The Lisbon MBA: Using today to innovate tomorrow’s most powerful leaders

Studying for an MBA (Master of Business Administration) can present many benefits, from better career opportunities and higher salaries to greater industry exposure. It’s an excellent qualification for professionals who either would like to further themselves in the workplace, make more radical career shifts, or even become entrepreneurs.

And the beauty of an MBA is that it is the one academic qualification “that has never stood still”, according to Andrew Main Wilson, Chief Executive of the Association of MBAs (AMBA), meaning that over time, the MBA has been restructured to reflect the current needs of employers and businesses, which is excellent news for prospective students. So, if you’re searching for an MBA course that will do more than provide you with an outstanding real-world business acumen, the Lisbon MBA could be just the thing you need.

Image courtesy of The Lisbon MBA

This one-year, full-time, intensive program is more than just your typical business degree. When you pursue the Lisbon MBA, you’ll become part of a dynamic community that believes in making a positive impact in the world through thoughtful leadership and innovative ideas. It also provides you with management competencies that are necessary in today’s complex business world.

In a fast-paced and connected world, managers must be prepared to face whatever challenge comes their way. Through the Lisbon MBA, graduates leave ready to command and combine different expertise, to be creative and adaptable, and to nurture their cognitive and emotional skills in order to keep up with industry needs.

The best of both worlds

Joining forces to produce the Lisbon MBA are two leading business schools in Europe, both of whom hold triple crown accreditations (AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA). The joint-venture between Nova SBE and Católica-Lisbon offers students either a two-year Executive part-time MBA, or a one-year International full-time MBA that’s offered in partnership with MIT’s prestigious Sloan School of Management.

Prospective students who pursue the International MBA take classes and develop new networks at the MIT Sloan School of Management during a one-month immersion in Boston. Each student will have the chance to learn from the professors, have access to prolific libraries and learning centers, while pursuing courses that focus on global issues in management. And after graduating with the Lisbon MBA, students have access to the MIT affiliate status, meaning that they will be featured in the MIT Sloan Alumni Network and will also have a sloan.mit.edu e-mail for life.

The Lisbon MBA International program is considered the 20^th best MBA program in Europe according to the 2017 Financial Times Top 100 Global MBA rankings, being ranked as 1^st in Europe in the ‘International Course Experience’ category.

What makes it a popular course is its program structure, which ensures that your MBA experience is immersive and personalized. The number of students in a class is adjusted accordingly to create an intimate classroom environment where students are able to interact with their lecturers and build a deep connection with fellow classmates.

This course also allows students to maximize their learning experience by providing them with real business projects to work on, as the faculty believes that a hands-on approach is the best way to acquire new academic skills and connect with the business world. Students will also be exposed to several international perspectives and diverse industries while they personally recognize the progress of their own transformations, analytical expertise and critical reasoning skills.

Unlocking the potential within each student

Besides providing students with business ‘smarts’, the program also helps students recognize their leadership potential, with faculty, lecturers and staff continuously seeking to find innovative, creative and inspiring approaches to grant students skills that will help them succeed at university and far beyond.

Understanding that focus and personalization are both important factors, the Career Management Center team works alongside students to help them produce a career development plan, increasing their self-awareness and teaching them how to maximize potential in whatever they set out to do.

On the other hand, the career development of our students is complemented with a profound focus on soft skills. The Lisbon MBA has a Friday Forum Series that gives them the chance to delve into their future leadership roles in a flexible and adaptable way. Students will strengthen their interpersonal and leadership skills, which will help them manage teams and organizations. These workshops allow you to become aware of your identity, beliefs and habits; to understand the way they suit you when you need to handle challenging contexts and situations, and provide you with tools, concepts or ‘out of the box’ experiences that will feed your personal choices.

Building key relationships that will boost your professional life

To further develop students’ leadership expertise, the program hosts several exclusive leadership sessions and events with external guests, like entrepreneurs and senior executives from a diverse range of industries. Not only does this provide students, alumni, faculty, and staff the chance to network, it also gives students the chance to ask questions, to gain a unique industry insight and a head start on work placement opportunities.

Some of the institution’s previous networking events include ‘Breakfast with CEO’s, where a group of students meet with a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of their preference and have an informal and open conversation about the company’s global strategies, industry trends and MBA recruitment opportunities.

Image courtesy of The Lisbon MBA

The Lisbon MBA has strong ties with the corporate world and those connections go beyond the structured presence of companies involved in the MBA program. It also has a large alumni network that spreads around the world and works in different industries, providing students with a network of business connections that can help them advance their careers.

For the ambitious and creative individual who wants to make an impact in the world, the Lisbon MBA hopes to get you through with its innovative curriculum, rigorous analysis, socially responsible behavior and hands-on learning. Think you’ve got what it takes? Because there’s never been a better time for you to submit your application.

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