In today’s interconnected business landscape, leadership transcends borders. The Executive MBA program at Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) stands at this critical intersection, offering professionals not just advanced management education, but a truly global mindset essential for navigating the complexities of international business. Located in the picturesque city of Lugano, Switzerland, USI’s EMBA program has strategically positioned itself as a gateway to global business leadership, blending Swiss educational excellence with an international outlook that prepares executives to thrive across borders.
A global Faculty fostering international perspectives
At the heart of the USI EMBA’s global approach is its exceptional international faculty. The program carefully selects instructors not only for their academic credentials but for their extensive global experience across private and public sectors. These professors bring diverse perspectives from top business schools worldwide, creating a rich learning environment that transcends cultural boundaries.
The diversity in teaching expertise ensures that participants are exposed to global best practices and varied approaches to business challenges. From strategy to operations, from finance to leadership, each subject is taught with a global lens that helps participants contextualize business decisions within an international framework.
The influence of this international faculty extends beyond classroom instruction. As Professor Paulo Gonçalves, Director of the Executive MBA program, emphasizes through the program’s structure, these academics excel in helping executives apply cutting-edge management theories to their work environments, encouraging a multidisciplinary approach that reflects the complexity of global business.
Learning across borders: Boston Study Tour
Perhaps the most distinctive element of USI’s global approach is the Boston Study Tour—a transformative six-day intensive experience that immerses participants in one of the world’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems. This executive-level program takes participants to leading institutions including MIT, Harvard University, Boston University, and Tufts University, offering a unique window into American business innovation and leadership practices.
The Boston experience combines academic rigor with real-world application through lectures, hands-on workshops, system simulations, site visits, and facilitated discussions. Participants engage with cutting-edge thinking across critical global business areas: System dynamics and systems thinking for organizational challenges Strategic sustainability and frameworks for responsible leadership Design thinking and innovation methodologies Sustainable finance and circular economy models
Visiting research and innovation hubs such as the MIT CAVE Lab and the Engineering Systems Lab, participants gain firsthand exposure to groundbreaking technologies and ideas that are shaping global business. This international perspective allows executives to return to their organizations with fresh insights on innovation practices that can be adapted across cultural contexts.
A diverse cohort: the power of multiple perspectives
The global character of the USI EMBA is further enhanced by the diversity of its participant cohort. Professionals from various industries, countries, and backgrounds create an intellectually stimulating environment where collaboration and exchange of ideas are constant. This diversity is not incidental but fundamental to the program’s design, as it cultivates a truly global mindset.
“Human interaction and broader perspectives” are highlighted as distinctive features of the program, with networking opportunities and different viewpoints creating a rich learning ecosystem. The program’s small class size ensures that these diverse perspectives are heard and integrated into discussions, case studies, and team projects.
What makes this approach particularly effective is the program’s unique structure that allows participants to network across different EMBA cohorts. As the program documentation states: “Participants will also have the opportunity to network with students from the previous and next EMBA cohorts, thanks to joint elective courses that bring together participants across different generations of the program.” This cross-generational networking exponentially increases the diversity of perspectives and expands professional connections across borders.
Global strategy through real-world applications
The USI EMBA translates global theory into practice through its emphasis on real-world applications. The curriculum is designed to help participants tackle global business challenges through team-based projects, real-life case studies, and ultimately, a final project that applies international business principles to specific organizational challenges.
Participants engage with strategic case studies from around the world, analyzing how businesses navigate different market conditions, regulatory environments, and cultural contexts. This approach helps executives develop the analytical tools needed to make strategic decisions in diverse global settings.
The program’s practical orientation culminates in the final project, where participants act as internal consultants within their own organizations, applying concepts and tools from the program to address real business challenges. With guidance from USI professors, they transform learning into tangible impact, driving meaningful change with a global perspective.
Ethical leadership for a global context
In an increasingly complex global business environment, ethical leadership has become paramount. The USI EMBA places strong emphasis on developing leaders who can navigate ethical challenges across different cultural contexts.
The program’s core values—intellectual honesty, critical thinking, ethical leadership, mutual respect, growth mindset, and excellence—provide a strong foundation for responsible global leadership. These values are not merely stated but integrated throughout the curriculum and embodied by the faculty.
Workshops focusing on key soft and strategic skills complement the core curriculum, enhancing decision-making, communication, and leadership capabilities essential for global contexts. Topics such as “Strategic and Creative Decision-Making,” “Managing Emotions,” and “Dealing with Difficult Behavior in Negotiations” prepare executives to lead effectively across cultural boundaries.
Preparing leaders for global challenges
Today’s business landscape requires leaders who can navigate global challenges with agility and foresight. The USI EMBA prepares participants to lead across borders by developing their understanding of the fast-changing global environment and its impact on local industries.
As the program documentation states: “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.”
Through its global faculty, diverse cohort, international study tour, and emphasis on ethical leadership, the USI EMBA equips executives with the tools they need to address complex global business problems. Participants develop the confidence to make crucial decisions in uncertain environments while driving fundamental change within their organizations and industries.
The USI Executive MBA offers more than just advanced management education—it provides a transformative journey that shapes innovative, forward-thinking leaders ready to make a meaningful difference on the global stage. By combining Swiss educational excellence with a truly international perspective, the program prepares executives to lead with confidence across borders.
As businesses continue to navigate an increasingly interconnected world, the global perspective offered by the USI EMBA becomes not just valuable but essential. For professionals looking to advance their careers in global leadership roles, this program provides the knowledge, skills, networks, and mindset needed to succeed in today’s complex business landscape.
The program’s vision says it all: “USI EMBA’s vision is to empower the next generation of global business leaders, instilled with unwavering ethics to drive transformative-positive change in the world.” Through its global approach to executive education, the USI EMBA is turning this vision into reality, one leader at a time.
