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For more than 100 years, WU Executive Academy, a business school at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, has built an excellent reputation in the field of executive education. It is one of the leading providers in Europe and part of the 1% of triple-crown-accredited business schools in the world.
Programmes here perform well in prestigious rankings like the Financial Times, drawing talented students and professors around the world to its diverse campus in one of the most livable cities in the world.
Mirela Pitu was one of them. Originally from Romania, she never imagined she’d become an entrepreneur. Today, she’s the founder of Pi2 PR, an internationally acclaimed communications agency. Her journey to entrepreneurship began after a life-changing Executive MBA (EMBA) programme at WU Executive Academy.
“It was a remarkable experience that offered state-of-the-art knowledge,” says Pitu, previously the general manager of a global advertising agency. “I got to know successful people who became my close friends, and I was completely transformed. I gained a lot of confidence, which helped a lot in handling my shortcomings without being afraid of them.
Empowered by her growth, Pitu made the bold decision to leave her job and start her own company — a move she now calls one of her best decisions.
In recent years, the WU Executive Academy has become Europe’s leading business education provider. Source: WU Executive Academy
A key element that allows the academy to create success stories like Pitu’s is its strategic foresight strategy and Leadership Lab. The former equips leaders with tools to anticipate future trends and disruptions, while the Leadership Lab emphasises real-world challenges and emotional intelligence, cultivating effective leadership in dynamic environments.
Whether aiming for rapid career growth or stepping up the C-suite, such features guide students to become “New Leaders,” prepared to go beyond traditional management approaches.
Executive education portfolio of the WU Executive Academy
The academy offers a variety of programmes that focus on key areas like leadership, digitalisation, and sustainability — precisely the skills that today’s business leaders need.
One such programme is the EMBA. Its modular structure is ideal for managers and ambitious professionals who want to earn a world-class MBA without putting their careers on hold – just like Pitu did.
The Business Core modules, including the Leadership Lab, cover essential topics like economics and business management, along with the latest tools and techniques in leadership. These are paired with eight specialisation options — Digital Transformation & Data Science, Energy Management, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Finance, Health Care Management, Public Auditing, Strategic Marketing & Sales, and Strategic Project Management — that allow students to gain deep expertise in a field of their choice.
“I liked the general experience and the personal transformation that came with it,” Pitu says. “I enjoyed all classes as they offered me a better understanding of the large general management puzzle.”
Each year, around 3,000 managers, experts, and people with high potential worldwide enrol in WU Executive Academy’s executive education programmes. Source: WU Executive Academy
This sense of transformation can also be found in WU’s Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) programme. Ranked among the Top 45 worldwide (Financial Times & Economist), it is a 16-month, part-time programme in partnership with the Carlson School of Management -University of Minnesota. Spanning three continents, it focuses on developed and emerging markets. With 15 modules, a global team project, and three international immersions, it provides a 360° global perspective on management and leadership.
What’s more, the programme addresses real-world challenges, allowing students to apply the latest knowledge in their workplace while building essential skills to become leaders. It covers core business subjects and emphasises adapting to emerging trends and new technologies.
“I have gained many good things from my MBA: exceptional academic knowledge, real international business experience, and the nice add-on of global thinking; most importantly, my MBA has formed friendships that will last a lifetime,” says graduate Vitaly Berezka, Managing Partner at iQuartal, a construction and real estate technology firm operating in Moscow, Ekaterinburg, and Vienna.
No matter which programme students choose, they benefit from the expertise of over 400 faculty members and experts from more than 200 partner universities worldwide. Each programme is updated frequently to include new breakthroughs by renowned professors and top executives, ensuring students receive the latest insights and practical applications of management models.
A cohort comprising a diverse mix of executives and managers from various countries and industries further enriches the experience. They bring various and valuable perspectives on international business challenges. Together, they form a robust and supportive network that will serve them throughout their careers. Yury Ostrovskiy, who completed his Executive MBA Strategic Marketing & Sales in 2021 can attest to this.
“By participating in the WU Executive Academy programme, I was able to significantly expand my network in the DACH region (referring to three Central European countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) which is crucial for me to integrate into various countries successfully,” he says. “For example, when I had to look for a job in Germany, the contacts in my network helped me get several job offers.”
Being in the heart of Europe means being in the centre of a unique blend of history and modernity, making it an inspiring place to live and learn. Consistently ranked among the most livable cities globally, Vienna serves as a thriving, accessible hub for business. It is home to many large corporations and international organisations such as the Austrian Commission for UNESCO, United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS), OneWorld Austria (OWA) and many more – all of which are seeking graduates of WU Executive Academy’s calibre.
Interested? Learn more about WU Executive Academy.
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