I have realized that, thanks to the know-how acquired during the EMBA program at USI in Lugano, my self-confidence in knowledge has considerably increased.
The EMBA program proved to me that it is never too late to improve and update your professional skills. Therefore, in October 2015, I resigned and created my own start-up. The main purpose is to share the acquired know-how through the excellent EMBA program with local small companies, providing them with the best practice support in Administration, Marketing, Statistics, and PR activities.
I strongly believe in solutions: 15Dieci15 finds solutions for anything for everybody. We stand next to the company. Always!”
Raffaele Bartoli
Investment manager
Former Vice President
BSI Europe S.A. Luxembourg
“I chose to invest in myself by enrolling in the EMBA program at USI because it offers an effective class schedule and hosts a high-quality, international faculty. The limited number of participants enhances interaction among students and with the teachers, and this also allows for a careful selection of candidates. The knowledge acquired in the various courses, along with the intense working pace, is equipping me with a powerful set of tools to address the daily challenges of my job”
Stefano Del Ponte
Airline pilot, Easyjet
What did you study at USI?
I studied Business Administration by attending the USI Executive MBA master program (EMBA). I choose to get a MBA because I increasingly felt the need for a new experience and fresh updated and applied knowledge.
The worldwide business environment is changing and this has affected my sector: the airline industry. To evolve inside a company, or having access to new jobs, or careers which are transverse to a normal pilot career, the airline industry demand additional knowledge, in order to better understand the environment in which you are working. In the past this could be acquired with seniority and learning by doing. Today additional study is a must.
If you want embrace new career opportunities or improve your position you must be able understand what other departments and other areas of your company and others, operating in the industry are doing. This is fundamental to obtain good results.
In which companies have you worked, in which countries and in which roles?
I am an airline pilot working for Easyjet Airline, LTD, first in London Gatwick and since 2007, based in Milano Malpensa. Before that, I worked for Crossair (from 1994 to 2001) in Lugano and for Swiss International Airline (from 2001 to 2005) in Basel and Zürich. Throughout my career, I have held various positions, including Ground Instructor, Airline Pilot, Captain, and First Officer.
What is your motto?
“Knowledge does not hurt and helps to improve.”
What would you like to accomplish in the future?
At the moment, I have enrolled in the EMBA program at USI for personal reasons, aiming to enhance my flexibility in the job market in case I cannot continue as a pilot. In the future, I aspire to grow professionally and gain access to operational or performance areas within the aviation industry where I can leverage both my piloting skills and the knowledge acquired through my EMBA studies. Undoubtedly, having studied here at USI and obtaining my EMBA Degree should provide me with more opportunities, as the Executive MBA is increasingly in demand.
What advice would you give to anyone who is considering an EMBA?
Listen to and follow your inclinations, assess the requirements of the job market, challenge yourself, and don’t be afraid of tackling anything that may appear too difficult.
