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    Upskilling for Professional Development

    Upgrade your personal skills toolbox to accelerate career growth
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    • Home
    • Summer Programs For University Students
    • Upskilling For Professional Development
    duration2 weeks
    languageEnglish
    locationMadrid
    1st EditionMonday, 26th of May – Friday, 6th of June
    2nd editionMonday, 23rd of June – Friday, 4th of July
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    Program DetailsUntitled
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    GAIN SKILLS FOR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS

    Unlock your career potential with a hands-on program designed to boost your professional skills toolkit. Over two weeks, you’ll explore self-discovery techniques, learn practical strategies and gain expert insights to help you take control of your career.

    The Upskilling for Professional Development program is all about turning your strengths and ambitions into real-world growth. Through interactive projects and guidance from industry leaders, you’ll sharpen your decision-making skills, learn to identify growth opportunities and develop the confidence to drive results.

    WANT TO KNOW MORE?
    days to start your best summer
    51days
    :
    13hours
    :
    21minutes

    Course Overview – Typical Day in the UPSKILLING FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM​

    Each day is designed to challenge you, push your boundaries and help you grow—leaving you with actionable insights to elevate your future career.

    You’ll have up to three sessions per day, each lasting 80 minutes. Some days will feature double sessions with a short break in between:

    • A group of students engaged in a discussion in a modern classroom.

      Week 1:

      • Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

    • Week 2:

      • Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
      • Friday: The last day is dedicated to final projects and a fun graduation ceremony.

    WHO IS THIS PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR?

    • This program is right for you if…

      …you are a driven and ambitious individual, ready to take your career to the next level. Whether you’re a student eager to gain hands-on experience or a professional looking to refine your career strategy, this program is ideal for learners who are serious about developing the skills and confidence to succeed in today’s fast-paced world.

    • Participant profile

      The Upskilling for Professional Development program is specially designed for university students and recent graduates between 18 and 26 years old.

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    Focus Areas

    Prepare to take charge of your career journey with skills that go beyond the basics. From understanding your values to crafting a personal brand, this program will help you enhance your employability and align your professional life with what matters most.

    • 01.

      Career strategy development

      Gain the skills to draft a clear, actionable career strategy that aligns your values and aspirations with practical goals, helping you make confident decisions that fast-track your professional trajectory.

    • 02.

      Personal branding

      Develop the ability to create a compelling personal brand that highlights your unique strengths and makes you memorable to employers, building a profile that allows you to compete effectively in today’s dynamic job market.

    • 03.

      Pitching

      Master the art of the pitch and learn how to present your ideas clearly and persuasively. Whether you're pitching to potential investors, partners or clients, this skill will help you communicate your value effectively in any business environment.

    • 04.

      Digital skills

      Explore emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and their applications to productivity, leadership and career planning. This understanding of innovation will prepare you to leverage advanced tools and set you apart in the job market.

    • 05.

      Self-awareness

      Discover your strengths, values and passions in order to make informed career choices that resonate with who you truly are, both professionally and personally

    Unique Value

    Foster ownership of your career strategy by developing high-impact skills essential for success in today’s professional environment. This program helps you enhance employability through targeted skill development, cultivate self-awareness to align personal values with career aspirations, and build a powerful personal brand to effectively market yourself in competitive industries.

    Learning Outcome

    Gain a solid foundation in career development with the tools needed to craft a personalized application package. Develop the confidence and strategy to create a clear and impactful professional career plan, setting yourself apart in the job market.

    Program Structure

    Dive into a curriculum that immerses you in hands-on learning. Through a mix of interactive classes, collaborative group work, presentations and our innovative media lab, you’ll develop essential skills for success.

    What Your're going to do
    2 Weeks
    Week 1
      Week 2
        Final Project

          Foundation of Self-Discovery and Core Skill Building

          Key themes: Building high-impact skills for career growth.

          • Day 1

            Orientation, Intro to self awareness, what does success look like for you? (setting intentions)

          • Day 2

            Critical Thinking (decision-making in real-life scenarios, tools for everyday strategic decisions)

          • Day 3

            Problem-Solving

          • Day 4

            Apply critical thinking and problem solving to create your personal branding, LinkedIn and networking (how to build connections in person and online)

          • Day 5

            Initial pitch practice

          Practical Tools and Professional Empowerment

          • Day 6

            AI Productivity + Learning how to Learn and adapting to evolving job market

          • Day 7

            Persuasion & Influence - how to better use AI to enhance customized outcomes

          • Day 8

            Story Telling and Presentations – effective communication and pitch practice (the pitch will be a mock interview)

          • Day 9

            Story Telling and Presentations – persuasive communication and pitch practice (the pitch will be a mock interview)

          • Day 10

            Reflecting on growth, Setting a goal for continued growth, Pitch in front of a panel + graduation

          Upskilling for Professional Development

          The final presentation involves students delivering a mock interview, where they pitch themselves and demonstrate how they have leveraged the skills and insights gained throughout the course.

          This includes showcasing their personal branding, career aspirations, and the application of critical thinking, problem-solving, and persuasive communication in professional settings.

          Students would also reflect on their growth during the program, discussing how they’ve developed skills and tools for career advancement, such as enhancing their LinkedIn profiles, networking strategies, and adapting to the evolving job market.

          The presentation culminates in a formal pitch in front of a panel allowing students to confidently demonstrate their ability to create and communicate their professional career strategy.

          What Your're going to do
          2 Weeks

          Discover the program's agenda

          Dive into a curriculum that immerses you in hands-on learning. Through a mix of interactive classes, collaborative group work, presentations and our innovative media lab, you’ll develop essential skills for success.

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          OUR PROGRAM LEAD FACULTY

          Brendan Angil – Professor in the following masters: International MBA and Master in Management.


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          DISCOVER THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR YOU

          With flexible programs, you can mix and match the topics that interest you the most, giving you a taste of your future degree or career. Each program lasts two weeks, except the Entrepreneurship program, which lasts four, and you can combine up to three programs to create a very personal learning journey.​

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          Customer Experience Innovation

          Learn how the pros design seamless, unforgettable customer experiences that help businesses stand out through deep dives into design thinking and customer-first strategies.

          • Monday, June 9 – Friday, June 20.
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          Breakthrough Tech & AI

          Explore emerging technologies like AI, robotics and quantum computing in our state-of-the-art IE Robotics & AI Lab—and learn how to leverage them for your future.

          • (1st Edition): Monday, June 9 – Friday, June 20.
          • (2nd Edition): Monday, July 7 – Friday, July 18.
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          University summer program

          What if this summer, you could cut through the noise, discover what truly drives you, and learn how to channel it into something extraordinary?

          At IE University Summer Program, we’re here for the curious, for those ready to build a life that matters but aren’t sure where to start.

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          Humanities in Action

          Experience an immersive journey in arts, culture, and contemporary issues in Madrid, broadening your perspectives on politics, diversity, and sustainability while enhancing both personal and professional growth.

          • Monday, June 9 – Friday, June 20.
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          The young woman is sketching designs at a table filled with art supplies.

          Fashion Styling & Media

          Master the latest fashion trends and cover must-know basics of styling, photography and visual communication, all while gaining firsthand studio experience to build your professional portfolio and craft a stand-out personal brand.

          • Monday, June 23 – Friday, July 4.
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          Law & Innovation

          Explore the intersection of law, technology and policy through real-world case studies, interactive workshops and a two-day competition, sharpening your skills in negotiation, public speaking and legal analysis.

          • Monday, June 9 – Friday, June 20.
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          NextGen Public Changemakers

          Dive hands-on into topics like global governance, leadership and geopolitics to understand complex policy and global issues and gain a leadership mindset fit for the future.

          • Monday, June 23 – Friday, July 4.
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          IE Entrepreneurship Summer School

          Develop your startup idea and refine your entrepreneurial skills alongside like-minded peers, with insights from IE Alumni and IE Startup Mentors to support you as you prepare for a final pitch competition.

          • Monday, June 9 – Friday, July 4.
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          Rethingking sustainability

          Gain new perspectives, practical strategies and a personal action plan for creating sustainable change through hands-on VR simulations and group projects.

          • Monday, July 7 – Friday, July 18.
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          DISCOVER THE SUMMER 2025 CALENDAR

          Take a look to see how you can structure your summer with our various combinations.​

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          Abstract for Tuition | IE

          TUITION

          2 WEEK PROGRAM

          • 3,500€* (Early Bird Price 3,150€)
          • *5,900€ Bundle Price (2 weeks + 2 weeks)

          CREDIT RECOGNITION

          Earning academic credit at your home institution for joining IE University’s Summer Program is designed to be as straightforward as possible. Many institutions routinely award credit for summer courses, but we highly recommend that you check with your University’s International or Study Abroad Office regarding any specific requirements you might need to fulfill.

          If you join IE University’s Summer Program for at least four weeks (= two two-week modules or with the four-week Entrepreneurship Summer School), you’ll complete an academic workload equivalence of 6 ECTS credits (or 3 US credits). If you spend more time with us, you can earn even more credit equivalence, also spread over consecutive summers. To qualify for credit recognition, you need to fulfill all the course requirements and submit one final essay within two weeks of finishing your last course.

          To make the credit transfer process easier, IE University provides all the necessary documentation and evidence required by your home university’s Study Abroad Office or academic department. Additionally, we actively work to pre-agree credit recognition with key partner universities to ensure a faster and smoother process for you.

          THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

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          1. Online Application

          You will need to complete the online application with the following documents: 

          1. Academic transcripts.  
          2. CV (cv template).
          3. Video Assessment: in this section you will complete two live video questions on general knowledge topics.

          *You must complete all sections of the application in order to submit it.

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          2. Submit your Application

          Once you complete all sections you may submit your online application to be evaluated by our team.


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          3. Admissions Final Decision

          Within 2 weeks of submitting, the Summer School Team will contact you with the final resolution of your Admissions process. Should it be positive, you will be guided through the next steps for your enrollment.

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          START YOUR APPLICATION

          Spaces are limited, so enroll now to guarantee your place!

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