Women of USI Executive MBA

On March 8th, it may seem easy to celebrate women, but is this enough to resolve underlying issues?
According to the Executive MBA Council, in 2021, only 33% of EMBA participants worldwide were women, a slight increase from 30% in 2017. Despite this being the highest percentage ever, achieving gender equality remains a challenge.
USI EMBA is trying to increase female enrollment, despite the various societal factors. ( gender pay gap, family commitments, fear of job loss).
For instance, as household and family duties tend to fall on women, achieving a work-life balance can be difficult for female students, who have the same 24-hour days as their male counterparts.
Furthermore, the cost of EMBA programs is often significant, and the gender pay gap, though reduced, is still an issue in the workplace. As a result, financing an EMBA program can be more challenging for women than men.
In addition, EMBA programs are primarily targeted at executives, and despite a rising number of female executives (19% in Switzerland in 2021), female executives remain a minority.
USI EMBA strives to reach a gender-balanced and diverse class and believes gender diversity is a valuable asset and a reflection of changing society.

Read some of our EMBA women stories:

Cristina Saporiti, Director of Operation USI EMBA
Geraldine Becchi, Partnership Development Specialist at United Nations Volunteers
Annalisa Kern, CFO Tunneltechnik SA
Melina Schatz,  Sales Trader, PKB Private Bank
Alessandra Juri Zanolari, Deputy Director Electronics Manufacturing Services